Thorncrown Chapel, remotely located in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, USA, was designed by E. Fay Jones, a protégé of the pioneering architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is internationally acclaimed for its innovative design, respect for natural materials, and sensitivity to its surroundings. Winner of the American Institute of Architects' Design of the Year Award for 1981 and the AIA's prestigious 25 Year Award, Thorncrown Chapel is ranked by the American Institute of Architects as the fourth most important building of the twentieth century.
This series has been created to commemorate Thorncrown Chapel's 35th anniversary in June 2015. Views of the landmark chapel and its forested mountain locale were captured through the seasons in 2014-15. These are the first professionally produced photographs created for use by Thorncrown Chapel since 1980, when a single image was created that garnered its acclaim. Unfettered access to a restrictive site has permitted views previously unseen by the general public that are vital to a complete understanding of its architecture and relationship to its environment.
Doug Reed, Pastor of Thorncrown Chapel and son of its founder, Jim Reed, states that "Connaughton has photographed Thorncrown more extensively than anyone ever has before, and he has labored to find its essence. His images will help people understand how extraordinary Fay Jones' work was."
The photographic series is ongoing and the entire collection is expected to be published in a forthcoming book.
Photographs ©2015 Randall Connaughton. All rights reserved.
