Victoria Young

Chronicles the design process and construction of Saint John's Abbey Church in Collegeville, Minnesota, and explores the relationship between architect Marcel Breuer and the Benedictine monks. Examines the impact of the church on mid-century religious design and architecture across the United States regardless of denomination. Includes black-and-white photographs. Includes bibliographical references and index.

A war artist is one who captures the subject of war in some type of artistic form. Since the beginning of time, artists have recorded scenes of war as a visual record of a culture’s existence and tribulations. Images of battles, ship portraits, leaders, and soldiers made up the bulk of war images until the late 19th century. The creators of the majority of these works are unknown, but when the entire world first went to war in 1914, nations hired official war artists to depict the action, including warplanes, tanks, and other newly developed technologies, among other aspects, as subject matter. These artists were mostly men, who were on the front lines sketching, painting, and photographing the action, collecting the visuals of war that they might then collate into an official work for a nation. As the 20th century progressed into our current era, images became immediately accessible on television and film, in news reports, and in live streams, as reporters embedded themselves with soldiers. Official war artists still exist in several nations, as do official collections of artwork created by them. We also have vibrant unofficial images of war produced by soldiers and prisoners for their own purposes, or by people protesting war itself. In compiling this bibliography, we sought to convey the breadth of war art mainly in 2-D media in chronology, type, artistic style, and maker, including voices of artists whenever possible. We also considered how artists from differing sides in battle impact each other’s artistic production. Being an artist who depicts war is a challenge. How do you convey honor and brutality, tradition and modernity, glory and defeat? How do you watch devastation around you and provide witness as you record the intensity and sadness of death? Combat artists of a particular country create art that reveals their experience of war. Is it personal? Or should it only be a documentary? The complexities found in creating the art of war are many, yet without these works there are centuries of battle we would not understand from social, political, or technological viewpoints.

This program will feature perspectives by professors Victoria Young, Jeanne Kilde, Marilyn Chiat, and architect John Cuningham on creating sacred space through the lenses of architecture, ritual, and social history.

Marilyn J. Chiat received her Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Minnesota. Her dissertation on ancient synagogue architecture was published by Brown University under the title Handbook of Synagogue Architecture. Her focus is on the role religious architecture plays in their communities, providing insight into the history of their congregants and the larger cultural context in which they exist. She has published and lectured widely on this topic here and abroad. Among her other publications is America’s Religious Architecture: Sacred Places for Every Community, commissioned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and published by John Wiley & Sons, The Sacred Traveler: Chicago and Illinois, part of the Sacred Traveler Series published by Paulist Press, and North American Churches from Chapels to Cathedrals, published by Publications International. She has also appeared in a number of public television documentaries including the Emmy Award winning “Iron Range: Minnesota Building America.”

Jeanne Halgren Kilde is the Director of the Religious Studies Program at the University of Minnesota. A cultural historian of religion in the United States, Kilde holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Minnesota. She teaches courses at the University on U.S. religious history, religious ritual and sites, and theory and method in the study of religions. Her primary research focus is on religious space and architecture. Among her publications are When Church Became Theatre: The Transformation of Evangelical Architecture and Worship (Oxford University Press, 2002); Sacred Power, Sacred Space: An Introduction to Christian Architecture (Oxford University Press, 2008);and Nature and Revelation: A History of Macalester College (University of Minnesota Press, 2010). Her recent work focuses on religious diversity and space in the U.S. Her article on the Islamophobic, “mosque in Manhattan,” situation in 2010, appeared in the online journal Religions in 2011. She is currently editing the Handbook of Religious Space and Place, for Oxford University Press, and working with Marilyn Chiat, Ph.D., on Houses of Worship in the Twin Cities, a digital research project examining interactions among religious and ethnic groups in the Twin Cities from 1849–1924. Kilde regularly addresses religious and community groups on subjects related to religious diversity and has appeared in such public forums as MPR’s The Daily Circuit with Keri Miller, and WCCO’s Steele Talkin’ with Jearnlyn Steele.

