International architecture firm, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) will be presenting a selection of Chairman and Founder A. Eugene Kohn’s watercolors at The Galleries at 153 East 53rd Street in New York City this summer. Opening on Monday, July 2nd and on view through the end of August, the exhibition will feature highlights of Kohn’s work from the 1950’s through today.
Kohn paints primarily in watercolor with a range of subjects – cityscapes, landscapes, still life and abstract. Much of his work is done when he travels in foreign countries, and he frequently gives them as gifts or donates them to charity auctions. His watercolors have previously been displayed at the Guggenheim Museum in a show for the works of well-known architects, as well as an exhibition in Hong Kong last year, and are shown at Belgravia Gallery in London. Kohn’s fascination with painting began when he was a young boy sitting by his mother’s side while she painted. Hannah Kohn was an accomplished painter in her own right, and also had a show at the Guggenheim Museum on the occasion of her 100th birthday.
According to Kohn, “It’s not about being an artist – painting is something that I delight in and do purely for the joy of it. I paint to relax and to express strong feelings about certain subjects. A building can take five to ten years to complete, while a watercolor can be done in a few hours.”
Gallery owner Meredith Ward adds, "Gene Kohn’s watercolors have an elegant simplicity. He uses the unique qualities of the medium to greatest advantage by approaching his subjects with a minimum of means. A few quick strokes convey the energy of a bustling cityscape; a broad wash of color suggests the vastness of sea and sky."
The opening of the exhibition coincides with the firm’s 36th anniversary. KPF was founded by Kohn, William Pedersen, and Sheldon Fox in New York on July 4th, 1976. With over 550 employees, the firm is headquartered in the historic 11 West 42nd Street building, overlooking Bryant Park and the New York Public Library. +
Related Stories
Architects | Dec 16, 2015
Architects create commission for diversity advancement
The 20-member group will assess recent data, set a plan of action, and report on results to the AIA Board of Directors.
Architects | Dec 15, 2015
ULI names Lord Richard Rogers the 2015 J.C. Nichols Prize winner
Rogers, Founder of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, works on projects that “shine a spotlight on the challenges that people in urban areas are facing."
Market Data | Dec 15, 2015
AIA: Architecture Billings Index hits another bump
Business conditions show continued strength in South and West regions.
Architects | Dec 14, 2015
New LEGO line lets builders construct iconic skylines
New York City, Berlin, and Venice are featured in the Architecture Skyline Collection.
Architects | Dec 14, 2015
Date named for announcement of 2016 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize
The Laureate will be named the morning of January 13.
Architects | Dec 9, 2015
Architecture firms Cooper Carry and The Johnson Studio merge
The combination is expected to bolster each firm’s hospitality-related services.
Industry Research | Dec 8, 2015
AEC leaders say the 'talent wars' are heating up: BD+C exclusive survey
A new survey from Building Design+Construction shows that U.S. architecture, engineering, and construction firms are being stymied by the shortage of experienced design and construction professionals and project managers.
Architects | Dec 4, 2015
Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi win 2016 AIA Gold Medal Award
The husband and wife architect team—founders of VSBA Architects and Planners—are the award's first joint winners.
Architects | Dec 3, 2015
LMN Architects wins 2016 AIA Architecture Firm Award
The firm is known for projects like Vancouver Convention Centre West and the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business.
Greenbuild Report | Dec 1, 2015
Data centers turn to alternative power sources, new heat controls and UPS systems
Data centers account for 2% of the nation’s electricity consumption and about 30% of the power used annually by the economy’s information and communications technology sector, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.