Louis I Kahn

[Alexandra Tyng]

This is a posthumous portrait of my father that I was asked to paint by the Union of Estonian Architects. My father was born in Estonia and spent the first five years of his life on the island of Saaremaa (then Oesel) in the Baltic off the mainland of Estonia. This year the UES decided to hold a three-day event to celebrate my father's connection to that country, and his life and work. I had about three months to complete the portrait, let it dry, and ship it out in time for them to have it framed. It was a tight schedule but everything turned out well, thank goodness!

[Mike McCarty]

Alex,

This must have sent you on a roller coaster ride, from many angles.

I'd call this a triumph of the mind and of the heart.

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

In the usual awe

Ilaria

[Garth Herrick]

Dear Alex,

Hurray!

I am sure I saw this on my last visit to your studio; it's a marvelous composition ad accomplishment! In light of the seminal international force your late father was in the scope of twentieth century architecture (an understatement), this portrait will be greatly cherished by Estonia (another understatement). How wonderful for you and your portrait to be at the center of this very meaningful and patriotic Estonian celebration! Alex, the true talent certainly runs in your family! Can we mention your brother's best selling documentary movie tribute to your father ("My Architect" certainly provides a rich contextual background for this portrait, which we all will appreciate (and rent))? Your late father appears so alive and immediate! Since your father is part of our international cultural literacy, your portrait conveys a story of a brilliant hero, which through sharing of this loving tribute of yours, we all can be enriched.

WELL DONE, my friend!

Garth

[Alexandra Tyng]

Mike, I'm awfully glad you think it was a triumph in any way. While I was painting him, I literally felt as though I were bringing him to life, but in the role of creator, which was strange, since he created me. There was a definite element of frustration that I could only go so far; i.e. I could only make him lifelike, not truly alive. Mike, I admit it's strange seeing our faces side-by-side!

Ilaria, the awe is mutual.

[Alexandra Tyng]

Garth,

Thank you so much! Actually my brother showed his film and talked about it at the conference, and my mother gave a talk, so the conference was a true family event.

Here are a few photos:

1) That's me with the Mayor of Kuressaare, presenting me with a gift, a beautiful drawing of the castle.

2) Yours truly with my daughter and mother at the unveiling.

3) At the castle entrance. Most of the receptions were held in the castle hall.

[Marina Dieul]

Fascinating triangles !
Congratulations, this is beautiful!

[Alexandra Tyng]

Thanks, Marina! Yes, there were a lot of triangles. I especially like the interplay between the ones made by his white shirt and the triangles in the upper windows on the left-hand side of the painting. It was fun playing with them.

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Alexandra,

What a wonderful experience to be able to celebrate your father's life, both privately through painting him and on such an international scale. The painting is beautiful!

I literally felt as though I were bringing him to life, but in the role of creator

I found this remark rather interesting. Last year my father in law passed away and I did a portrait of him for my husband, while he went back home to be with his mom. Doing this posthumous painting was the most difficult thing I have ever done. I cried just about every 5 minutes into working on the painting. I felt like the more form he developed the more he seemed to come alive, which made it more difficult for me to deal with his loss. I applaud your courage and determination to get your dad's painting done in such a short time and with such great success.

[Sharon Knettell]

Alex,

I had seen this portrait and was waiting to write something appropriate. The first thought that struck me, that even portrayed at an older age you have captured the essence of a irresistable charmer. He has that certain 'je ne sais quoi' that as a lady I have always found more than appealing.

I just came across an interesting, perhaps fictional account of him in one of Dominick Dunne's novels "A Season in Purgatory", a rather thinly veiled account of the Kennedy dynasty. Your father, in the novel, was brought in as the architect of the school library in the Milton Academy. The wealthy donor's arrogant daughter insisted on an unfortunate change in the building that your father fought and lost.