Comments for FreeRange

Comment on Archigram Archive Project might enliven Architectural speculation. by adelaf

adelaf — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:32:58 +0000

Es una pena que tanto trabajo de Archigram no se enseñe en las escuelas de Arquitectura . yo acabé hace unos años pero siguen igual, racionalismo cuadriculado. Desconfía de la curva.
Yo encuentro también profundo su ideario. Creo que se adelantaron unas décadas. Pero encuentro muchos profesionales que mencionan a Archigram como en tono de burla. Es impresionante la influencia que han ejercido en muchos arqtos tecnológicos , y lo que aún nos ñpuedes transmitir

Comment on Take our jobs.org by MountainSteps

MountainSteps — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:13:15 +0000

Why do you think it’s ok to exploit illegal immigrants? Why do you think it’s ok to exploit unemployed Americans?

Comment on Cities of desire and anxiety: urban impressions from Japan by Dale

Dale — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 10:10:04 +0000

Barnaby, that’s a good question… I think that there are aspects of both that have to be taken into account.
Personally I believe that all big cities have rather generic attributes that can be seen as commonplace and the reasons for this commonality can be both complicated and far-reaching (i.e. a globalized world economy, shared cultural values et cetera).
I think both Kyoto and Osaka are no different in this way – but along with this ‘generic-ness’ are quite specific aspects of its society and culture that play out in its urban forms.
My understanding is that Japan has had a long history of ‘service’ culture, which is quite evident when you enter any retail level of any department store or dine at a restaurant (where you’d be greeted without hesitation and your every need is catered for – if they aren’t then there is something seriously wrong) – it is essentially a world of ‘unequivocal anticipation’.
Tourism is just another extension of this culture – and just like a lot of other cultures – it has implicit political objectives, which the urban forms of cities are ultimately responsible for through not necessarily facilitating – but rather creating the circumstances.
What I find quite interesting though is that the urban forms of cities can inevitably be seen as reflections of quite fundamental human values and qualities (whether intended or not) – such as (but not limited to) desire and anxiety. In a way I think cities perpetuate as unintentional (whether we are conscious of it or not) laboratories of cultural and social incubation – so these cities in particular are in a sense prototypical.
However I would also say there are definitive aspects of Japanese culture (as mentioned before) that make the cities quite unique to their set of circumstances, as I believe that the history/collective memory and traditions of any place can never really be erased.
So to answer your question, both I think.

Comment on Cities of desire and anxiety: urban impressions from Japan by Barnaby

Barnaby — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 05:30:03 +0000

Great writing Dale.

In regards to your understanding of these Japanese cities and tourism, do you think the cities are higly developed prototypes for the future of all big cities, or are the manifestations of specific dynamics of japanese culture that make the blueprint unrepeatable?

Comment on Freerangers do good! by Dale

Dale — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:45:37 +0000

Nice one, congratulations to the both of you!

Comment on Tsunami Box by Melling Morse Architects » Tsunami Box by Gerald Melling

Melling Morse Architects » Tsunami Box by Gerald Melling — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 04:51:53 +0000

[...] Available for purchase online from the Freerange Press Shoppe. [...]

Comment on Awesome news by Aline Muddiman

Aline Muddiman — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 02:44:54 +0000

I enjoy checking out all the divergent types of 12/21/2012 mayan prophecy, I consider one superb thing that has come of all of this, even if nothing goes on is that it has opened our psyches to the possibility that we may not be here forever and that we need to treasure the lifespan we have.

Comment on Room at the Table? Women and Architecture. by Greta Gillies

Greta Gillies — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 08:04:38 +0000

Gina, I absolutely agree that what would give women a better chance at ‘making it’ ( if only motherhood was given the same ‘making it’ rewards)would be an equal responsibility of both parents. The past reveals brilliant (men) inventors and scholars, dig a little deeper and you find they often had loyal partners (or mothers or servants)who kept them fed, clothed and the rest. Would their brilliannce have presented itself if they hadn’t been so looked after?
In Australia and the U.K. it is definately supported and assumed that woman take on most of the responsibility in looking after children,and I’m surprised more fathers arent up in arms by this flawed assumption. I used to work in an IVF clinic and we were asked to consider whether we should raise our female treatment age from 51 to 53. A lot of people said no, I think mainly because they worried that the woman may not be around for their child, yet the clinic allowed potential fathers to be in their 60s and 70s. Fathers of this age are even less likely to be around for their children. The clinic was making assumptions about the responsibilty load each parent had. It is these assumptions and the acceptance of these that help to maintain the uneven loads of responsibilty and from women getting to decision making positions.

Comment on Mulatu Astatke by Julie Mehretu and exploring the syncretic » FreeRange

Julie Mehretu and exploring the syncretic » FreeRange — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:12:09 +0000

[...] Mehretu is an Ethiopian-born artist (from Addis Ababa -coincidental link to a quick post on Freerange on Mulatu Astatke also hailing from Addis Ababa), who advanced her studies in Fine Art in the US and now works and [...]

Comment on Who is Freerange? by Barry Thomas

Barry Thomas — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:15:33 +0000

THE FERALIST MANIFESTO

Saturday 29 May 2010 Wellington

Feral art…

1. - is any art that acts to resolve, highlight and poke a stick at social and environmental contradictions and discriminations
2. – says that all people, acting as artists, have the right to speak – through their chosen art forms – to wage a new regime in the art world – often against the vested interests of the industrialization of art through corporate, agents, national and local body controls over the freedom of languages to speak
3. – often employs humour but is not constrained thereby
4. – is mainly expressed outside the traditional art gallery and funding systems
5. – is mainly done within the bounds of current law
6. – employs any mise en scene, media, environment and art form to achieve its expression
7. – aims to change the world, shift the status quo – to make it a far fairer, healthier and better place
8. – engages and attracts individuals and groups to either anonymously or otherwise achieve its aims
9. – is boundless feralism in, mainly, direct action
10. – can test but will not harm, hurt or endanger, threaten or abuse anyone or any thing
11. – is owned by no-one and is utterly not for profit
12. – has no structure, organization or property – its is utterly a peoples movement of the likeminded
13. – is artist mandated art – not curatorial manipulation of artists to conform to what amounts to curatorial art – using artists as their paint brushes

b’art Homme
Aro Valley
Wellington