It's just that it really is present in anything and everything. It's all encompassing. I could go on and start writing another blog on the significance of ART in the world, from it's origins to now, and the future! (which unfortunately seems to be acting quite like an ungrateful stepmother locking it up in a closet).
Today i want to talk about a form of ART that is present in us all, that has a huge impact on us all, and that frankly...i don't know much about.
However my point here is to point it out, turn on the lights towards it, recognize and admire it's incredible power in/on society, and to really just call it ART.
It's about Architecture. Designing, creating space.
Space? Space for us to live on-- where we walk on this earth, where we gather, where we work, where we share, where we sleep, where we make love, where we die.
Here's my own little story about how architecture has affected me. Born and raised in Santiago, Chile. A city. Grew up in a neighborhood that was all about open space, nature, quietness. When my parents bought that house it seemed like a crazy idea for it was so far away from the center of the city, "where everything is happening". Yes, we had bad radio signal..when we drove past a hill we could tune in to the stations. Yes, some distances were far to travel. BUT! i grew up with a sense of community and freedom. There were neighbors, there was "la calle" (the street) where we would spend the day playing, running, biking, roller-skating, hiding, climbing. There were rabbits leaping across the streets at night. There were excursions to pick blackberries.
Now, that neighborhood has no kids on the street, 2 shopping malls a few blocks away, houses with electric wires, a highway 2 minutes away.
This is not to damn progress, but to evaluate. To assess, and observe towards where we are heading.
Next, years pass...hit fast forward...i move to New York City 2009. This would be an endless post if i described my living experiences (which include several moving events) here. My point is that as never before have I taken true value, admired, yearned and respected nature.
I lived in a basement in New Jersey, spent a winter there..and i can say that i know what depression from lack of sunlight can look like. I had to get out of there urgently.
Manhattan. This city is overwhelming. Growing upwards. A real lesson on maximizing space (i haven't been to Japan which apparently THAT is somewhat of another world). Streets, cement, cement, cement, glass, glass, glass...20th floor, 30th floor, 40th floor, 50th floor and upwards.
However, there are the parks...and by God, the parks!!! i think it's what has kept me sane. I truly applaud every single individual involved in creating, building, maintaining the parks. It's an example to follow.
Again, reflect. What life do you want? What life do I want? I don't want city children (which seriously resemble little adults, little old people) that have a schedule, time, place, limits to "play time". There are "play days" with rules and instructions. We go here, we play with these people, we do these things, we go home. A task. Homework playing.
I feel i'm drifting from the title of this post. Architecture. So, it's about design. Designing life. Architecture beyond building buildings: designing cities towards respect and participation.
The highways, shopping malls, parking lots, skyscrapers are building what? I believe a big part of it is social discrimination, about economical consumption and disconnection.
This is a talk by Mark Raymond, an architect, and i HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend you hit play. He is an artist, he promotes life through his ART of creating space for society. He introduces (highlights) Equitable Society: where there is equal participation of society, a unity of people that for our towns, cities, countries, our world.
Let's encourage education, encourage community, integration and positive living!
** stick to the video...his last part is very insightful!
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