17 Sep 2008 @ 11:33, by Nulah Sassoon
The new Palladio exhibition in Venice is apparently heralding a new era, by suggesting an alternative departure point to its profession in the future. The exhibtion is set to tour major centres. At the least a fresh set of references will be thrown into the debate.
Most interesting of all as is often the case is the light thrown on the pre existing status quo - liberal modernism - in design. Quite suddenly this can be viewed as an opposite, in parts, for some modernism does lay actually within a classical mould, to a trained eye! The other however which relies on much self expression, currently an undisputed right in our liberal society, can now actually be viewed as Gothic. A stance which carries with it, an outpouring by necessity of spiritual evolution. Hence all the gargolyes, griffins, and goodness knows what adorning such well known structures of the associated era, Medieval, and neo Gothic (of Victoriana fame) both in the UK and in France and the rest of Europe. The energy of these cathedrals can be seen to be emanating from the earth and rising upwards and away, a clearing of the air and current angst. The best example of this self expression is in the famous Musters TV serial, in the black and white of those days, of this famous family living in cobwebs, of dracula hair styles and loving giants. Kindly but weird.
Even tho the current modernism has shed its gargoyles in its place we have rasor sharp points to street furniture, columns, edges of steps, on which the unwary could easily impale: the features themselves shouting pain, go away and writhing. The opposite of classical buildings which create auras of peace and tranquility for contemplation and moving on to other earthly realms from a centred stance, not dependent on initial unrelated individual expression.
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