The sixth book of "Latin America: Thoughts" collection, with foreword by Abilio Guerra and afterword by Paulo Bruna, brings André Marques' research on the work of architect João Filgueiras Lima, Lelé, in its aspects of technology and interaction with the environment. The author also establishes relationships between Lelé's design strategies with those of the French builder Jean Prouvé and the Austrian architect Richard Neutra.
Originally published in 1956, this book provides a non-technical analysis of contemporary building by on the of the world’s greatest architects. Published a few years after the end of WW2, it was an inspiring and constructive picture of what kind of living could lie ahead for Western industrial society. This book, the result of many year in the forefront of architectural experiment and achievement by the author, outlines in practical terms the road to improved existence through science, mass production in building and renewed emphasis on the individual.
During his long career, Pier Luigi Nervi has explored the potential of concrete through the cast-in place and the prefabrication of elements in reinforced concrete or in ferro-cement, the material he invented and patented during the war. All of his best known works, such as the Berta Stadium, the hangars built in Orivieto, Orbetello and Torre del Lago Puccini, the Halls of the Turin Exposition Center, the Unesco buildings, the Little Sport Palace and the Papal Audience Hall represent an important chapter in the history of architecture, structure and construction of the twentieth century. The passion of Nervi for the manufacturing process of the concrete and formworks is examined in a systematic manner within the volume. The authors illustrate the creative process put in place by Nervi through the examination of documents never even studied in other essays, unpublished designs, drawings, specifications, photographs of the yards and correspondence with colleagues and collaborators.
With his exploration of technical thinking and the objects that arose from this pursuit, Jean Prouve is one of the major figures in architecture and design of the 20th century. This book provides an overview of his ideas and concepts, accompanied by his own texts and drawings.
What is the nature of the interaction between architecture and machines as key objects in human design, and how does this interplay work? The contributors to this book explore this multifaceted interchange in its broad thematic manifestations and historical depth, focusing above all on three aspects: machines that assist in the design and construction of buildings, those that perform their tasks inside the walls and structures of buildings, and--in particular--machines that act as models and images of architectural thought. What emerges is that the subject of machines within the architectural framework has been rooted not simply in concrete technical questions, but rather to a far greater extent in general programs, processes, and performances, and thus in fundamental categories of built space. As the first issue of gta papers, Architecture / Machine forms the basis of a new publication format of gta Verlag. The gta papers will, at regular intervals, encompass and present current and selected research findings from ETH Zurich's Institute for the History and Theory of Architecture.
Developing "sustainable" architectural and agricultural technologies was the intent behind Blueprint Farm. In this book, Steven Moore demonstrates how the various stakeholders' competing definitions of "sustainability," "technology," and "place" ultimately doomed Blueprint Farm.
An exploration of a formative chapter in Basquiat's brief career through the lens of his identity and the role of cultural activism in New York City during the early years of the 1980s Jean-Michel Basquiat painted Defacement (The Death of Michael Stewart) in 1983 to commemorate the death of a young, black artist who died from injuries sustained while in police custody after being arrested for allegedly tagging a New York City subway station. Published to accompany a focused exhibition of Basquiat's response to anti-black racism and police brutality, this catalogue explores a chapter in the artist's career through both the lens of his identity and the Lower East Side as a nexus of activism in the early 1980s. With an introduction by Chaédria LaBouvier, Nancy Spector, and Joan Young, and an essay by Johanna F. Almiron are supplemented by commentary from artists, activists, and other cultural figures who were part of this episode in the city's history, which invokes today's urgent conversations about state-sanctioned racism. Ephemera related to Stewart's death, including newspaper clippings and protest posters, and samples of artwork from Stewart's estate are also featured along with paintings and prints made by other artists from Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, David Hammons, in response to Stewart's death.
Over the last three decades, Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist (born 1962) has been an original and impactful voice on the contemporary art scene with her sensuous, colorful and norm-subverting audio and video universes (the artist's first name is itself a nod to Swedish author Astrid Lindgren's rebellious, freethinking heroine Pippi Longstocking). With projections on ceilings, walls and floors, Rist liberates the moving image from the screen through installations and new electronic formats. While body and gender are central themes in her early pieces, the main focus of her recent work has shifted towards nature. Rist's art is sensually playful and compelling, while also diving deeply into existential abysses. Superbly produced with a die-cut cover, this book is published in connection with Rist's midcareer survey exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, and comprises texts by some of the foremost specialists on Rist's work, as well as a selection of videos, which can be experienced as AR (augmented reality).
Among Others: Blackness at MoMA begins with an essay that provides a rigorous and in-depth analysis of MoMA's history regarding racial issues. It also calls for further developments, leaving space for other scholars to draw on particular moments of that history. It takes an integrated approach to the study of racial blackness and its representation: the book stresses inclusion and, as such, the plate section, rather than isolating black artists, features works by non-black artists dealing with race and race- related subjects. As a collection book, the volume provides scholars and curators with information about the Museum's holdings, at times disclosing works that have been little documented or exhibited. The numerous and high-quality illustrations will appeal to anyone interested in art made by black artists, or in modern art in general.
Some individuals strikingly resemble the art they are viewing, and Stefan Draschan has developed a special perspective on these picturesque correspondences. While strolling through the museums of Europe, Draschan captured similarities between the works of art and the people looking at them, noticing similar colors, patterns, hairdos, or physical posture. The artist has created astonishing visual moments that can be comic, poetic, surprising, but never contrived. The series, which he began working on in 2015, initially started with photo competitions by the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin and the magazine art-Das Kunstmagazin. It immediately took off on the Internet, where the international communities on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram have liked and shared his photographs millions of times. Exhibitions followed, and now the latest pictures from the series are being published in a light-hearted gift book.
