Lecture and Reception: Glow of the Modern City – Tucson Neon

Event Details

Neon transformed the twentieth-century cityscape, turning commercial signs into glowing landmarks of modern design. In Tucson, neon became an especially important part of the visual identity of motels, restaurants, shops, and roadside businesses, combining typography, color, movement, and architecture into a distinctly modern urban landscape.

Historian and preservation advocate Carlos Lozano has spent years documenting and championing Tucson’s historic neon and roadside architecture. A former member of the Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission, Lozano has worked on efforts to recognize and preserve many of the city’s most significant vintage signs and has written and lectured extensively on Tucson’s commercial and roadside history.

In this presentation, Lozano explores the history, design, and craftsmanship of neon signage, with particular attention to Tucson and the American Southwest. The lecture will consider how signs were designed and fabricated, their relationship to midcentury architecture and automobile culture, and the growing effort to preserve these increasingly rare works of commercial art.

Presented at Benjamin Supply, a featured Tucson Modernism Week partner. A reception is included following the presentation.

Reservation are requiered.