This thesis explores the emergence of Parametricism in the early 2000s through a comparative of the transitional phase between the precedent architectural styles and the evolving parametric...Show moreThis thesis explores the emergence of Parametricism in the early 2000s through a comparative of the transitional phase between the precedent architectural styles and the evolving parametric paradigm. While devoid of parametric modeling tools, these proto-parametric designs demonstrate a profound communicative capacity in articulating and organizing society’s heterogeneous nature. In investigating three case studies between 1999 and 2002, this research highlights a shift towards a heightened Urban Relationality and Urban Functionalism. Contextualized within the digital turn, the examples coincide in their integration of architectural semiology and a focus on socio-spatial relations. The designs foster positive spillovers within their proximate social and urban environments by transcending modernism’s functionalism through multi-functional approaches and an aestheticized architectural practice. Highlighting the constraints imposed by Patrik Schumacher’s Parametricist manifesto, this research underscores the transformative potential of transitional phases advocating for opening the Parametricist discourse to allow for creative exploration and progress in light of pressing contemporary issues.Show less
In recent years, the Western world has experienced a heightened interest in addressing troublesome heritage, especially with the rise of global anti-racism movements. In relation to the public...Show moreIn recent years, the Western world has experienced a heightened interest in addressing troublesome heritage, especially with the rise of global anti-racism movements. In relation to the public space it means that monuments that are connected to racial oppression often have become the target of iconoclastic acts of activists. An example of such a contested monument is the statue of James Marion Sims. Instead of attacking the actual statue, which is usually done in iconoclastic acts, artist Doreen Garner responded to the controversies surrounding Sims by harming a replica of his statue in her performance Purge (2017). This research paper investigates how the usage of this replica problematizes the existing definitions of iconoclasm and to what extent it can shed a different light on iconoclastic practices. To answer this question, anthropological theories on voodoo will be used, as the creation of a representation with the purpose of harming it, reminds of voodoo practices. By investigating the concept of iconoclasm in relation to voodoo, this research reveals the significant overlap between voodoo and iconoclasm, as both concepts function on the basis that a representation is targeted for its similarities with the referent.Show less
This thesis discusses a casque ornamented with folklore patterns using theory on cultural trauma and anthropology of art in order to understand the significance of a casque within the formation and...Show moreThis thesis discusses a casque ornamented with folklore patterns using theory on cultural trauma and anthropology of art in order to understand the significance of a casque within the formation and communication of cultural trauma in Ukrainian society. The cultural trauma theory, implemented by Jeffrey C. Alexander, suggests that people construct traumas intentionally through the framework of culture. While acknowledging the importance of cultural objects in establishing and communicating traumatic processes, the approach seems to disregard the existing agency of artefacts, resulting in the premise that cultural traumas always fade away. This research aims to add another perspective to the cultural trauma theory by considering the power of artefacts through the anthropological theory of art, coined by Alfred Gell. By implying that ornamented casque has a levelled agency, the research argues that consideration of active agency makes the cultural trauma remain or be experienced again after its turn into museum objects of commemoration.Show less
Recent past and historical events including the times of the USSR and its doings are a sensitive topic. The creation of Grutas Park containing the monuments of Soviet communist party leaders in...Show moreRecent past and historical events including the times of the USSR and its doings are a sensitive topic. The creation of Grutas Park containing the monuments of Soviet communist party leaders in Lithuania in early 2000s brought attention to the treatment of the traumatizing past and the construction of memories. The thesis concentrates on the analysis of the statues and the photographs Stalin’s World made by Martin Parr. The documentary photographer used the monuments as valuable elements of his version of the history account. By looking at three types of history (official, generational, and surreal) and combining them with two case studies (the park with its statues and photographs) it becomes possible to see how collective and individual memory, nostalgia, and processes of remembering work together offering a schema to process and reflect on the traumatizing Soviet past not only for Lithuanians but for anyone with the troubled historical past.Show less
This article examines how the documentary A Boy Named Freedom contributes to the reconstruction of the discarded cultural memory of Uyghurs in the Netherlands.1 A Boy Named Freedom shows the...Show moreThis article examines how the documentary A Boy Named Freedom contributes to the reconstruction of the discarded cultural memory of Uyghurs in the Netherlands.1 A Boy Named Freedom shows the familial narrative of the 21-year-old Dutch Uyghur activist Alerk Ablikim. The point of departure in this study is the search for alternative ways for diasporic Uyghurs to narrate their experiences on the Uygur conflict in order to circumvent China’s global implementation of censorship. Therefore, memorial structures should be reconsidered which will be done through Marianne Hirsch’s theoretical framework of ‘postmemory’.2 Hirsch’s concept is originally coined in the context of the Holocaust and will be useful for analysis given the traumatic and genocidal characteristics of the Uyghur conflict. In this article, A Boy Named Freedom will be read as postmemoir reflecting upon its intergenerational transmission of the traumatic memories of Uyghurs in the Netherlands.Show less
This thesis presents the icon of Godzilla as a case study in how meaning becomes ‘volatilized’ by repetition. Given the repetitive nature of the Godzilla franchise (36 films and counting) the...Show moreThis thesis presents the icon of Godzilla as a case study in how meaning becomes ‘volatilized’ by repetition. Given the repetitive nature of the Godzilla franchise (36 films and counting) the monster became a ‘floating signifier’; he can mediate a variety of interpretations within his representation, a compounding of signification that makes the Godzilla icon somewhat illegible. Godzilla (1954) being the ‘the primary text’ was a mediation of trauma Japan suffered from the war, displaying previously suppressed perspectives. The film became a global success, which elicited repetition. The property remained Japanese and is considered an exercise of soft-power for Japanese culture, but its transformation into a Godzilla-themed spectacle eroded the signification that spawned the icon which became self-referential for its audience. What sets the original and its sequels apart was its inception: in 1954 the production presented a narrative based on shared experiences. In 2016 came a Godzilla-film with similar aspirations, a case of ‘circular signification’ (returning to meaning despite volatilization). How does Godzilla as a volatile icon engage in circular signification and why is this exceptional?Show less
This thesis examines whether repetition and reproduction have an effect on the value of art and what role society plays in value acquisition. The purpose of the analysis is to understand the extent...Show moreThis thesis examines whether repetition and reproduction have an effect on the value of art and what role society plays in value acquisition. The purpose of the analysis is to understand the extent of the power repetition has on the arts. As well as whether social media and most importantly Instagram, can be considered post-museums that accelerate repetition and digital mass-reproduction of the art. Moreover, the second chapter of the thesis focuses on the notion of post-museum and how it can acts as a platform for mass production and repetition. In order to investigate the subject, the thesis will centralise on contrasting opinions of Walter Benjamin and Andy Warhol. Benjamin argues that repetition and reproduction take away the aura of the artwork, while Warhol argues that it provides authority. The result of the analysis shows that repetition and reproduction have immense power over the value of the arts within post-museums. It can either elevate an artwork in terms of its significance, power, and valuation, yet at the same time, it can be the reason why another artwork becomes nearly invisible.Show less
