By popular demand, I have a few more things to say about Mies. His design philosophy has been most powerfully summed up by the phrase: "Almost nothing." If I were of an unsympathetic and narrow frame of mind I would accuse Mies, and his legions of fans, of being nihilists. I would also accuse Mies and his cohort of corrupting generations of architecture students by putting too much emphasis on the "purity" of a design gesture. If the end point of the process of design is something that has been stripped of all attributes except structure and skin, then where do we find room for the humans? The search for purity, along with the search for the Grail and the Fountain of Youth, are examples of folly. In the context of the Fall, the issue of purity has been graciously removed as the sole objective of existence. Interaction with other people through design media becomes a constantly changing and expanding expression of humanity. We strive for infinite riches in a little room. Mies was certainly not a nihilist, given his record of work and his fleshly pursuits. His legacy is ever evolving--someday there will be little record or memory of him, and there is no morality associated with that inevitability except for what we choose to make of it.
So, that's why I think that this a thoroughly legitimate interpretation of Mies. It is functional as expressive and sculptural art, as well as being ironic, poignant and silly. (etc..)
No comments:
Post a Comment