Let’s Talk About It: Top Talks & Films During Modernism Week 2025

Modernism Week Offers Wide Range of Educational Programs and Films

Modernism Week will offer more than 85 informative and entertaining talks, panel discussions, other presentations at various locations during the 11-day 20th anniversary festival that runs February 13-23, 2025. The annual festival highlights midcentury modern architecture, art, vintage culture, and interior and landscape design in the Palm Springs area of Southern California. A distinguished array of speakers – all leaders in their fields – will share their knowledge and insights with Modernism Week audiences each day of the event. A series of engaging films will also be offered. Many events are free or have a low ticket price. Tickets may be purchased at modernismweek.com, and a portion of ticket proceeds benefit Modernism Week (a non-profit organization) and other local preservation, neighborhood, and community groups. All talks may be viewed here.

Presentations will take place at the Annenberg Theater at the Palm Springs Art Museum, the Palm Springs Cultural Center, and in the theater at CAMP, the central hub for Modernism Week, located in the downtown Hyatt Palm Springs. Here are some highlights from the schedule of talks and films. Many more are featured at modernismweek.com.

Keynote Presentation: Dr. Raymond Neutra–Survival Through Design (2/15, $35 general admission, $100 VIP reception) Modernism Week is honored to welcome Dr. Raymond Neutra, President of the Neutra Institute for Survival Through Design, as its 2025 Keynote Speaker. The youngest son of famed architect Richard Neutra, Dr. Neutra currently helms the Neutra Institute for Survival Through Design (NISD), which is actively committed to preserving the physical and intellectual legacy of Richard Neutra, along with using the Neutra legacy to help solve modern-day design challenges. Dr. Neutra will talk about new innovations at the Institute, share in-depth recollections of his famous father, the fascinating people who surrounded him throughout his childhood, and his remarkable family life growing up at Neutra VDL Studio and Residences (an experimental live/work space designed by his father in 1932, where architects worked, clients visited, and apprentices lived). 

For more information on Richard Neutra, consider:

Survival Through Restoration: Neutra’s Legacy in Palm Springs (2/14, $18) This panel conversation brings together Beth Edwards Harris, PhD, and Catherine Meyler, who each contributed heroic efforts to preserve Richard Neutra’s legacy in Palm Springs. Catherine rescued the Grace Miller (1936) house from disrepair. Beth Harris rescued the Kaufmann house (1946) when it could have been sold as a tear-down. Historian Alan Hess will moderate this discussion about the challenges and successes of these two restorations.  

SPECIAL FOCUS: THE LEGACY OF DESERT MODERNISTS

A group of 20th-century Palm Springs architects formed a cohesive, yet diverse group of committed Modernists well versed in the range of Modernist concepts that had evolved by the midcentury. Once settled in Palm Springs, they brought the desert’s inspiration to modern ideas rather than introduce a predetermined Modern architecture to the desert. Modernism Week celebrates the legacy of these early architects and how their collective work created eventually created a style now known as the Palm Springs School of Architecture. These early innovators will be celebrated through a variety of talks, including:

  • The Palm Springs School: A Symposium (2/22, $75 – $195 Symposium PLUS Home Tour) This symposium by Palm Springs Art Museum and Palm Springs Architectural Alliance establishes Palm Springs Desert Modernism as a unique architectural movement. The symposium includes the option of an afternoon self-driving tour of five of the most significant homes of the Palm Springs School of Desert Modernism. Author and historian Alan Hess will provide the keynote presentation. Following are talks by cultural and architectural historians George Thomas, Sian Winship and Ken Lyon. These 4 experts, and others, are featured in a new book, The Palm Springs School -Desert Modernism: 1934-1975 (Rizzoli Publishing, 2025), written by Alan Hess. A book signing follows the presentation. A limited number of symposium PLUS home tour tickets will be available for guests to experience a self-driving tour of the exteriors and interiors of five of the most significant homes, all featured in the book.
  • Discovering Our Modern Modernists (2/16, $15) Artist and gallery owner Terry Hastings gives an engaging overview of some featured local artists and their midcentury Modern influences in this “sneak peek” of the upcoming Arts Districts Tour.
  • Divinely Inspired: Discussing the William F. Cody Design of St. Theresa Catholic Church with Catherine Cody and Morris Skenderian A.I.A. (2/15, $45 and $95) St. Theresa Catholic Church has been heralded as a prized masterpiece by William F. Cody. Catherine Cody and architect Morris Skenderian, A.I.A. will share how Cody’s total design plan was realized.

