On June 4th, the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies, in partnership with the National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD), opened Treaties on De-Fences, an art exhibition exploring the intersection of art, architecture, and cultural diplomacy by artist and preservation architect Jorge Otero-Pailos.

The exhibition presents Otero-Pailos’ artistic intervention on the decommissioned U.S. Embassy in Oslo, Norway, designed by famed modernist architect Eero Saarinen during the Cold War, which Otero-Pailos helped preserve.

On display are sculptures Otero-Pailos created using the steel fence that once guarded the embassy, an artifact he considered historically significant and that would have otherwise been destined for the scrapyard. The exhibition also showcases a book containing 51 limited edition prints, some displayed on the walls, which are inspired by the diplomatic treaties the fence witnessed.

Otero-Pailos conceived these artworks to initiate a national conversation about the preservation of Cold War U.S. embassies, as many are being decommissioned. The embassies were originally designed to encourage goodwill towards the United States through their public libraries, theaters, and art galleries. The exhibition examines the potential of art in reimagining these embassies’ futures while honoring their original intent.

The exhibition will be open to the public through multiple open house events this summer. Visitors can sign up to see the exhibit, as well as others at NMAD, on June 26, July 10, and July 31, from 10:30 am to 11:15 am, or 11:15 am to 12:00 pm. Space is limited and registration is required at least 48 hours in advance. For more information, visit NMAD’s website.

The exhibition is sponsored by FAPE thanks to the Ford Foundation, with additional funding provided by Columbia University. It was conceptualized, curated, and produced in collaboration with the Otero-Pailos Studio.