Architecture Against Architecture : Radical Criticism Within Supermodernity

• Radical immanent criticismThe concept of radical immanent criticism is inspired by traditions drawn from film, literature and theatre, from the ideas of the International Situationists and from recent studies of the urban field and of social theory. It is a form of criticism that tries to unmask the representation of institutions, but without disqualifying that representation or the predominant visual culture in its own right. 'Unmasking' is not something you do in order to uncover an authentic ideal unsullied by the spectacle, but to break the representation open. The aim is to be able to see realities that are free of a simulation where nothing matters any more. Seeking the authentic is a praiseworthy starting point, but a quest for authenticity that depends on the negation of spectacle is a hopeless, naIve struggle. It is more fruitful to seek a constant unmasking of all kinds of institutional values that reside and hide in our society of the spectacle. This implies that movement, dialogue and conflict are primary. Hope lies in the permanent unmasking of alienation. After all, in everyday life there will always be alienation. And without alienation there can be no philosophy.I shall try to elucidate radical immanent criticism by comparing the ideas of architect Rem Koolhaas with those of the film directors Quentin Tarantino, David Lynch and Jean-Luc Godard. The films of the latter three offer interesting parallels with the cinematographic approach of Rem Koolhaas.Criticism and the representation of reality. The logic of film 1 is once again high on the agenda of many architects. Besides film providing a source of inspiration for 'star architecture' 2, it has a long tradition of immanent criticism3. Film is not only interesting because it captures time, space and movement of everyday life in a fictitious representation4, but because it can also offer a set of instruments for the discussion of reality5. In this context, architects and film makers can venture out in search of a different reality within the culture of spectacle.With reference to this, Walter Benjamin states: "By close-ups of the things around us, by focusing on hidden details of familiar objects, by exploring commonplace milieus under the ingenious guidance of the camera, the film, on the one hand, extends our comprehension of the necessities which rule our lives; on the other hand, it manages to assure us of an immense and unexpected field of action. Our taverns and our metropolitan streets, our offices and furnished rooms, our railroad stations and our factories appeared to have us locked up hopelessly. Then came the film and burst this prison-world asunder by the dynamite of the tenth of a second, so that now, in the midst of its far-flung ruins and debris, we calmly and adventurously go traveling. With the close-up, space expands; with slow motion, movement is extended [...] An unconsciously penetrated space is substituted for a space consciously explored by man [...] The camera introduces us to unconscious optics as does psychoanalysis to unconscious impulses."

Ämnesord

HUMANIORA  -- Konst -- Arkitektur (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Arts -- Architecture (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Architecture

Film

Rem Koolhaas

Jean-Luc Godard

David Lynch

Tarantino

media studies

technology

political science

philosophy

cultural studies

sociology

critical theory

economics

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