'Architectural Rhapsody' Exhibition
November 17, 2014
Nowadays art community is turning its eyes to “architecture.” On a global scale, a number of architects are mobilized for a wide array of art projects and realize their dormant creativity to a full extent for artistic activity. The architects are diversifying their activity just beyond the realm of building design. This implies that the realm of architecture and the role of architect are going through change, freed from the existing confined concept of architecture, and architects’ activity is being diversified. In contemporary times, architecture has been recognized as a work of art rather than something that represents practically designed space. Such elevation of architectural status undeniably has been driven by architects’ ability to successfully combine realistic architectural property which obliges architects to achieve safe and practical design with unshackled imagination and futuristic aspiration toward something unprecedented.In the context, increasing attention to current move by contemporary architects seems natural in some way. The exhibition “Architectural Rhapsody”, to be held by Amado Art Space/Lab, highlights extent of imagination whicharchitects may exercise.As literally represented by the title “Rhapsody,”a music genre which expresses powerful feeling and emotional excitement without formal structure and constraint, the six invited architects will enjoy an opportunity to turn unshackled imagination into reality by using the exhibition space called “Amado Art Space/Lab” which accommodates a variety of experimental artworks and exhibits different looking free of restraint. Each of the artworks put on display represents condensed form of their imagination and will deliver a good opportunity to reveal their artistic sensitivity. The reason we are turning our attention to their imagination is that such imagination bears resemblance to urban landscape in which we are expected to lead our lives soon. Contemporary architects, just beyond the realm of designing building, plan urban landscape and exert increasing influence over our lives through collaboration with other areas. That is because the true nature of architecture is more closely related to finely organizing human life than to designing good-looking building. That is, architecture is effort to direct interest toward what lifestyle people in society and who lead their lives in buildings want, think over how to realize such lifestyle and eventually visualize hard-thought brand new way of life. However, we need to be aware that creating favorable urban landscape is not only obligation and responsibility of architects but also that of all. Anyone who witnesses and experiences a number of changes in the course of urban life needs to think over the right to create urban life on their own to upgrade quality of life for themselves. We also need to resist temptation to remain passive as an observer of urban change and instead shouldassert ownership over our lives, harbor doubt, raise question and make demand against the thought of architects who actively and aggressively visualize our urban image. Such act is the justified right and expression ofurban people which Henri Lefebvre mentioned in a book “The right to the City.” I hope the exhibition “Architectural Rhapsody” may serve as an opportunity to experience works of architects shaping urban lives as part of multi-dimensional contemporary art, think over what our urban landscape looks like and imagine what it will turn like. In doing so, I hope such exhibition showing possible extent of variation by the six architects may bring us an opportunity to have deep insight into the role of architects and what they work for and finally think over what architecture and urban life is. JiminLeeCurator,Amado Art Space/Lab