STORIES UNTOLD

This year, Modernism Week’s ongoing Stories Untold series about architects and design professionals who were overlooked in history, continues this year with two presentations about African American influences in architecture. Underwriting for both Stories Untold sessions and their complimentary admission is generously provided by Room & Board.

  • Stories Untold: Howard Smith- Rediscovering A Lost Black Modernist (2/17, FREE) This presentation explores the story of Howard Smith, the only Black artist recognized in post-war Scandinavian modernism, yet largely unknown in the United States. Born in New Jersey, Smith moved to Finland during the Cold War as an unwitting CIA asset. He gained prominence for his artwork, textiles, and ceramics, collaborating with leading Scandinavian design firms. As the sole Black artist in the vibrant design exchange between the Nordics and the United States, he stands out as one of the few of his generation to successfully engage with industry but remains virtually unrecognized in America.
  • Stories Untold: Preserving Sites of African American Resilience, Activism, Achievement, and Architecture (2/17, FREE) Executive Director Brent Leggs and senior architect Brandon Bibby of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund will explore the vital work of preserving the past with hope for the present in this additional Stories Untold presentation. Too often the places where significant African American history happened have been unrecognized and under-celebrated for the important role they play in the fabric of American society. In this presentation, some of these important stories that these places represent will be told.

SPECIAL SERIES ON BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

Black Mountain College was an innovative liberal arts institution located in rural North Carolina, operating from 1933 to 1957. Despite its relatively short existence, it emerged as a pivotal hub of creative talent that significantly influenced American art and art education for decades to come. The college attracted a remarkable cohort of faculty and students, including renowned figures such as Josef and Anni Albers, Ruth Asawa, John Cage, Robert Creeley, Merce Cunningham, Max Dehn, Elaine de Kooning, Willem de Kooning, Buckminster Fuller, Walter Gropius, Ray Johnson, Franz Kline, Robert Motherwell, Charles Olson, Robert Rauschenberg, M. C. Richards, Dorothea Rockburne, Michael Rumaker, Aaron Siskind, and Cy Twombly.

In partnership with the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, Modernism Week is proud to honor the legacy of Black Mountain College with an exciting new series of programs. Attendees may choose individual sessions or opt for an all-inclusive ticket for the Black Mountain College Presentation and Workshop Series. This special ticket grants access to all five presentations and a hands-on workshop for just $75, a value of $116.

Featured programs include:

UNDERSTANDING MODERNISM

The core principles and themes of Modernism will be explored in several programs including:

  • Reflections of a Modernist Writer with Alan Hess (2/12, $25) At this lecture nationally recognized architect, historian and author of twenty-two books on Modern architecture Alan Hess will reflect on his career, exploring the process of writing, examining how subjects have naturally connected and intersected in unexpected ways over his 35 years of writing.
  • Glass or Not Glass? That’s the Lina Bo Bardi Question (2/20, $18) This engaging talk is a close look at Lina Bo Bardi’s Glass House in Brazil, revealing that it is a hybrid project and, like her less known nearby Cirell House, reflects on the multifaceted ambiguity of Modern architecture.
  • An Evening with the Daughters of Design: Bertoia, Eames, and Saarinen (2/18, $25) Eero Saarinen, Charles Eames, and Harry Bertoia were design legends that played significant roles in postwar American design. Enter Susan Saarinen, Carla (Eames) Hartman, and Celia Bertoia, three descendants of those design icons who continue their legacy. In this spirited presentation, the three will “compare chairs and childhoods” with an educational and entertaining presentation filled with stories, family photos, and memorabilia.
  • McUrbia: The 1950s and the Birth of Contemporary American Landscape (2/18, $15) In the mid-1950s, key events initiated significant changes in America, creating a landscape shaped by transformations that began over 75 years ago. These shifts continue to influence our lives today.

