Unfinished Spaces: Cuba's Architecture of Revolution

Unfinished Spaces: Cuba's Architecture of Revolution Friday, 05/08/2009 Please join us for a fundraiser to benefit the production of the documentary film Unfinished Spaces: Cuba's Architecture of Revolution 6:00 Cocktails 6:30 Exclusive Unfinished Spaces trailer screening followed by a discussion with panelists: John Stubbs, VP for Field Projects, World Monuments Fund; Professor, GSAPP at Columbia University Luly Duke, President, Fundacion Amistad Belmont Freeman, FAIA, Former President, Storefront for Art & Architecture Alysa Nahmias, Co-Director/Producer of Unfinished Spaces Moderated by Noushin Ehsan, President, 2nd Opinion Design; Chair, Global Dialogues Committee 7:30 Cocktails & Silent Auction ABOUT UNFINISHED SPACES “Cuba will count as having the most beautiful academy of arts in the world.” —Fidel Castro (30 June 1961) Three architects resume their first project—Cuba’s National Art Schools—left unfinished in 1965 when their creative visions came head to head with the political realities of the Revolution. In 1961, three young, visionary architects were commissioned by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara to create the world's most beautiful art school on the grounds of a former golf course in Havana, Cuba. Construction of their radical designs began immediately and the school’s first classes soon followed. But construction was abruptly halted and the architects and their designs were deemed irrelevant in the prevailing political climate. Forty years later the schools are in use, but remain unfinished and decaying. Castro has invited the exiled architects back to finish their unrealized dream. Their story begs the question—how dangerous can architecture be? Directed by Alysa Nahmias and Ben Murray 2010 / HD / Color / 16:9 (1.78:1) / 90 min /Stereo Grants and Awards: Arnold W. Brunner Grant, Jerome Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Visual Arts, LEF Foundation, Cohen Family Foundation, Elise Jaffe + Jeffrey Brown. Fiscal Sponsorship: Women Make Movies Speakers: John Stubbs, VP for Field Projects, World Monuments Fund; Professor, GSAPP at Columbia University; Luly Duke, President, Fundacion Amistad Belmont Freeman, FAIA, Former President, Storefront for Art & Architecture; Alysa Nahmias, Co-Director/Producer of Unfinished Spaces; Moderated by Noushin Ehsan AIA, Co-Chair, AIA New York Global Dialogues Committee; Organized by: Global Dialogues Committee Sponsored by: Brooklyn Brewery and Zafra Cuban Kitchens Location: Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place (Directions) Member Price: By donation Nonmember Price: $20 CES LUs: 1.5, CES HSW: 1.5 http://aiany.org/calendar/event.php?id=1024371