/fRT CENTER 4 September 1980 Ms. Marjan Schröder Krommewaal 24B Amsterdam, The Netherlands Dear Ms. Schröder: Thank you for your letter of 18 August. Because we were on vacation when it arrived I am only now able to reply. Your concerns and those of your mother with regard to the proposed film about her house are very c'ear and unders:ood by all of us here. We had the great pleasure of meeting and talking with your mother last year, as you know, and realize that she is frail and has limited ohysica' energy, though her vigorous mental capacity certainly belies her 91 years. However, you correctly point out in your letter that a serious film about the house cannot be made without your mother's involvement, as she, more than anyone, understands its compiexities, the goals she and Rietveld had in building it and how, as a work of art and statement of their philosophy, it responds to socia! and physical needs. And, having lived in it for so many years, she has become the most important ingredient of its environment. As you know, in February and March 1982, the De Stijl exhibition will open at Walker Art Center. It will travel to Washington, D. C. to be shown at the Hirshhorn Museum in May and June. Finally, the Stedelijk and Kröller-Müller museums will share the exhibition in Holland in August and September of that year. The proposed film of the Rietveld/Schröder house plays a significant role in the exhibition plan. in addition to photographs and models of the house and a definitive selection of Rietveld's furniture, we plan to show a continuous five-minute vereion of the proposed film in the gallery, so that visitors will have a true sense of the house and of the extraordinary person who is such an important part of it. A longer version of the film (probabiy 30 minutes) will be shown on public television nationally. A Dutch language version could easily be prepared for showing in Holland. I know your family is well aware of the historica! significance of this illustrious building in the . history of modern architecture and that your mother, in particular, is concerned that any interpretation of it to a large international oublie be handled correctly. For this reason, we feel it is essential to make the film now so that we can have her advice and whatever brief comment she is willing to provide. Richard Leacock s, as you have seen from the material we sent about him, one of our leading filmmakers. He is extremely concerned about and sensitive to people and understands all of the difficulties attendant to this project. I'm certain that your mother would find Him sympathetic and engaging. He is especially sensitive to working with older people and 3 PLACE MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA 55403 CABLE WACART PHONE 612 377-7500 MARTIN FRIEDMAN DIRECTOR *
page 2 ' J Marjan Schröder 4 September 1980 knows how to accomplish his tasks with minimum disruption of their routines. His co-worker, a young woman who is trained as an architect and filmmaker, wil! supply the requisite knowledge to that aspect of the film dealing with the physical form of the house and its site. Their work could be accomplished in a few hours at Mrs. Schröder's convenience. We sincerely hope you will discuss the film once again with your mother, Thil Oxenaar and Gerrit Oorthuys. I'm certain that you will conclude with us that we must not lose this chance to capture Mrs. Schröder, however briefly, and the house on film. The available time span of 8—18 October is unchanged from our side. I can assure you that the work will be done with as little inconvenience to Mrs. Schröder as is humanly possible. Mr. Leacock works with a small amount of filming equipment and is a brilliant artist as well as a highly considerate person. Given the extraordinary significance of this De Stijl exhibition and our desire to give the Rietveld-Schröder house its due importance, we ask for your understanding and assistance in this film which will be a fitting commemoration of your mother's admirable contribution to the evolution of modern architecture. One further point: this film could have permanent use by the Rietveld Foundation as an invaluable educational tooi. As I know how much Mrs. Schröder is involved with the work of the Foundation, she will surely agree that an excellent film could provide a vital link between herself and future generations who will come to Utrecht to study Rietveld's work. With best wishes to your mother and our sincere hope that this project will be realized, Mildred S. Friedman Design Curator MSFrilk copies to: G. Oorthuys and R. and T. Oxenaar '" — 'T'^ryo i z 3/ƒ-ƒ500 MARTIN FRIEDMAN DIRECTOR