American Modern: The Columbus Update

Since 2014, Landmark Columbus Foundation has led a design renaissance in one of America’s most iconic small cities, Columbus, Indiana. Building off the summer release of the critically acclaimed publication American Modern: Architecture, Community, Columbus, Indiana, this event will explore the legacy and current state of affairs. 

The organization is now producing the 5th cycle of Exhibit Columbus, one of the only major ongoing contemporary design exhibitions in the United States. Since the start of Exhibit Columbus, more than 20 leading art and design firms have been awarded the J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller Prize, over 30 teams of university professors, hundreds of high school students, four communication design teams, and dozens of curators have participated in the program.

Landmark Columbus Foundation is deeply involved in helping to care for many of the city’s most significant buildings and landscapes, from Elil Saarinen’s First Christian Church (1942) to Harry Weese’s Eastbrook Bank (1961) and Eero Saarinen’s North Christian Church (1964). This organization has defined the idea of “Progressive Preservation” as its approach to educating and advocating for the care of its cultural heritage. This has allowed for deep community involvement within Columbus and financial support from across the country. As the organization’s impact has grown, an equal interest has grown around Indiana and beyond to leverage “the Columbus way” into new projects.

The program will include an update about the recent projects at the Miller House and Garden (1957) and new tourism strategies being employed.   

American Modern will be available for purchase at this event.

Speakers:
Richard McCoy, Executive Director, Landmark Columbus Foundation
Jamie Goldsborough, Creative Director, Landmark Columbus Foundation
Ben Wever, Site Administrator, Miller House and Garden
Erin Hawkins, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications, Columbus Area Visitors Center

About the Speakers:
Richard McCoy is the founding Executive Director of Landmark Columbus Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to caring for, celebrating, and advancing the world-renowned cultural heritage of Columbus, Indiana, and like-minded communities. He has a long history of creating unique solutions to complex cultural heritage challenges and occasionally teaches and writes about the arts. Before working in Columbus, he was a conservator-restorer for museums and libraries specializing in contemporary art, sculptures, traveling exhibitions, and bookbinding. Richard has degrees from New York University and Indiana University.

Jamie Goldsborough is the Creative Director at Landmark Columbus Foundation, where she leads communications, digital and print publication, exhibition, and storytelling projects about community, art, architecture, and design. Her experience in research, writing, and design spans from graphic design to architecture. Goldsborough received a Master of Architecture and Master of Arts in Design Criticism from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communication Design from Indiana University Indianapolis.

Ben Wever is the Site Administrator for the Miller House and Garden, Newfields, where he has worked for 24 years, ten years as a groundskeeper, and 14 years as the Site Administrator for Newfields. He is responsible for the overall care and administration of the Miller House and Garden. He has also helped maintain several Dan Kiley landscapes, including the former North Christian Church. Previous experience includes working in the gardens and greenhouse of the 19th-century Irwin Home and being a personal assistant to J. Irwin Miller for four years. He also managed the Columbus branch of Engledow Group, which maintained several Kiley designs for Cummins Engine Company and Miller House and Garden. He serves on Landmark Columbus Foundation’s Design Advocacy Committee, where his knowledge of Columbus history and modern design and architecture helps preserve historical landmarks, architecturally significant buildings, public art, and landscapes. He currently serves as the Community Design Curator for Landmark Columbus Foundation and is on the board of Indiana Modern, a subsidiary of Indiana Landmarks.

Erin Hawkins is the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications at the Columbus Area Visitors Center, where she advances tourism through marketing and destination development initiatives. A lifelong resident of Columbus, Hawkins channels her love for the city into vibrant collaborations that connect local partners with national and global visitors. In addition to her role at the Visitors Center, Hawkins is an active leader in the community. She serves on multiple nonprofit boards, where she contributes to strategic planning efforts to help shape the city’s future. An enthusiastic ambassador for her hometown, Hawkins plays a significant role in preserving and promoting Columbus’ design heritage to ensure the city remains relevant and accessible.