Mini Film Festival: "Minnesota Modern Masters" with MNSAH – March 10, 2021
On Wednesday evening, March 10, 2021, in a special collaboration with the Minnesota Society of Architectural Historians (MNSAH), Docomomo US/MN presented a Mini Film Festival with selections from the "Minnesota Modern Masters" series of interviews conducted by MNSAH between 2015-2019. The recording of this virtual event is now available.
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​​For the Winter Film Screening this year, Docomomo US/MN was thrilled to present a special joint program hosted with our friends at MNSAH. We screened a selection of interviews from the extensive “Minnesota Modern Masters” oral history project, conducted by MNSAH. Interview subjects featured Close Associates, Hodne & Stageberg, Ed Sovik, Rafferty & Rafferty, and Val Michelson.

The film screening was followed by a wide-ranging and lively panel discussion with MNSAH and Docomomo US/MN members.
Some of the discussion topics covered:
  • ​Development of the Minnesota Modern Masters oral history project
  • Recognizing the urgency of the project while first person stories and original footage is still available
  • Funding the project through the MN Legacy Grant
  • Archival documentation requirements (including transcription) for conducting the Minnesota Modern Masters interviews
  • Influence of the U of M School of Architecture on Modernism in the region, and across the country
  • Notable BIPOC architects in Minnesota during Mid-Century; necessity to record these first-person histories now
  • Designing for the future and for long term use; special advocacy and maintenance considerations for Modern Architecture
  • Applying the lessons learned from MCM planned communities to contemporary multi-family and retirement housing 

More information about the Minnesota Modern Masters series via MNSAH.org
Watch all 30+ available MN Masters short films on the MNSAH Vimeo Channel

Additional resources for panel discussion topics:
MN Modern Registry
Lisl Close
Lonnie O. Adkins
Lorenzo "Pete" Williams
Native American Center
Minoru Yamasaki in Minnesota
​Walker Art Center

Short Films Featured:

​​Elizabeth and Winston Close (interview with Gar Hargens) ​
​10:19
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​Valerius Michelson (interview with John Yust, David Bowers, and Daniel Feidt) ​
​12:11
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​Tom Hodne and James Stageberg (interview with Tom Meyer and Bill Beyer)
​11:11​

​​Ed Sovik (interview with Gary Johnson and Pepe Kryzda)
​14:12

Panelists Include:
Jane King Hession
Jane is an architectural historian and writer. A former president of MNSAH, she’s been actively involved with the Minnesota Modern Masters committee for several years. She is the author of the recently published book, Elizabeth Scheu Close: A Life in Modern Architecture (University of Minnesota Press, 2020).
Linda Mack
Linda Mack served as the architecture critic and reporter for the Star Tribune for 21 years. She is also active in the Minnesota Modern Masters oral history project of the Minnesota Society of Architectural Historians, which documents the careers of significant Minnesota architects. Her book, Madeline Island Summer Houses: An Intimate Journey, captures the stories of people and their places on Madeline Island, where she and her husband, Warren, have a beach cottage. 
Rolf Anderson
Rolf Anderson is the president of the Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians.  He is an architectural historian whose diverse projects range from the National Register of Historic Places Nomination for the Minneapolis Warehouse District to the National Historic Landmark Nomination for Christ Church Lutheran by Eliel and Eero Saarinen.   
Gary A. Reetz FAIA
Recently retired after a 43 year career of architecture for the arts with HGA architects. Gary is on the Board of Directors of MNSAH and is the chair of the MMM Committee of MNSAH responsible for the interviews that make up the Minnesota Modern Masters oral history project. 
Todd Grover
Todd is the national VP of Advocacy for Docomomo US. He is a registered architect in Minnesota and is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. Todd has been a Principal with MacDonald & Mack Architects since 2004.
Bobak Ha'Eri
Bobak is a board member of Docomomo US/MN; and the human encyclopedia behind the MN Mod Registry. He holds a BA from the University of Southern California and a JD from the University of Minnesota, where he's currently an Adjunct Professor for the University Honors Program and Instructor of Legal Practice at the Law School.

Hosted By:
Mike Lovato
Mike is a registered architect with an interest in the particular complexities of the 20th century. He studied architecture at the University of Michigan and at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He currently works as a historical architect with LHB. 

Mike is a board member of Docomomo US/MN and loves virtual film screenings almost as much as he loves Mid Century Modern architecture and design!