Category Archives: classicism

I am Justin Shubow

President of the National Civic Art Society, a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. that promotes the classical and humanistic tradition in public art and architecture. Eleventh Chairman of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, an independent federal agency comprising seven presidential appointees who are the aesthetic guardians of Washington.

Interviewed on Liberty Law Talk Podcast

Liberty Law Talk, a podcast of Law & Liberty, featured an interview of National Civic Art Society President Justin Shubow in which he talks about the influence of civic architecture on body politic, the role of the U.S. Commission of … Continue reading

Posted in American Institute of Architects (AIA), Americans' Preferred Architecture for Federal Buildings, architecture, beauty, Brutalism, civic architecture, classicism, courthouses, deconstructionism, deconstructivism, federal architecture, federal architecture legislation, General Services Administration, George Washington, GSA's Design Excellence Program, Guiding Principles of Federal Architecture, Harris Poll, Jefferson Memorial, Modernism, monuments, National Civic Art Society, sculpture, Thom Mayne, Thomas Jefferson, U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, ugliness, Washington, D.C. | Leave a comment

RealClearPolitics Profile of the National Civic Art Society

People Who Hate the Eisenhower Memorial By Matthew Disler – July 19, 2015 RealClearPolitics Tourists milled around the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial last Friday, snapping photos in front of the 30-foot tall granite statue of the civil rights leader … Continue reading

Posted in civic architecture, classicism, congressional testimony, Eisenhower Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Jr. Memorial, Modernism, monuments, National Capital Planning Commission, National Civic Art Society, World War II Memorial | Leave a comment

Speaking in NYC About Federal Architecture on Dec. 17

On December 17 at the National Arts Club in New York, I’m going to be speaking about federal architecture. Here’s the description from the club’s bulletin: Justin Shubow: The Architecture of Democracy Wednesday, December 17, 8:00 PM The General Services … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, civic architecture, classicism, courthouses, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, deconstructionism, deconstructivism, federal architecture, GSA's Design Excellence Program, Guiding Principles of Federal Architecture, HBRA Architects, Morphosis, National Civic Art Society, Pericles, public talks, Thom Mayne, Thomas Beeby | Leave a comment

We Must Preserve the Founders’ Classical Vision for Our Nation’s Capital

Below is an essay I published in Public Discourse last month. It is an adaptation of the June 1, 2012 testimony I delivered before the U.S. House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands on “The Future of the … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, beauty, civic architecture, classicism, congressional testimony, Eisenhower Memorial, Frank Lloyd Wright, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, George Washington, historic preservation, Jefferson Memorial, Joseph Hudnut, L'Enfant Plan, Lincoln Memorial, McMillan Plan, Modernism, National Civic Art Society, National Gallery of Art, National Mall, National Park Service, Spirit of the Times, Thomas Jefferson, uncategorized, Washington, D.C. | Leave a comment

Classical Architecture Inspires a Return to Beauty in Classical Music

Goethe famously said that “Architecture is music frozen in time.” Expressing that literally, Le Corbusier and composer Iannis Xenakis co-designed the Philips Pavilion for Expo ’58 in Brussels.  In particular, the hyperboloid building, shaped like a stomach, was inspired by … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, beauty, classicism, Edgard Varèse, Iannis Xenakis, Le Corbusier, McKim Mead & White, Modernism, music | 3 Comments