DARWIN MARTIN HOUSE--Interpretations of Frank Lloyd Wright
written by LLLYYYBBB
These paintings and their NFTs were born out of my father’s proximity to a landmark—the Darwin Martin House, built by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
I grew up around the corner from the Martin House when it was closed and looked to be in a state of abandonment and disrepair. It had low dark roofs, overgrown bushes, and brambles. I remember it being fenced off in some places. We would walk up to it and around it, squinting in the windows to see what we could see of the dust-covered furniture and its mysterious but lush interior. There used to be an apartment building on the grounds, where original buildings had been demolished. The building has a fascinating history—from construction, to family residence, to abandonment, to restoration of the original property over the past 20 years.
“Described by Wright as a “domestic symphony,” Martin House is a comprehensive residential estate. The property includes the main dwelling, a secondary house, a gardener’s cottage, and a series of interconnected buildings woven together within an integrated landscape. Art glass, furnishings, and other creative design elements—all conceived by Wright—give rise to a bold new vision of the home as a total work of art.
Martin House did not fare well over the years. It was abandoned, partially demolished, and neglected in the period following the Martins’ life there. With the resolve of many, an ambitious restoration effort to save this treasure began in earnest in 1992 and was completed in 2019. Today, Martin House stands as a compelling symbol of civic identity and cultural pride. It is a National Historic Landmark and a premier heritage destination within New York State’s network of historic sites.”
From
The Martin house has a special place in the history of Buffalo and for my family, and I see its influence in my father’s work over time. While he can do portraiture and photorealistic paintings, my father has always trended towards abstract geometric expressionism; nested and layered geometric landscapes that reflect his upbringing in the geography of the Netherlands, Belgium and the Midwest. I have inherited his fondness of clean lines, mid-century modernism, and a love of Frank Lloyd Wright. These three images are not only clear representations of the Martin house, but include elements characteristic of Wright’s “art glass” featured in the Martin house and other Wright projects:
“An outstanding collection of over 400 pieces of art glass—or “light screens” as Wright liked to call them—in the form of windows, doors, skylights, laylights, and side lights all of which are integral to the overall design of Martin House. Of the sixteen patterns found throughout the estate, the “Tree of Life” is Wright’s best known and most well-loved art glass design. The signature motif graces the Martin House reception room, the central staircase landing, and the entire perimeter of the second floor. A standard “Tree of Life” window is made up of approximately 750 individual pieces of clear, iridescent, and colored glass set in brass came strips.”
The Martin House is currently open to the public for tours and is a stunning example of Wright’s vision of the home as total work of art. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend taking a tour.
I am happy to represent my father’s artwork in this space: he’s a fantastic painter, virtually unknown outside of Buffalo. These are but a small sample of what he’s capable of, and I look forward to sharing more of his work as NFTs. There are three versions of the painting and each is offered in an edition of 5, at 95tz. Their release as NFTs coincides with the opening of the Buffalo Arts Studio Holiday 2022 show on November 19, where the paintings (8x10 inches, oil and ink on canvas), will be for sale to benefit Buffalo Arts Studio. 30% of the sale of the NFTs will also go to benefit Buffalo Arts Studio.
About these pieces in his own words:
“I am fortunate to live practically around the corner from the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Darwin Martin House Complex, an historic house museum in Buffalo, New York. It is one of Wright’s outstanding examples of his Prairie School architectural style.”
“I am pleased to offer these NFTs of my paintings depicting a view of the main house in the complex. The image is readily identifiable as the Darwin Martin house, but it is not just the overall exterior design of the house that inspires my paintings. It is also the geometric abstractions of Wright’s windows. The inspiration of his use of clear glass with touches of color enhanced with ribbons of black lines is apparent in my paintings of the house. Why should this inspire me? My own geometric inclinations are evident in many of my paintings.”
About the artist: Dennis Bertram is a member of the Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo Niagara Art Association and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County Florida. He maintains a studio at Buffalo Arts Studio in Buffalo, New York. A full explanatory of his artistic practice can be found on his website.
The NFTs will be available on November 19, on my objkt.com profile page.