Eugene Ray SDSU 1970's

Eugene Ray SDSU 1970's
Eugene Ray 1970's. photo credit: Tom Davis

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

SOLID STRUCTURE VS ENERGY / artist-architect-professor./ life & work

+GARY ALLEN, ARCHITECT+
>designer of the excellent san diego stadium<
>died , >little known last year and i have put<
+(GARY ALLEN WAS A VERY+
+MODEST, >TALENTED MAN)+
>his obituary on my Facebook page which i<
>hope you >will read and admire his talents<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+THREE LIVES+
>is what my work caused me to live and<
>made even more complex lived in two<
+(ARTIST-ARCHITECT,  PROF+
+LIVING   >THREE LIVES< IN+
+TWO STATES & OVER SEAS)+
>separate states & recognized over seas<
>while >less known in ones home base<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+"THE ELECTRIC LOVE GARDEN"+
>my >first large exhibition at sdsu in 1970 was<
>a reflection of my focus on color-light-energy<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY /+
+COLOR-LIGHT-ENERGY)+
>during our first months in california teaching<
>in an art dept. after having taught architecture<
>at lsu and tulane (tulane work reflecting final<
>new orleans projects >leading toward energy<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >"synergetic environments" was the new class i<
>installed at sdsu in 1970 to explore color, light,<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+ / BIOTRONIC ENERGY)+
>energy in an architectural context that led to my<
>ultimate objective, biotronic radiant architecture<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >this is about the >only time i made an<
>effort for a biotronic architecture book<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+ / THE GODS MACHINES)+
>today after the >wun chok bong book<
>"the gods machine" it would be easier<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >in 1982 i wrote this letter to rizzoli publishers<
>of fine art books to introduce my work using<
+(GOOGLE :>> EUGENE RAY /+
+RADIANT ARCHITECTURE)+
>color, lighr, energy in architecture / sadly the<
>concept was  >so new it was not appreciated<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >light was important in my "solid" architecture<
>as built in louisiana between 1960 & 1965 w/<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+>> / WILTY RESIDENCE)+
>this wilty residence having much attention to<
>natural light and the artificially lighted aspect<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>perhaps the >most extensive and complete<
>design i ever made using light & energy in<
+(GOOGLE :>> EUGENE RAY /+
+IRAN NATIONAL LIBRARY)+
>architecture was this design for the library<
>for >iran<  in an international competition<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >the last five years of our work in louisiana was<
>devoted to color, light, energy w/ three projects<
+(GOOGLE :> EUGENE RAY /+
+VIEUX CARRE PROJECTS)+
>built in the vieux carre / >this work led to many<
>"synergetic environments"< >later in california<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >in my >70s lajolla california studio and<
>sdsu classroom  >history was made w/<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+ / BIOTRONIC ENERGY)+
>biotronic architecture / "architecture as<
>situation / environ as light">the lecture<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >it was very exciting to make my vision for<
>"transcendental manifestations"< become a<
+(GOOGLE :>> EUGENE RAY /+
+RADIANT ARCHITECTURE)+
>reality in california and radiant architecture<
>became an ultimate reflection of its essence<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >the work i accomplished in louisiana became<
>my architectural legacy based on affordability<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+>/ LOUISIANA HOUSES)+
>and a focus on "lightness of being", radiance<
>the >electric boxes in my houses were >huge<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >it is unfortunate that my last international<
>exhibition in brazilia, was so far away / it<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+>>>> / BRAZILIA, 1996)+
>did provide a >good audience< but it also<
>caused a case of malaria< that was severe<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>a happy memory for exhibitions< was in >paris<
>where my >color slides were projected on large<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+ / PARIS BIENNALE 1985)+
>screens at the >"park la villette" a gigantic expo<
>site newly built w/ the structures all painted red<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+GRATITUDE+
>nice greetings from old bruce goff friend<
>robert faust gave a lustre to my email all<
>yesterday / bob was the field director of<
+(GOOGLE :>> EUGENE RAY /+
+BRUCE GOFF / BOB FAUST)+
>onstruction of >goff's mississippi house<
>at long beach / it looked very like a ufo<
+(HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO+
+ERIC LLOYD WRIGHT)+
>i feel close to all the >wright-goff people<
>(in february, we shall be near taliesin w)<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+TWO WEEKS UNTIL WE+
+LEAVE FOR NEW YORK+
>(on trail of appolinaire<
>corbu, >surrealists and<
>templar< / alchemists)<
+LONDON AND  >PARIS<+
+VIA  >QUEEN MARY 2<+
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
eugene ray, mfa, architect
professor emeritus, sdsu

1 comment:

  1. From my perspective, mid-1960s, and for several decades to follow, too many stories to share, and my Dad could certainly tell them, as he loved so much to see everyone smile. The "Wilty Residence" - as Mom recently said, my Dad loved Professor Ray's design so much that Dad "slept with the plans under his pillow". No way that I could have realized what I was experiencing while it was happening - pure milagro - how truly blessed I was to enjoy and absorb the confluence of Gail Wilty's original works of sculpture, along with local "tropical" music, flavors, and weather in a home where sunlight, jungle plants, natural wood textures and a transparent plexiglass roof made each day a new adventure, never at a loss for color, energy or inspiration. Many thanks.

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