EXPERIENCE THE QUIRKY SIDE OF MODERNISM

FASHION AND DESIGN RELATED

  • Let the Sun In–Todd Oldham Presents Alexander Girard (2/20, $35) Fashion designer Todd Oldham returns to present his signature fast-paced presentation of the vibrant and iconic designs of Alexander Girard. This is a visual feast of more than 800 images, some never published before, that are found in his lavish new book, Alexander Girard, Let in the Sun (Phaidon 2024).
  • Space Age, Youthquake & Prints Gone Wild: Modernism in Fashion by Trina Turk (2/20, $18) Trina Turk explores the dynamic intersection of cultural shifts and midcentury fashion, highlighting the work of iconic designers including Pierre Cardin, Mary Quant, Rudi Gernreich, and Marimekko.
  • Palace Costume: Hollywood’s Best Kept Fashion Secret (2/22, $15) A behind-the-scenes glimpse into Palace Costume & Prop Co., an exclusive LA film-industry haven of dresses, gowns, accessories, props, and jewelry that have been featured in countless movies for more than 50 years.
  • Marvelous Motels: Southern California’s Legacy Motels (2/18, $15) This talk is an architectural journey of fabulous motels that were designed to stand out. Barkev Msrlyan from Merch Motel showcases contemporary and vintage photographs of Southern California’s midcentury motels.
  • Ceramics for the Modern Landscape: The Story of the Architectural Pottery Company (2/16, $18) This presentation features archival materials from the new book, Architectural Pottery: Ceramics for the Modern Landscape (Monacelli Press 2024), coauthored 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.

PALM SPRINGS-RELATED

BAUHAUS RELATED

MODERNISM AROUND THE COUNTRY AND WORLD

  • Renewing the Rothko Chapel’s Legacy of Art, Spirituality and Social Justice (2/20, $18) The Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas is a locus of art, spirituality, and social justice. Adam Yarinsky, Principal of Architecture Research Office, shares the Chapel’s renovation and expansion story.
  • Lost to Revolution: William F. Cody Projects in Havana, Cuba (2/22, $15) Noted for his work in California and Arizona, William F. Cody also designed projects internationally, including Havana but the revolution halted construction of his 1955 Villa Real Golf Club and Hotel. 
  • From Beverly Hills to Desert Elegance: Exploring Harold W. Levitt’s Design Vision (2/21, $18) Join author and historian Steven Price as he presents the first comprehensive study of Harold W. Levitt’s architecture, exploring its origins, significance, and newfound appreciation. Renowned as a leading figure in Midcentury Modern architecture catering to the elite, “Hal” Levitt designed opulent residences that became homes for a host of iconic celebrities including Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston, Karen Carpenter, as well as influential figures like producer Ross Hunter and studio mogul Lew Wasserman.
  • Joshua Tree Retreat Center: Historic Lloyd Wright Site Presentation and Self-Guided Walking Tour (2/16 and 17, $70) Explore the historic Joshua Tree Retreat Center, featuring Lloyd Wright’s largest collection. The event includes a 1-hour presentation by architectural experts, a self-guided walking tour, and lunch. 
  • American Modern: The Architecture and Legacy of Columbus, Indiana (2/19, $18) American Modern is the first comprehensive book showcasing how civic, industrial, and social forces converged to create our nation’s leading laboratory of architectural modernism in Columbus, Indiana. This presentation will delve into Columbus’s visionary initiative to create a striking built environment, a legacy championed by the influential industrialist J. Irwin Miller and local leaders. 
  • Italian Modernism: Carlo Scarpa and the Architecture of Geometry, Water and Light (2/17, $18) Annalisa Capurro, aka @ms.modernism, is an interior designer, architectural historian, and preservationist. In this fascinating talk, she delves into the extraordinary work and legacy of Venetian modernist architect, Carlo Scarpa, renowned for his masterful fusion of modernist principles with artisanal techniques. His career was marked by a masterful fusion of modernist principles with artisanal techniques, resulting in buildings that were both functional and poetically evocative. 
  • The Art of the Showroom: Theaters and Nightlife in the Catskills (2/15, $15) Join Isaac Jeffreys for a visual talk and Q&A about the Catskills’ role as the birthplace of American comedy through vivid night scenes and rare theater images.
  • Concrete Modernism: The Architecture of Canada’s Arthur Erickson (2/19, $15) Arthur Erickson is widely regarded as Canada’s greatest architect, renowned for his innovative designs and profound impact on contemporary architecture. Historian Donald Luxton provides an overview.
  • Leedy Legacy (2/19, $18) Max Strang, AIA, provides an in-depth exploration of Gene Leedy’s pivotal role in the Sarasota School of Architecture, highlighting his works journey from post-and-beam structures to Brutalism.

