Can any public figure expect a totally positive obituary today? Philip Johnson, FAIA, who died on January 25, 2005, at 98, probably would have said, "Of course not." He no doubt knew a "de-pedestalization" process had to occur as the mediafs payback for the fame and glory it bestowed on him during his career. To be more broad-minded, record has asked three longtime observers of Johnson—one, an admirer; another, a detractor; and the third, his biographer—to address key aspects of his life, including its controversies. —Suzanne Stephens

Biographer: Franz Schulze
While working on his biography, I was able to form a considered opinion of Philip Johnson as a person and a professional, and was inclined to believe the majority of his obituaries would be fairly positive. He spent seven decades at the center of the architectural universe—as designer, critic, historian, museum curator, and promoter of younger architects. Read on...

Admirer: Robert A.M. Stern
In the wake of his recent death, Philip Johnson has been lauded for his curatorial acumen, his social grace, and his collegiality, especially to the young. But he has not been praised for another attribute—that of being a very talented architect. Johnson deserves to be remembered for his architecture, which should be foremost in any assessment of his life. Read on...

Crtitic: Michael Sorkin
The past year has seen the demise of two major figures of American culture, filmmaker Russ Meyer and architect Philip Johnson. Although Meyer was the purer talent, both made enduring, seminal contributions to the ironic, vaguely pornographic, and deeply kitsch sensibility that has become one of the major markers of our contemporary creativity. Read on...

Still the bad boy, Philip Johnson looks ahead at age 95
Philip Johnson intervied by RECORD editors, Clifford Pearson and Suzanne Stephens, on July of 2001. Read on...

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