Iannis Xenakis Drawings

Though I fear that I won't get to see it in person, The Drawing Center in New York has just opened a new exhibit of architect and composer Iannis Xenakis's drawings. Iannis Xenakis: Composer, Architect Visionary brings together loads of Xenakis's drawings, and illustrates the clear debt his architecture owed to music and what his music took from his work as an architect. The show is on through April 8th so get to it if you can. If not, then have a look at this slideshow to see what a truly powerful thinker he was. I love Xenakis, and though my cubicle-mates here at Dwell could happily leave his music aside, they'll certainly love his work as a draftsman.

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Here is a more detailed view of the swooping arcs that inform his musical works in another "Study for Metastaseis" from 1953.

Study for Metastaseis, c. 1953 Pencil and color pencil on paper 8 1/2 x 11 3/4 inches Iannis Xenakis Archives, Biblioth�que nationale de France, Paris

Iannis Xenakis with Le Corbusier en route to the Philips Pavilion, c. 1957 Archival exhibition print 7 x 5 inches Collection of Fran�oise Xenakis

This drawing is a study for Xenakis's 1977 composition Jonchaies.

Study for Terretektorh, c. 1965��66 Color pencil on paper 8 1/2 x 11 3/4 inches Iannis Xenakis Archives, Biblioth�que nationale de France, Paris

Here is Xenakis in 1974 pictured at Mycenae, one of Greece's richest archaeological sites. Mycenae was the fabled kingdom of Agamemnon.

Later in Xenakis's architectural career he designed a series of multimedia installations that combined sound, music, lighting and architecture which he called Polytopes. Here is the Montreal Polytope circa 1967.

Study for Polytope de Montr�al, c. 1967 Ink on paper 9 1/2 x 12 1/ 2 inches Iannis Xenakis Archives, Biblioth�que nationale de France, Paris

Study for Polytope de Montr�al (light score), c. 1966 Color pencil on paper 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 inches Iannis Xenakis Archives, Biblioth�que nationale de France, Paris

Polytope de Montr�al (plans, elevations, axonometrics), 1966 Blueprint 14 x 21 inches Iannis Xenakis Archives, Biblioth�que nationale de France, Paris

Study for Terretektorh (glissandi), c. 1965��66 Pencil on paper 8 1/2 x 11 3/4 inches Iannis Xenakis Archives, Biblioth�que nationale de France, Paris

Study for Terretektorh (distribution of musicians), December 20, 1965 Ink on paper 9 x 9 inches Iannis Xenakis Archives, Biblioth�que nationale de France, Paris

Iannis Xenakis pictured in 1995.

Cosmic City (aerial perspective), 1963 Ink on paper 8 3/4 x 11 3/4 inches Iannis Xenakis Archives, Biblioth�que nationale de France, Paris