Revisiting the career of Portland architectural icon John Yeon in the “Quest for Beauty” exhibit

It's the final weekend for the “Quest for Beauty: The Architecture, Landscapes, and Collections of John Yeon” at the Portland Art Museum. The retrospective looks back on the career of architect John Yeon, who is best known for his residential designs that left a lasting impact in his native Portland, and brought global attention to Pacific Northwest modernism. 

Centralizing on Yeon's ceaseless pursuit for beauty, the exhibition surveys two dozen of Yeon's projects and buildings that were designed between 1927 to the mid-1950s, including original models, drawings, architectural photography, and a range of the art, Asian and European decorative objects, and historic materials that Yeon collected.

Yeon designed buildings — like his iconic Aubrey Watzek House and the Portland Visitors Information Center — and landscaped gardens as well. A dedicated conservationist, he fought to preserve landmarks like the Columbia River Gorge, the Oregon Coast, and Olympic National Park. 

“Quest for Beauty celebrates an iconic individual from our beloved state,” said Brian Ferriso, The Marilyn H. and Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Director and Chief Curator of the Portland Art Museum, in a statement. “John Yeon was an acclaimed architect, conservationist, art connoisseur and collector who was deeply influential in shaping not only this region, but also a larger sphere of institutions and individuals from New York to Kansas City to San Francisco through his architecture, museum installation designs, and collecting focus and philosophy.”

The exhibition closes on September 3, so if you'll be in the area, don't miss out!