E Y E W E A R, THE BLOG - FREEDOM MEANS BEING UNAFRAID TO WRITE WHAT YOU THINK

Britain's acclaimed architect expert, critic, bon vivant, wit, and writer, Charles Knevitt , is coming to New York for two one-man shows - LE CORBUSIER'S WOMEN - at the famous Bowery Poetry club, soon, to do a reading of his play on the life of great modernist Le Corbusier . The play is sexy, scandalous, informative, and fun, and it is recommended by Eyewear , not least because Knevitt wears Le Corbusier glasses. There will be two performances at Bowery, both on Sunday, September 22nd. The Le Corbusier exhibition at MoMA closes the following day, Monday 23rd. It claims 4,000 visitors a day. For full details and to purchase tickets: lecorbusier.brownpapertickets.com Follow CK on Twitter @lecorbusierNYC

If I hadn't been a poet, I would have wanted to be an architect, and not just because of The Fountainhead . The 20th century's greatest American architectural photographer, Julius Shulman , has died - his Guardian obituary is well worth reading. I have a poem inspired by his Koenig House photo of fifty years ago forthcoming in my new collection, out this autumn.

What's wrong with Britain? Prince Charles ? Modern buildings? Modernism and modernity tend to be associated with things people like to be associated with, in most Western countries - indeed, modern art, modern love, and modern poetry inspire great affection. Not in England, at least where the Prince and his allies are concerned.

Sad news. One of the 20th century's architectural geniuses has died - Jorn Utzon , the controversial force behind Australia's most famous building, the Sydney Opera House - arguably, in terms of its surprising shapes, a precursor to the Gehry style.

According to this Guardian article, Britain is "scared" of the Canadian genius , Frank Gehry . Although Gehry is widely considered the most important innovative North American architect of the postmodern period, and perhaps since Frank Lloyd Wright , Gehry has never been commisioned to design a major building in the UK, even now as he nears his 9th decade. Pity - it seems a lost opportunity. Why does Britain resist some North American innovators, and not others? Crane, Stevens, Olson, Ginsberg, Cohen, O'Hara, Ashbery - all have had their admirers, in poetry, but rarely a mainstream welcome.