PRESERVATION/RESTORATION

Many talks throughout the festival will have a focus on preservation and restoration. These include:

  • Saving an Icon: The Restoration of Hotel Lautner (2/19, FREE) Co-owner and designer Tracy Beckmann provides her personal insights into the renovation of the award-winning Hotel Lautner (designed by renowned modernist architect John Lautner in 1947).
  • Learning by Inhabiting: Restoring and Living Luis Barragán’s Casa Pedregal (2/18, $18) César Cervantes shares a remarkable journey of restoration and his profound connection to his magnificent residence, Casa Pedregal (1952), Luis Barragán’s largest residential work.
  • Mies in Brno, Beyond the Glass Room: Restoring Villa Tugendhat (215, $18) Modernism Week is pleased to welcome Iveta Černá, the Executive Director of Villa Tugendhat, who spearheaded its celebrated restoration. She will discuss the extensive restoration project, as well as the history and importance of this early 20th-century modernist masterpiece designed by Mies van der Rohe and completed in 1931.
  • Lost to Revolution: William F. Cody Projects in Havana, Cuba (2/22, $15) Noted for his work in California and Arizona, William F. Cody also designed projects internationally. Two of Cody’s projects designed in 1955 were to be built in Havana, Cuba but cancelled due to the political revolution. Catherine Cody, the youngest daughter of William F. Cody and Professor Don Choi of California Polytechnic State University will share insights, photos, drawings and more, telling the story of Cody’s total design plan for these Cuba projects within the context of his state-side projects during this same time.
  • Expanding the Field: The Preservation of Modernist Homes at World Monuments Fund (2/18, $15) Javier Ors Ausín, Senior Program Manager at World Monuments Fund, highlights WMF conservation projects of emblematic modernist homes around the world and the evolution of heritage conservation. The presentation highlights past projects such as WMF’s initial assessment work and archival research in the 1990s at the Villa Tugendhat in the Czech Republic designed by Mies van der Rohe, and the preservation and protection of Edward Durell Stone’s A. Conger Goodyear House in the US in the early 2000s.
  • Passionate Home Preservation: Inside and Out (2/19, FREE) This fascinating lecture by interior designer Bill Stewart highlights several of his successful design projects with a focus on his recent renovation of the 1923 King Gillette Estate in the Mesa. 
  • Atomic Ranch Talk & Tour: Rescued History in Little Beverly Hills (2/14, $100) Before the fabulous breeze block and vibrant decor, this iconic home in Little Beverly Hills was a stripped-down disaster. Learn how the homeowners rescued the home and transformed it inside and out.
  • Atomic Ranch Talk & Condo Tour: Renovating Ocotillo Lodge (2/16, $100) The Ocotillo Lodge once served as a hotel for those lured into the glamour of Palm Springs living. Today it’s a coveted condo community. Learn its history, its renovation efforts and tour some homes.
  • Atomic Ranch Talk & Tour: Sackley Chase Sensation (2/17, $65) Take a deep dive into this Modernism Week Featured Home. Tour this Indian Canyons gem, then enjoy a poolside chat with designers Michael Ostrow and Roger Stoker to hear all about the renovation.
  • A Landslide and a Masterpiece: The Disassembly of Lloyd Wright’s Wayfarer’s Chapel (2/20, $15) When an ancient landslide began to shift alarmingly 6-9 inches per week in 2024, a team of preservation architects and engineers mobilized to save the beloved Wayfarer’s Chapel by Lloyd Wright.

