Treaties on De-Fences: Closing Lecture by Jorge Otero-Pailos
Join us for a closing lecture by artist and preservation architect Jorge Otero-Pailos, as he delves into the creative process and historical significance of the artworks presented in his exhibition, Treaties on De-Fences, currently on view at the National Museum of American Diplomacy in Washington, DC. This exhibition examines Otero-Pailos’ artistic intervention on the decommissioned Cold War-era U.S. Embassy in Oslo, Norway, designed by Eero Saarinen.
In this lecture, Otero-Pailos will discuss the sculptures he crafted from the steel fence that once guarded the embassy, an artifact he rescued from the scrapyard, considering it a vital piece of history. He will also present the limited edition prints inspired by diplomatic treaties between the United States and Norway, some of which are featured in the exhibition. The lecture offers an insightful look at the intersection of art, diplomacy, and preservation, revealing how Otero-Pailos’ work captures and reimagines these historical narratives through his artistic lens.
The presentation will take place downstairs in the pavilion from 6:00-7:00 pm. Guests will have the opportunity to view the exhibit before the presentation from 5:30-6:00 pm and after the presentation from 7:00-7:30 pm.
Champagne will be served upstairs before the presentation. Note: No food or beverages are permitted downstairs because of our exhibits on view.
About Jorge Otero-Pailos
Jorge Otero-Pailos is an American-Spanish artist, preservation architect, scholar, and educator renowned for pioneering experimental preservation practices. He employs artistic methods, informed by advanced technologies, materials research, and interdisciplinary collaborations to expand the range of objects that are valued as cultural heritage and to develop new ways of caring for those objects. His wide-ranging artistic practice finds expression through materials like airborne atmospheric dust, smells, sounds, and architectural fragments. Alongside his art and preservation practices, he is Director and Professor of Historic Preservation at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP), where he also directs the Columbia Preservation Technology Lab, and where he founded the United States’ first PhD program in Historic Preservation (2017). Otero-Pailos is a licensed architect who studied architecture at Cornell University and earned a doctorate in architecture at MIT.
Arrival Instructions
NMAD is located at 330 21st St NW, Washington, DC 20006, in the Harry S Truman Building. Visitors must enter at the 21st Street entrance to the U.S. Department of State (the glass building on 21st Street between D Street and C Street, NW).
Please arrive on time to allow ample time for security processing. A valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID is required for entry (e.g. passport, U.S. driver’s license).
For further information or if you require reasonable accommodations to attend the event, please contact nmad-programs@state.gov.
This exhibition is in partnership with and through the generosity of the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE), thanks to the Ford Foundation, with additional funding provided by the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. The exhibition was conceptualized, curated, and produced in collaboration with Otero-Pailos Studio.
