The Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles will host a conversation between renowned architect Jimenez Lai and children's fantasy author Henry Lien entitled Imagined Cities: Innovative Uses of Architecture in Film and Literature at its gallery in Westwood on Saturday, June 2, 2018 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The conversation is in connection with the Taiwan Academy's current exhibition Rooftops & Backyards: Expanding Taipei & L.A., which explores the construction of "architecture on top of architecture", and multi-purpose use of properties as ways that cities deal with the issue of limited space in densely populated urban areas. The Imagined Cities event explores such themes in fictional depictions of cities.
"From Blade Runner to Howl's Moving Castle, film and literature have historically embraced innovative uses of architecture," says Henry Lien, the author of Peasprout Chen, Future Legend of Skate and Sword. "Science fiction and fantasy are particularly effective in expanding notions of beauty in buildings and cities, which becomes relevant as cities experiment with new ways to solve population density issues."
Jimenez Lai, the founding partner of Los Angeles-based studio Bureau Spectacular and the curator of Rooftops & Backyards: Expanding Taipei & L.A., hopes to explore the universal issue of limited space in densely populated urban areas through the dialogue and the exhibition.
According to Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles, the exhibition demonstrates an interesting comparison between Taipei and Los Angeles, discussing topics surrounding art, architecture, urbanism, and the way of life between the cultures of Taiwan and the United States.
Rooftops & Backyards: Expanding Taipei & L.A will be on view at Taiwan Academy through July 7, 2018, and is free and open to the public, as is Imagined Cities: Innovative Uses of Architecture in Film and Literature which will take place on June 2nd. To attend the June 2nd event, please RSVP at : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/imagined-cities-innovative-use-of-architecture-in-film-and-literature-tickets-46236212757. Tickets are limited and given at a first come first serve basis.
Taiwan Academy’s gallery space is located at 1137 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024. The gallery hours run from Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, and Saturday 10am to 4pm.