Victoria Young is professor of modern architectural history and chair of the art history department at the University of St. Thomas. Dr. Young is also second Vice President of the Society of Architectural Historians and is a former member of Minnesota’s State Review Board and the Governor’s Residence Council. Dr. Young¹s research focuses on nineteenth- and twentieth-century architecture, with special interests in sacred space and contemporary war museums. She has published on her work on Mount Saint Bernard Abbey in Leicestershire, England, a nineteenth-century monastic design by the English architect, Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin. Her current manuscript-in-progress is an exploration of the New York City-based firm of Voorsanger Architects’ design for the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, a building project begun in 2003 with completion expected in 2018. Her talk tonight discusses the Abbey Church of Saint John’s, a masterful collaboration between architect Marcel Breuer and associates, and their Minnesota Benedictine patrons. Her award-winning book on the Abbey church was included on Architectural Record’s 2014 Book Round Up (http://archrecord.construction.com/features/critique/books/2014/1412-Books-Roundup.asp) and it has been heralded by in a review by Norman Weinstein for ArchNewsNow as “the first great architectural history of the 21^st century. http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/Feature463.htm.

John Cuningham, a practicing architect since 1962, founded Cuningham Group in 1968. His leadership, foresight and personal attention has helped grow the firm into a recognized leader in the field of architecture, including being awarded the American Institute of Architects-Minnesota Firm Award in 2013. Today, Cuningham Group has more than 350 employees and offices in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Biloxi, Denver, San Diego, Phoenix, Seoul, Beijing and Doha. While emphasizing the need to produce architecture that reflects the needs and values of clients, John believes good architecture contributes to community life. Creating such architecture requires engaging both the client and the community in a dialogue. “I’m not as interested in the single building as I am in the community,” Cuningham explains. “Being a good architect — doing good architecture — has to do with being in service to society. The kind of architecture that interests me is the kind that builds community.” John’s community-based approach is further underscored by his personal passion for sustainable design. As the firm approaches its 50^th anniversary, John continues to advocate creating memorable places that respect the earth — an advocacy he has upheld throughout his professional career and many years before the rise of “green design.” John has a degree in architecture from the University of Minnesota and a master of architecture from Harvard. He taught architectural design for 18 years at the University of Minnesota, served on the University’s Alumni Board, and continues to maintain a relationship with the College of Design, where he is a popular guest lecturer.

David Jordan Harris is co-founder and artistic director of Voices of Sepharad. He has pursued study and performance of Sephardic music throughout North America, Morocco, Greece, France, Israel, Turkey, Poland, Bosnia, and Spain. Integrating his skills as a singer, actor, and dancer, David has appeared as a guest artist with Zorongo Flamenco, Corning Dances and Company, Walker Art Center, Illusion Theater, Rose Ensemble, North Star Opera, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, Guthrie Theater, Minnesota Opera, Lyra Baroque Orchestra, Ensemble Espaῆol, and In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. David is the interfaith arts special consultant for the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning and executive director of Rimon: The Minnesota Jewish Arts Council.

Sponsored by the Sacred Arts Festial and the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning at the University of St. Thomas To make an accessibility request, call Disability Resources at (651) 962-6315

Four perspectives on creating sacred space through the lenses of architecture, ritual, & social history, featuring Professors Victoria Young, Jeanne Kilde, Marilyn Chiat, & architect John Cuningham.

Presenter Bios

Marilyn J. Chiat received her Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Minnesota. Her dissertation on ancient synagogue architecture was published by Brown University under the title Handbook of Synagogue Architecture. Her focus is on the role religious architecture plays in their communities, providing insight into the history of their congregants and the larger cultural context in which they exist. She has published and lectured widely on this topic here and abroad. Among her other publications is America’s Religious Architecture: Sacred Places for Every Community, commissioned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and published by John Wiley & Sons, The Sacred Traveler: Chicago and Illinois, part of the Sacred Traveler Series published by Paulist Press, and North American Churches from Chapels to Cathedrals, published by Publications International. She has also appeared in a number of public television documentaries including the Emmy Award winning “Iron Range: Minnesota Building America.”

Jeanne Halgren Kilde is the Director of the Religious Studies Program at the University of Minnesota. A cultural historian of religion in the United States, Kilde holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Minnesota. She teaches courses at the University on U.S. religious history, religious ritual and sites, and theory and method in the study of religions. Her primary research focus is on religious space and architecture. Among her publications are When Church Became Theatre: The Transformation of Evangelical Architecture and Worship (Oxford University Press, 2002); Sacred Power, Sacred Space: An Introduction to Christian Architecture (Oxford University Press, 2008);and Nature and Revelation: A History of Macalester College (University of Minnesota Press, 2010). Her recent work focuses on religious diversity and space in the U.S. Her article on the Islamophobic, “mosque in Manhattan,” situation in 2010, appeared in the online journal Religions in 2011. She is currently editing the Handbook of Religious Space and Place, for Oxford University Press, and working with Marilyn Chiat, Ph.D., on Houses of Worship in the Twin Cities, a digital research project examining interactions among religious and ethnic groups in the Twin Cities from 1849–1924. Kilde regularly addresses religious and community groups on subjects related to religious diversity and has appeared in such public forums as MPR’s The Daily Circuit with Keri Miller, and WCCO’s Steele Talkin’ with Jearnlyn Steele.

