The Life and Work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser Lecture

Monday 7 October 2024 at 6.30pm – Hybrid (In person and via Zoom)

The Gallery, 70 Cowcross Street, London, EC1M 6EJ

Last September the C20 ‘Building of the Month’ was  Spittelau Incinerator, Vienna.  Visitors to Vienna are beguiled by the buildings altered by Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928-2000), but he did much more than stick bright ceramics onto dull buildings – he tried to improve the way that we live.  A pioneer of recycling and the first advocate of the ‘green roof’ and his ‘tree tenants’.  He was an eccentric genius whose thoughts were way ahead of his time.

Brent Smith will talk about the Secession buildings and art of Vienna which influenced Hundertwasser’s early life, his rebuttal of the treatise by Adolf Loos ‘Ornament and Crime’, his naked lectures, his amazing body of work – buildings, paintings, posters, writing, postage stamps, flags and much more.  Brent will try to show that we need the joy of Hundertwasser as much as the purity of Loos.

Brent Smith is a retired Building Surveyor.  He was Chairman of the Hertfordshire Building Preservation Trust, served on the National Committee of the UK Association of Preservation Trusts and was Chairman of their London and South-East Regions.

In Person: C20 Society Members –  £10;  Non-Members – £15;  Young C20 member + guest- Free;  Student + guest- £5.

Online via Zoom : C20 Society Members: £6; Non-Members: £8

*For student pricing please select from the dropdown option next to ‘membership number’ on the booking form below.*

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Note: This event is hybrid and is being run both in-person at Cowcross Street Gallery and online via Zoom. The event will be recorded and offered as a catch-up lecture for those who have booked and will be available for two weeks.

(For Zoom bookings), we will send you a Zoom link by email after you book, which will enable you to ‘join’ the event. You should receive an automated link within an hour of booking so please check your spam/junk emails if you haven’t received this. Any further problems please contact coordinator@c20society.org.uk.