JOURNAL OF
ORGANIC ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN
VOL. 13 / NO. 1

LOST IN THE STARS: THE HISTORY OF EUGENE MASSELINK’S
MURAL FOR THE FLYING DUTCHMAN BAR

60 pages :: Essays by Steve Sikora and Robert Hartmann

Eugene Masselink‘s remarkable wall mural, “Heavenly Spheres,” originally located in the Flying Dutchman Bar in Spring Green, WI survived a devastating fire that gutted the Old Post House in 2004. The fire damaged wood mural panels were saved and stored at Taliesin in the Midway Barns for many years, waiting for someone to save them. In the summer of 2022, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation donated the remains of Gene Masselink’s Flying Dutchman mural to the OA+D Archives. OA+D is the designated repository for all Taliesin Associated Architect project files and ephemera. The desired goal of taking over stewardship of the surviving panels was to clean, conserve, and restore as much of the original mural as possible and record its accompanying history.

This 58-page publication features essays by Steve Sikora and Robert Hartmann that examine the history of the Flying Dutchman Bar, the story behind its tragic loss, and an exploration of the design process behind the creation of its Masselink mural. The issue includes never before published vintage photos, drawings, plans, and photo documentation of OA+D's efforts to preserve the original mural as a way to foster a deeper appreciation for Gene Masselink's singular creative talent.

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