Architectural Annotations

On the occasion of her solo exhibition concurrently on view, artist Julia Fish has curated a selection of works on paper drawn largely from DePaul Art Museum’s collection. Expanding on her own practice of rendering architectural space through painting, this exhibition provides insights into Fish’s creative vision and interests. Fish identified work that is representative of the impact of encountering and learning directly from significant architecture in Chicago and Rome. In works by the Burnham Brothers, Douglas Garofalo, and Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Fish recognized the visual and conceptual function of “annotation” shared among the three: overt or subtle forms of text and notes integral to, or embedded within, the visual representation of architectural images.

This exhibition also features musical annotations inspired by architecture, with a focus on the work of American composer Andrew Norman. Norman’s work, The Companion Guide to Rome (2006–10), is a series of nine musical “portraits” reflects the experience of visiting architecturally significant churches and basilicas. In this installation, Fish has consulted with Norman and composer and scholar Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti — who has studied and written extensively on Norman’s work — to present a selection of Norman’s working sketches and Lanzilotti’s annotations and graphic analyses in response to selected scores from The Companion Guide to Rome.

Architectural Annotations is organized by DePaul Art Museum and curated by Julia Fish. Support for this exhibition is provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.​

Image: Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Veduta della Piazza del Campidoglio, mid 18th century