In What We Made; Tom Finkelpearl examines the activist; participatory; coauthored aesthetic experiences being created in contemporary art. He suggests social cooperation as a meaningful way to think about this work and provides a framework for understanding its emergence and acceptance. In a series of fifteen conversations; artists comment on their experiences working cooperatively; joined at times by colleagues from related fields; including social policy; architecture; art history; urban planning; and new media. Issues discussed include the experiences of working in public and of working with museums and libraries; opportunities for social change; the lines between education and art; spirituality; collaborative opportunities made available by new media; and the elusive criteria for evaluating cooperative art. Finkelpearl engages the art historians Grant Kester and Claire Bishop in conversation on the challenges of writing critically about this work and the aesthetic status of the dialogical encounter. He also interviews the often overlooked co-creators of cooperative art; "expert participants" who have worked with artists. In his conclusion; Finkelpearl argues that pragmatism offers a useful critical platform for understanding the experiential nature of social cooperation; and he brings pragmatism to bear in a discussion of Houstons Project Row Houses.Interviewees. Naomi Beckwith; Claire Bishop; Tania Bruguera; Brett Cook; Teddy Cruz; Jay Dykeman; Wendy Ewald; Sondra Farganis; Harrell Fletcher; David Henry; Gregg Horowitz; Grant Kester; Mierle Laderman Ukeles; Pedro Lasch; Rick Lowe; Daniel Martinez; Lee Mingwei; Jonah Peretti; Ernesto Pujol; Evan Roth; Ethan Seltzer; and Mark Stern
#3651586 in eBooks 2003-01-15 2003-01-15File Name: B00CZ9KPEK
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Modernism in Context - Masters and their SocietyBy Max ImbermanAlan Colquhoun writes a survey of modern architecture that aims to ldquo;sharpen our imagerdquo; of a series of architects and styles that all attempted to represent and reflect a new era in human history while advocating for an evolution in the way people perceive and interact with their environments. This narrative is presented chronologically and thematically; examining the philosophies within the progression in the development of modernism; dovetailed with global events in the early twentieth century that had a dramatic impact upon it. Colquhoun does not eschew a focus on the masters of modernism; an approach that many might consider outdated; because ldquo;that was the nature of modernism; despite its many claims to anonymity.rdquo; He attempts to place the reader within the mindsets of modern masters; tracing changes in the style from 1890 through the 1960s.Colquhounrsquo;s book spans continents; beginning its story in a Europe in the midst of the chaos and turmoil of the Industrial Revolution; quickly followed by a quick hop across the ocean to Chicago; where Sullivan and Burnham were building skyscrapers in a city undergoing a real estate boom. Colquhoun deftly combines context with analysis of buildings themselves; looking at architecture both as an artistic statement as well as a functional process; the creation of places for leisure and business. He does not neglect the great architects of the period. Wright; Corbusier; Mies; and Kahn are all examined in depth. Their influences; processes; and impacts are all laid out. The receptions these masters received are also studied; providing insight into the immediate reactions received by fellow architects and laymen. The book is presented in a linear fashion; with a progression occurring in modernism that increasingly disdains the classical. In this way; Colquhounrsquo;s focus on prominent figures allows him to trace the lineage of the styles in a very direct way.Colquhounrsquo;s book contains a great many illustrative images; from photographs of buildings; to floor plans; to pictures of furniture. Each image caption contextualizes what is depicted; and inserts it into the architectural conversation that was occurring in this era. The book seeks to demonstrate how modern architects attempted to understand and improve the essence of modern society. It is easily readable; and appropriate for everyone from college students to architecture enthusiasts who want to better understand the design and construction of urban environments.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Very nice bookBy StefanieThis was one of two books I bought for an Art History class I took in college. I loved this book! Im not an architect or an art history buff; but I was able to understand and appreciate the chapters in this book. There are pictures of the buildings they talk about; so you can see the message they are trying to convey. It hops around the different styles throughout the early 20th century by picking a couple of famous buildings that really accentuate the style at that time. I would suggest this book if you need it for a class or if you just want to learn a little bit about art and architecture.The book itself is pretty small compared to other textbooks. Its a good coffee table book if you are looking for some interesting reading for your home.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Too much detail for the laymanBy CustomerIm not an architect but am sufficiently interested to know more about the recent century of architecture and the key designers who have shaped it...sadly this book is too detailed for my liking and doesnt give the "fly over" I was hoping for...