Victoria Young is professor of modern architectural history and chair of the art history department at the University of St. Thomas. Dr. Young is also second Vice President of the Society of Architectural Historians and is a former member of Minnesota’s State Review Board and the Governor’s Residence Council. Dr. Young¹s research focuses on nineteenth- and twentieth-century architecture, with special interests in sacred space and contemporary war museums. She has published on her work on Mount Saint Bernard Abbey in Leicestershire, England, a nineteenth-century monastic design by the English architect, Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin. Her current manuscript-in-progress is an exploration of the New York City-based firm of Voorsanger Architects’ design for the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, a building project begun in 2003 with completion expected in 2018.

Her award-winning book on the Abbey Church of Saint John’s analyzes the masterful collaboration between architect Marcel Breuer and associates, and their Minnesota Benedictine patrons. The book was included on Architectural Record’s 2014 Book Round Up (http://archrecord.construction.com/features/critique/books/2014/1412-Books-Roundup.asp) and it has been heralded by in a review by Norman Weinstein for ArchNewsNow as “the first great architectural history of the 21^st century. http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/Feature463.htm

A practicing architect since 1962, John Cuningham founded Cuningham Group in 1968. His leadership, foresight and personal attention has helped grow the firm into a recognized leader in the field of architecture, including being awarded the American Institute of Architects-Minnesota Firm Award in 2013. Today, Cuningham Group has more than 350 employees and offices in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Biloxi, Denver, San Diego, Phoenix, Seoul, Beijing and Doha.

While emphasizing the need to produce architecture that reflects the needs and values of clients, John believes good architecture contributes to community life. Creating such architecture requires engaging both the client and the community in a dialogue. “I’m not as interested in the single building as I am in the community,” Cuningham explains. “Being a good architect — doing good architecture — has to do with being in service to society. The kind of architecture that interests me is the kind that builds community.”

John’s community-based approach is further underscored by his personal passion for sustainable design. As the firm approaches its 50^th anniversary, John continues to advocate creating memorable places that respect the earth — an advocacy he has upheld throughout his professional career and many years before the rise of “green design.”

John has a degree in architecture from the University of Minnesota and a master of architecture from Harvard. He taught architectural design for 18 years at the University of Minnesota, served on the University’s Alumni Board, and continues to maintain a relationship with the College of Design, where he is a popular guest lecturer.

"In the 1950s the brethren at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint John the Baptist in Collegeville, Minnesota--the largest Benedictine abbey in the world--decided to expand their campus, including building a new church. From a who's who of architectural stars--such as Walter Gropius, Richard Neutra, Pietro Belluschi, Barry Byrne, and Eero Saarinen--the Benedictines chose a former member of the Bauhaus, Marcel Breuer. In collaboration with the monks, this untested religious designer produced a work of modern sculptural concrete architecture that reenvisioned what a church could be and set a worldwide standard for midcentury religious design. Saint John's Abbey Church documents the dialogue of the design process, as Breuer instructed the monks about architecture and they in turn guided him and his associates in the construction of a sacred space in the crucial years of liturgical reform. A reading of letters, drawings, and other archival materials shows how these conversations gave shape to design elements from the church's floor plan to the liturgical furnishings, art, and incomparable stained glass installed within it. The book offers a rare detailed view of how a patron and architect work together in a successful building campaign--one that, in this case, lasted for two decades and resulted in designs for twelve buildings, ten of which were completed. The post-World War II years were critical in the development of religious and architectural experiences in the United States--experiences that came together in the construction of Saint John's Abbey and University Church and that find their full expression in Victoria M. Young's account of the process. Using the liturgy of the mid-twentieth century as a cornerstone for understanding the architecture produced to support it, her book showcases the importance of modernism in the design of sacred space, and of Marcel Breuer's role in setting the standard."--