Dear fellows, as you have noticed from the title it’s time for another Takeover. What a joy to discover the influences of great architecture-related artists! I’m setting up the next takeovers and they look yummy (so stay tuned).
Only for the Takeovers my text will be in italic, just to distinguish it from the guest’s. My name is Federico and welcome to Representations of Architecture #13.
Intro
I reached out to Eu Jin a couple of years ago to buy his books. I was blown away by his delicacy and special attention to a comics-like composition. Especially “Down the Hill, To the Rivers” is an elegant and coherent tale where architecture and real life merges in a spectacular leporello. His research moves near Junya Ishigami and Jimenez Lai, always with a look to the comic book as a medium to convey more information than an average architecture drawing.
Website: https://cargocollective.com/eujinlim
Insights
I have been drawing and the debate on architectural representations in the industry is constant. During my architectural training, I started off with a great fascination and curiosity towards the ‘uncanny’ similarities between methods and techniques used in architectural drawings and the sequential arts. They cover works from the world of architects to cartoonists and illustrators.
However technical / methodological it has started off, I have recently begun producing works that are more direct and scenic. This is most evident in the recent publication of the ‘Down the Hill, To the Rivers’ book. An accordion folding book that unfolds into an approx. 3.4m long drawing. This is a set of drawings trying to visualise how the memories of my daily high school route and the image and model making experiences for the Godown building could come together on paper, 10 years apart. More details about the book can be found here.
The drawings that I have been attempting so far simply share a common ambition, to find alternatives and to question the typical methods used in representing the making of / for architecture. Since ‘Down the Hill, To the Rivers’ is the book that has got this conversation started with Federico, I have decided to expand on some of the influences that has got this project going.
Very beautiful links
I have been obsessed with the work of late Jiro Taniguchi for a long time now. My first encounter with his work was ‘The Walking Man’ book which I stumbled upon in the illustration section, coincidentally near the architecture corner of a library. I was amazed by how light the plot can be but with all the attention given to the scenes, it somehow felt, in contrast, more complex. You are given so much more insight to a moment on a page of a drawing when the running time of the story is reduced, and gestures amplified. There were so many considerations given to the environment and surroundings that one would almost feel like they were measured. That got me thinking of how a simple walkthrough can be an alternative in giving so much more comprehension to a building and its context. Here is a short video showcasing Jiro Taniguchi’s collaboration with LV on a drawing book on his experiences in Venice.
Sweet IG pages
Yukiko Suto’s work is a great example to discover slowness and the everydayness in representations. I was first introduced to her work from the book / catalogue ‘Architectural Ethnography’ given to me by my mentor. Like most favourites’ early encounters, I cannot deny that I was first caught and romanticised by the number of meticulous details in her work. Later, I realised they were more complex than the count of line works presented. There were subjective and personal variations in the field of view and perspectives that sometimes appear a little oblique to the human eye. They were sometimes childlike, and reminded me of the coloured pencils I had as a child, drawing the familiar things I would find around the house.
Her quiet and calm drawings pick up the quintessential quality of the local neighbourhood. In comparison to my other recommendations, here they are done almost entirely in absence of any human figures. More artworks can be found here on her Instagram page.
Misc
Speaking of alternative architectural narratives, sometimes they extend beyond the in and out of a building, but to the journey between buildings. This is one of my favourite artistic briefs; it is based on the 15-minute journey by subway from MoMA in Midtown to MoMA PS1 in Queens. MoMA invited guests to produce artworks inspired by this given time. Chris Ware has created a 7 panel artwork not only directing the way between the two buildings but also enhanced it with his characters’ reminiscent of their complex family relationship together with the city and the museum’s pasts.
He uses familiar and modern-day objects and social gestures to allow users to relate to the story personally. The playful layout allows readers to freely navigate themselves within this vaguely and loosely split framework of the mum and her daughter, and everything between their thoughts. Here is a link to see the full artwork titled ‘I Guess We’re Here’ on MoMA’s website.
Closing a newsletter with Chris Ware is always a good sensation. I hope you enjoyed this second takeover as much as I did. Thanks to Eu Jin Lim for his time and the great insights!
See you next week with a “classic” newsletter.
Take care, eat well and be safe.
Ciao!
Federico
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