Paul Marantz: A Life in Light, Curiosity, and Craft By RANDY REID
All images courtesy of FMS.
The Celebration of Life for Paul Marantz, held on January 29th at The Starr Foundation Room at Parsons, was beautifully conceived and thoughtfully paced. Enough time had passed since Paul’s death that the raw shock had softened, allowing the evening to settle into something more reflective and generous. The room was filled with colleagues, friends, and admirers who came not only to mourn, but to remember, to learn, and to smile. The mood was warm and engaged—at times deeply personal, at times instructive—and there was a quiet sense that the evening itself reflected Paul’s spirit: curious, rigorous, and forward-looking. It was, unmistakably, an uplifting and motivating gathering. In 2010, the IES commissioned Dan Blitzer to interview several of the great figures in lighting, and those archival 56
designing lighting
recordings became the emotional backbone of the evening. The program opened with a 3 min slideshow featuring dozens and dozens of Paul’s projects (set against a snappy Donald Byrd soundtrack) a clip of Paul speaking in his own voice, immediately grounding the room in his presence. Seventeen speakers followed, each beginning with another short archival clip of Paul—sometimes reflective, sometimes humorous, always insightful—before offering their own memories and observations. From a standing-room-only crowd, I listened from the back of the room. While the quotes that follow are not word-for-word transcripts, they are faithful to the sentiment, intent, and substance of what was shared, capturing both the wisdom Paul imparted and the lasting impact he had on those who learned from him.