Janna Ireland on the Architectural Legacy of Paul Revere Williams in Nevada

July 2, 2022 - October 2, 2022

John Hawley Olds LaGatta Gallery | Floor 3

Janna Ireland on the Architectural Legacy of Paul Revere Williams in Nevada is on view in New York at AIA New York Center for Architecture from July 13, 2023 – October 31, 2023.

This exhibition features the contemporary photography of Janna Ireland, who explores the important contributions of architect Paul R. Williams (1894-1980) in Nevada. Williams was the first licensed African American architect to work in the western region of the United States, designing buildings in the 1920s through the 1970s. His work in Nevada spans from the 1930s through the 1970s. The exhibition will open at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, and will then travel to the Nevada State Museum Las Vegas from December 3rd, 2022 through May 29, 2023.

Paul Revere Williams’ architectural contributions collectively helped to redefine the built environment of the region. Some of his most iconic structures are in Southern California, and include the Music Corporation of America headquarters, and the renovation of the Beverly Hills Hotel; he was also deeply involved in the design of the master plan for the LAX Airport in association with William L. Pereira and Associates. Williams’ unique architectural creations earned him the name “Architect of the Stars,” as he also designed the homes of twentieth-century entertainers, some of which include Frank Sinatra and Cary Grant.

Williams’ architectural body of work in Nevada includes residential homes that were designed to enrich the lives of all community members, commercial properties, and religious institutions. His most notable buildings include the La Concha Motel (now part of the Neon Museum) in Las Vegas, and the First Church of Christ, Scientist (now known as the Lear Theater) in Reno.

Williams was first introduced to northern Nevada in the 1930s by Luella Garvey, for whom he designed a house in Reno in 1934. That commission was followed two years later by his design of the Ranch House at Rancho San Rafael Park. Other residential and lodging properties in northern Nevada designed by Williams include the El Reno Apartments in Reno, the Lovelock Inn and Tharpe/Brinkerhoff House in Lovelock, and E.L. Cord’s Circle L Ranch House in the Fish Lake Valley.

In southern Nevada, Williams also designed the Guardian Angel Cathedral, the Royal Nevada Casino (no longer extant) and Berkley Square—Southern Nevada’s first African American suburban community.

Janna Ireland approaches Williams’ architecture from a fine arts perspective. She produces photographs that highlight the intimate interior and exterior details of his buildings, bringing her own poetic response to Williams’ work. Ireland recently completed a photographic project on Williams’ work in Southern California, which includes architectural styles ranging from Spanish Mediterranean to Modern.

This exhibition is organized by the Nevada Museum of Art and curated by Carmen Beals. We thank spokesperson Claytee White, scholarly contributors Alicia Barber and Brooke Hodge, and community partners: Our Story, Inc., KME Architects, LGA Architects, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Las Vegas.

Visit the exhibition research website

Major Sponsors

The Jacquie Foundation
Kim Sinatra + Family

Supporting Sponsors

Kathie Bartlett
Tammy and Michael Dermody
Drs. Shonda and Julian Hardman
The Thelma B. and Thomas P. Hart Foundation
NV Energy Foundation
Karyn and Lance Tendler

Additional Support

Friends of the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas
Nevada Humanities
NNRMLS
Katie O’Neill and Chris Gonya

Media Sponsor

PBS Reno

IMAGE 1: Janna Ireland, Paul Revere Williams’ La Concha Motel, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1961, 2022, Chromogenic print. Photograph courtesy of the artist, with permission from The Neon Museum, Las Vegas. IMAGE 2: Janna Ireland, Paul Revere Williams’ Guardian Angel Cathedral, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1963, 2021, Chromogenic print. Photograph courtesy of the artist. IMAGE 3: Janna Ireland, Paul Revere Williams’ Guardian Angel Cathedral, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1963 (interior), 2021, Chromogenic print. Photograph courtesy of the artist. IMAGE 4: Janna Ireland, Paul Revere Williams' Berkley Square, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1954, 2018, Chromogenic print. Photograph courtesy of the artist. IMAGE 5: Janna Ireland, Paul Revere Williams’ Luella Garvey Residence, Reno, Nevada, 1934, 2021, Chromogenic print. Photograph courtesy of the artist. IMAGE 6: Janna Ireland, Paul Revere Williams’ Herman Residence, Reno, Nevada, 1936, 2021, Chromogenic print. Photograph courtesy of the artist. IMAGE 7: Janna Ireland, Paul Revere Williams’ The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Reno, Nevada, 1939, 2021, Chromogenic print. Photograph courtesy of the artist.