TALIESIN WEST: Modernism And Art
Wright, Gustav Klimt, and a Design Revolution
Step into the shimmering world of early modernism through the lens of two visionary creators—Frank Lloyd Wright and Gustav Klimt (1862-1918)
In this special two-hour Desert Design Week event, Modernism and Art: Wright, Klimt, and a Design Revolution, discover how the Vienna Secessionist movement — with its bold color, abstraction, and rebellion against tradition—influenced Wright’s architectural expression. During a 30-minute presentation, guests will view rarely seen Klimt prints from the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation’s private collection and explore the surprising ties between Wright’s 1910 European travels and the experimental spirit of Klimt and his contemporaries.
From Klimt’s shimmering patterns to Wright’s geometries in stone and glass, this conversation uncovers a lesser-known but deeply compelling chapter in design history—where modern art and organic architecture meet.
After the talk, enjoy a 60-minute guided tour of Taliesin West, Wright’s desert laboratory. The tour focuses on abstraction, geometry, and the play of light—echoes of a shared visual language shaped across continents.
Presented by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation's Rebecca Hagen, Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer Director and Curator of Collections; and Bruce Orendorf, Director, Public Engagement, this is a one-time-only experience—offered exclusively during Desert Design Week.
Taliesin West: Courtesy of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
Photo Credit: Andrew Pielage
Event Details
October 15, 2025
2:30pm - 4:30pm
Arrival begins at 2:15p
Location: Taliesin West Scottsdale
12621 N Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd
Scottsdale, AZ 85259
Cost: $100
BRUCE ORENDORF
Bruce Orendorf joined the Foundation in August of 2021 as Exhibitions Manager, the first ever at Taliesin West, opening a property-wide exhibition Chihuly in the Desert: Art, Architecture and Nature, which ran from December 3, 2021 – June 19, 2022. Bruce led a multi-departmental team through the complex process of presenting glass artworks in the harsh desert climate.
Not long after Chihuly in the Desert: Art, Architecture, and Nature opened Bruce shifted his focus to the guest experience at Taliesin West. He began to engage in assessment, guest services, and raising our overall standards in these areas.
He now holds the role of Director of Public Engagement, where he oversees exhibitions, tours, and guest services at Taliesin West, Bruce manages both strategic and logistical details between internal departments, multiple outside contractors, and the very human needs of both guests and his team, all to support the mission and vision of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Bruce holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The Ohio State University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Illinois.
REBECCA HAGEN
Rebecca Hagen is the Bruce Brooks Pfieffer Director of Collections and Archives at the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, where she oversees the collections at Wright’s homes and studios in Wisconsin and Arizona. In this role, her primary objective is to ensure that these historically significant materials are preserved for future generations, while also making them accessible to students, scholars, and the public. She is passionate about using these relatable objects as tangible tools for learning about Wright, organic architecture, and life in the Taliesin Fellowship.
Previously, Rebecca served as the Registrar and Collections Manager at Fallingwater, Director of Collections at James Madison’s Montpelier, and in collections positions at Monticello and the Hermitage Museum & Gardens, where she managed diverse historic house museum collections of fine and decorative art, archives, and libraries. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Christopher Newport University and a Master of Arts in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University.