Other talks include:

  • The Glamorous Gardens of Tommy Tomson (2/18, $15) Tommy Tomson, known as the “Landscape Architect to the Stars,” arrived in Hollywood in the 1920s, but chose landscape architecture over acting, designing spaces from Hollywood to the Coachella Valley. This insightful talk will showcase how Tomsen designed landscapes for such stars as Robert Montgomery, Joan Crawford, Tyrone Power, and Henry Fonda. 
  • Working in Tranquility: Landscapes, Interiors and the Modernist Corporate Campus (2/18, $18) Many modernist corporate campuses, designed by some of the world’s most renowned designers, incorporating landscapes and furnishings as integral components, are at risk in our post-pandemic world.
  • Italian Modernism: Carlo Scarpa and the Architecture of Geometry, Water and Light (2/17, $18) In this fascinating talk, Annalisa Capurro delves into the extraordinary work and legacy of Venetian modernist architect, Carlo Scarpa, renowned for his masterful fusion of modernist principles with artisanal techniques. His career was marked by a masterful fusion of modernist principles with artisanal techniques, resulting in buildings that were both functional and poetically evocative. 
  • Boys in the Sand: Horace Gifford and the Architecture of Seduction (2/15, $15) Architect and historian Christopher Rawlins presents a new, expanded edition of his best-selling 2013 book, Fire Island Modernist: Horace Gifford and the Architecture of Seduction.
  • Contemporary Perspectives on Heritage: The National Trust of England, Wales and Northern Ireland (2/17, $18) This presentation explores the intersection of public realm programming and the preservation of modernist properties.
  • The Legacy of Disney’s Monsanto House of the Future (2/14, $18) The House of the Future was an iconic Disneyland attraction that captured the imagination of countless visitors during its 10-year run 1957-1967. This presentation takes attendees on a fascinating journey through the conception, construction, opening and ultimate closure of this groundbreaking exhibit.
  • Blurring the Lines: Studio AR&D Architects (2/19, $15) This presentation by Studio AR&D Architects will explore the studio’s design process of crafting modern desert homes that blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces, creating seamless living environments.
  • Framing Midcentury Modern: The Visionary Lens of Dan Chavkin (2/21, $100) Go on a Midcentury Modern journey through the lens of celebrated photographer and author Dan Chavkin at The Lautner Compound. Dan will share insights from his 20-year career as an architectural photographer specializing in midcentury modern architecture, showcasing the iconic structures and design principles that define this influential era.

Engaging Films

In addition to the wide array of talks, Modernism Week will also present a series of engaging films.  These include:

