Consumers of the other arts generally know what they're buying before they hand over the cash - and easily can walk away if they so desire.
Producers of the other arts generally undertake production of their art without the direct involvement of their eventual consumer. This difference naturally brings people into our "art" and with that comes a seemingly unlimited opportunity for criticism or complaint. There is a shelter, security, functionality, economy aspect to our work that simply does not exist for most other art forms. While I agree with some of what b3tadine(sutures) writes above, we cannot escape the simple fact that - unlike painting or sculpture or literature - our "art" generally is occupied by people. I can't count the number of times I've been asked questions like "Do you make blueprints?" or "Can you draw a set of plans for me?" or worse yet, "All I need is a set for permit." But if our dialog, as a profession, continues to be dominated by a combination of starchitecture coverage and Architecture-as-Artwork, how can we ever hope to close the knowledge gap and educate the general public about what it is that 'the rest of us' do? Surely that's nothing new, but do we, as a profession, want to glorify and focus on this phenomenon? Is there not a better way to dialog with the public about what we really do? With many a firm casting a wider net in hopes of reaching a broader market, does this kind of rhetoric and focus on Architecture-as-Art not push in the opposite direction? We've seen a renewed demand for designers to reach out to the 97% without architects in the last couple of decades, and I can't help but feel a little bit nauseous at the idea of rich men 'collecting' pieces of architecture. "The group's acronym, ASAP, a riff on the phrase "as soon as possible," was chosen to underscore the urgency di Carlo feels should be given to elevating and promoting architecture as a form of art, alongside painting, sculpture, and other traditional media."Īt a time when salaries are cut across the board, with a significant chunk of the profession still facing unemployment, and firms of all scales fighting for even the smallest commissions.
Founded by Tina di Carlo, the exhibit is focused on non-traditional media with regards to architecture & architectural representation, and advocates "architecture and its value as part of a broader social, political, and aesthetic discourse." The ongoing debate amongst a group of friends about Architecture and where it does or doesn't fit within the art world heated up this past Monday with Arch Record's coverage of the ASAP Exhibit ( Archive of Spacial Aesthetics and Practice).
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