Home » Interviews » In Memoriam: Terence Riley (1954-2021) – Architect, Curator, Museum Director

In Memoriam: Terence Riley (1954-2021) – Architect, Curator, Museum Director

INTRODUCTION- 2:12 min.

Introduction to Terence Riley. 2:12 min. Interview: Raymond Elman. Camera & Post-Production: Manuel Perez-Trujillo. Recorded: 2015, Miami.

[Editor’s Note]: Terry Riley passed away on Tuesday, May 18th, 2021. Terry was very loved and will be deeply missed by the Miami art community, which he impacted greatly and forever.

As an architect, museum professional, teacher, and critic, TERENCE RILEY is an internationally recognized leader in the design and development of cultural facilities and programs with great architectural significance worldwide.

In 1991, Riley was invited to join the curatorial staff of The Museum of Modern Art, New York (MoMA). After having served as the senior curator in the field for 10 years, he was given the title of Philip Johnson Chief Curator for Architecture and Design in 2002. Riley joined the Miami Art Museum (MAM) as its director in March 2006. In this role, Mr. Riley led the museum through the design phase of a major expansion. He led the museum’s Architect Selection Committee, that selected Herzog & de Meuron to design an innovative new waterfront home in Miami’s Museum Park — the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM).

The videos below are organized by topic and run between 30 seconds to 3 minutes. Click on any video. You must be connected to the Internet to view the videos.

SEIZE THE MOMENT – 1:29 min.

Why did Philip Johnson select you to be a curator at the Museum of Modern Art in New York? What was your curatorial experience?

EVOLUTION AS A WRITER – 1:22 min.

What type of writing did you do when you first started publishing and what were your challenges?

CHALLENGING SITUATION – 1:36 min.

Describe a challenging situation with a successful outcome.

INFLUENTIAL CRITICS – 1:51 min.

What critics are your touchstones?

IMPACT OF CRITICISM – 1:45 min.

How does criticism impact you decisions?

DEVELOPING A COURSE IN CRITICISM – 2:39 min.

If you were developing a course in arts criticism, what would be the most important elements?

ABOUT MIAMI – 1:22 min.

What is your view of the evolution of Miami as one of the top art communities in America?

GLOSSARY

AplusU – Nick Roberts website focused on architecture + urbanism, hence A+U: www.aplusu.org Architectural Design – A UK-based architectural journal first launched in 1930, that today presents bi-monthly theme-based issues. www.architectural-design-magazine.com El Croquis – (est. 1982) An international architecture magazine based in Spain and published in Spanish and English. www.elcroquis.es Peter Eisenman – (b. 1932) American architect who rose to prominence as part of the New York Five. Characterized as formalist and self-proclaimed Deconstructivists. Kenneth Frampton – (b. 1930) A British architect, critic, historian, author, and Professor of Architecture at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University, New York. Paul Goldberger – (b. 1950) An American architecture critic and educator. He is a Contributing Editor for Vanity Fair magazine. Ada Louise Huxtable – (1921-2013) Architectural critic and writer who wrote for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Blair Kamin – (b. 1958) A leading writer and critic on architecture and urban design, Kamin has worked at the Chicago Tribune since 1992. He received the Pulitzer Prize in 1999. Philip Cortelyou Johnson – (1906-2005) An influential American architect who is especially known for his postmodern work. Daniel Libeskind – (b. 1946) A Polish-American architect, artist and set designer. He designed the master plan for the World Trade Center in New York. The New Yorker magazine – (est. 1925) A weekly magazine on politics, international affairs, popular culture and the arts, science and technology, and business along with fiction, poetry, humor, and cartoons published by Conde Nast. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine Vanity Fair magazine – A magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Conde Nast. http://www.vanityfair.com Mark Antony Wigley – (b. 1958) New Zealand born architect and professor at Princeton University.