  • SCHINDLER SPACE ARCHITECT. A New Documentary on Rudolph M. Schindler (2/17, $20) This newly released full-length documentary explores R.M. Schindler’s richly complex work, life, and his legacy as a pioneer of modern architecture. Austrian-born and educated, Schindler changed forever the architectural landscape of Los Angeles and laid the foundation for what now is considered the California lifestyle of indoor-outdoor living. The film is narrated by Meryl Streep and Udo Kier and features comments by renown architects Frank Gehry, Steven Holl, Thom Mayne, and Ray Kappe.
  • WORLD PREMIER FILM – THE HARVARD 5: a story of love, architecture, and a design revolution (2/15, $20 for general admission and $100 for reception) This documentary tells the little-known story of five ground-breaking architects and designers-Philip Johnson, John Johansen, Landis Gores, Eliot Noyes, and Marcel Breuer- who ignited a Modern design revolution from the least likely place: colonial New Canaan, Connecticut.
  • FILM PREMIERE: Preservation Mirage Presents Richard Neutra’s Maslon House (2/19, $25) Preservation Mirage is proud to present its first foray into filmmaking, with a documentary short about the Maslon House by Richard Neutra. Razed in 2002, the demise of this architectural treasure sparked international outrage, inspired the preservation movement in Rancho Mirage, and led to the Historic Resources Survey that sought to protect the remaining inventory of the city’s midcentury homes. The film explores the home commissioned by Luella and Samuel Maslon for themselves, their family, and their incredible collection of Modern art. 

In addition, several programs will feature films or film clips, including:

  • The True Masters of Design: Stunning Design Principles Found Only in the Cinema (2/20, $15) What do set designers know that we don’t? Well, as it turns out, quite a lot! With a degree in architecture and an obsession with set design, Marina Coates takes a look at “cinematic design.”
  • Growing Up Wexler: Life in the Wexler Family House–A Site-Specific Exhibition (2/17 – 2/20, $50) An exhibition of rarely seen Wexler Family personal photos, home movies, and memorabilia in celebration of the 70th Anniversary of Donald Wexler’s 1955 family house.
  • “Everyone in the Car!” – California Roadside Amusements Vintage Home Movie Cocktail Hour with Deserted Films (2/17 and 2/22, $25) Enjoy a vintage home movie road trip through California with stops at some of the state’s most beloved (and strange!) attractions. Local home movie archivist from Deserted Films will screen/contextualize a selection of amateur 16mm, 8mm and Super 8 films (some on vintage mechanical equipment). Films will include home movies of the Golden State shot during the golden age of amateur filmmaking, and include amusement parks, state and county fairs, and roadside attractions.
  • Livin’ the 50s: A Myth America Pageant (2/20, $25) Quirky. Fun. Nostalgic. Irreverent. Livin’ the 50s celebrates the inhibitions and excesses, the bravado and innocence, the exuberance and repression that was America in the mid-20th century.
  • The Weird and Wonderful World of Industrial Musicals (2/15 and 2/16, $25) This is an astonishing look at secret corporate musical theater we were never meant to see — via bizarrely funny vintage film clips presented by Letterman Show and The Simpsons writer Steve Young. 
  • Palm Springs Plays Itself: A Vintage Home Movie Cocktail Hour with Deserted Films (2/19, $25) Local home movie film archive, Deserted Films, will screen and provide entertaining context for a selection of amateur vintage 16mm, 8mm and Super 8 films shot in and around Palm Springs.  This is Palm Springs as it is seldom seen – home movies shot by locals and visitors during the golden age of amateur filmmaking. See legendary hotels, homes, clubs, people, shops, and restaurants captured on archival film.
  • Garry Knox Bennett: Crafting the Counter Culture (Film Screening and Talk) (2/22, $15) Garry Knox Bennett was an important Bay Area designer/craftsman whose singular vision, finely crafted furniture and sculpture influenced the counterculture of California in the 60s and 70s and beyond. The presentation will include the screening of the award-winning PBS/Craft in America episode featuring Garry Knox Bennett.
Modernism Week top sponsors include Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, Brizo, Dunn-Edwards Paints, Monogram, Cotino, Flor, Natural Retreats, and Willis. The City of Palm Springs is the Civic Presenting Sponsor.
To receive Modernism Week updates, visit modernismweek.com and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and X.
Modernism Week will celebrate twenty years with its signature 11-day festival that will take place February 13-23, 2025. Tickets are available now at modernismweek.com.
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