Ceramics for the Modern Landscape: The Story of the Architectural Pottery Company

This presentation features archival materials from the new book, Architectural Pottery: Ceramics for the Modern Landscape (Monacelli Press 2024), co-authored by presenters Dan Chavkin, Jeffrey Head, and Jo Lauria. Highlights include previously unseen images, newly discovered details, and correspondence, along with contemporary photographs by Chavkin which further illustrate the timelessness of Architectural Pottery.

Founded in 1950 by Rita and Max Lawrence in partnership with John Follis and Rex Goode, Architectural Pottery gained instant acclaim for its refreshingly unembellished and elegant pots and planters. The company's minimalist designs signified a transformative moment in garden pottery, seamlessly complementing Modern homes both indoors and outdoors.

Architectural Pottery became a celebrated name among designers, featuring prominently in the houses designed by architects such as Richard Neutra and John Lautner and in the renowned Case Study Houses. Moreover, its innovative ceramics were part of MoMA's inaugural Good Design exhibition, alongside iconic works by legends like Ray and Charles Eames and Alexander Girard.

Over the following decades, Architectural Pottery evolved by enhancing stoneware production methods, venturing into fiberglass furniture, and enlisting distinguished designers like Paul McCobb, LaGardo Tackett, and David Cressey.

Architectural Pottery: Ceramics for a Modern Landscape, is the first book to document the company's history. The book coincides with the first significant exhibition of Architectural Pottery currently on display at the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) in Pomona, CA, until March 2, 2025. A book signing with the authors follows the presentation.

$18

Things To KnowAges 13 and older
This is an indoor activity
Wheelchair accessible
Parking and handicap parking available
Seated activity
No smoking or e-cigarettes

Important InformationThe entrance to the Annenberg Theater is located behind the Annenberg Theater Box Office, adjacent to the Palm Springs Art Museum's North Parking Lot.
Ample free public parking is available in the multi-level public garage across from the Palm Springs Art Museum.
The organizer of this event is Modernism Week Annenberg Theater Activity.

Check-in Location Palm Springs Art Museum
101 N Museum Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262View Map

Photo Credits: Monacelli Press, RGO & Rex Goode Estate photographer Steven Pefley, Lawrence Family Archive, The Regents of the University of California on Behalf of the UCLA Library Special Collections {"locationAddressVisibility":"visible"}