Image from perth laneways 'Trespass' exhibition 08Perth?
Our project at the moment at uni is basically looking at the identity of Perth (if that exists, we are yet to determine) which of course is multi-faceted. I from before this project have remained very doubtful if we even have an identity. But of course, everything has an identity- it basically defines existance. We can identity one thing from another. Anyway, cut the bullshit. So these are the things I have established about Perth and its 'identity' through the help of my classmates.
- Reliable on mining resources to stay afloat
- Isolation
- Natural bushland
- Beach Culture
- Performance
I'm looking at performance. It may seem like an odd 'identity' but it basically comes from book 'Presentation of self in everday life' by Erving Goffmann. The way Goffie sees it is that 'the world is a stage, individuals take on various roles detemined by different situations but mostly shaped by interaction with each other' I took elements of his book and applied it to Perth.. and the way I see it is Perth has a veneer covering it. Or what goffie likes to call it- a front. It's a setting through which the performance functions, is an indiator of status, income, class etc etc etc. I think this is a very true thing about perth, and is pariculary evident through our Residential architecture, or should I say project homes. The houses are insensitive to their context, ridiculously huge, and did I mention ugly? You can take a stroll through applecross anyday to get an idea. We have such a beautiful city, but the architecture can be so insensitive.
So if these veneers through which we have our performance are stripped, what happens? Chaos? Exposure? It's quite freudian, the idea that underneath in our unconscious mind we have the lingering 'true us' (what is that anyway..) But without the veneer then there is no supression or question of what lies beneath. So perhaps the veneer still needs to exist for us to continue in our performance.
So I guess in the next few weeks im going to be looking at exposure/transparency/containment as my design principles. I could be heading in the completely wrong direction, but i'm sure my loss of sanity will be posted in the week to come.
Submisson... week 5! (we are going into week 4. Correct me if im wrong, but 5 follows 4.. right?)
much x
Jess
No comments:
Post a Comment