[Paz, Octavio. The Ready-Made. Marcel Duchamp In Perspective. pp84 ( Prentice Hall International, London 1975.)]
Like the ready-mades in art, architecture can be strategically constructed out of fragments or found objects. This process relies on the availability of materials and their inherent ability to be reconfigured in a meaningful way. In an age of colossal wastefulness, there is an abundance of fragments for play.
One example of using fragments in architecture is Ai Weiwei's pavilion '1001 Windows and Doors' in Kassel, Germany. The pavilion consists of doors and windows from the Ming and Qing Dynasty.
[Image from: Mark Magazine #12 February/March 2008. pg. 77]The actual structure collapsed in a storm. Apparently the piece was meant to be indoors but at the last second, moved outdoors. The artist has embraced its new meaning accordingly. Part of the essential purpose behind using fragments is the reuse of pieces for their energy consideration...I hesitate to wonder how these doors and windows were transported from China to Germany. Probably using a lot of energy to do so, but nonetheless were reused in an interesting way.
Sorry...my fonts went awol.
2 comments:
Cool Installation.
I've witnessed a lot of rumoring about the reuse of the architectural parts, however I have yet to see these used to make livable/inhabitable architecture.
Also, I really hope that the artist used local windows and only transported himself overseas.
I think the technique is still very rough at the edges. I know that Samuel Mockbee and Rural Studio are doing some interesting work, notably the windshield chapel. Unfortunately it's still received as a bit of a gimmick.
About the transportation of those doors + windows...it seems the artist defeated the whole purpose of energy conservation by transporting those things by cargo plane, unless I'm mistaken. Do you think it becomes a more powerful statement when taken out of context? Or would the pavilion in its natural context have greater meaning to those who are part of the Chinese tradition?
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