GSD Alumni and Friends
George Kelso, MArch '64
SALUTE TO JERZY SOLTAN
It is my pleasure to contribute my Portfolio Salute to Jerzy Soltan and to now learn of its
acceptance as a “Rare Book” in the Special Collections of the Harvard GSD Loeb Library.
Work on the Portfolio entitled Salute to Jerzy Soltan began when I received a letter from Professor Eduard Sekler concerning my thoughts on the 2005 GSD Symposium. Professor Sekler mentioned that he “was so happy to read what I had said about Soltan”. And “if I could share with him some of my personal recollections about Soltan that it would be a great help to him in preparing a statement about Soltan in for the GSD memorial service on March 3”.
Professor Sekler expressed his appreciation for the Portfolio by quoting me in his Soltan memorial service statement and he recommended to Mary Daniels that the Portfolio be included in the GSD Library Archives.
The work consists of: a custom portrait of Soltan (by the author) on the Cover, a 6 page verbal description detailing the highlights of my 40 years of experiences with Soltan, followed by 57 visual images of architecture projects and paintings, that Soltan liked or had critiqued.
In the Portfolio Conclusions, my final note about Soltan note is:
“More than just a teacher . . . I liked him because he was real, he had a sense of humor and inspired my work and journey as an architect and artist . . . and for that I am delighted to pay tribute to Jersey Soltan.
As I and many others know, Jerzy Soltan is indeed a man with an un-distorted love . . . and eyes that see the light.
George J. Kelso AIA, CNU
Master in Architecture Harvard GSD '64