Deconstructing Architectural Biases: An Installation Reflection on Fletcher's Treatise

6:04 min

montage

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Behind the walls, concealed in the annals of architectural academia, lurk historical oversights that have shaped the discourse for generations. This installation, titled "Coming Out of the Monster's Closet," intricately dissects 'A History of Architecture on the Comparative Method,' which, since its first publication in 1896, has been a touchstone for architecture enthusiasts. While its comparative method is commendable, Fletcher's Eurocentric focus and ignorance towards non-Western contributions is challenged and critiqued. The Installation's Message: The project is not just a criticism but a visualized call-to-action to reform how we perceive architecture's history. Transparent cords, representing the piercing scrutiny of modern critique, slice through projections of the treatise's pages, revealing the suppressed stories of marginalized cultural groups.

 

Material & Media: The artistry is composed of clear cords, staples, and projections on a 4ft closet space. The visual narrative intertwines homemade recordings, ethnographic footages, and a transfer process of multiple videos over scanned pages from Fletcher's 1896 edition.

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Featured Overlapping Videos:

Tobías Engel - Carnaval de Guinée Bissao (1982)

UPenn's explorations in Durango Mexico and New Guinea Boulton E

xpedition Films Reel Pt. 1 A Bit Of Life In Java A Question of Tomorrow

Perilous Paradise Native American

Home Movies and Early Images Soundscapes:

Alva Noto Ryuichi Sakamoto – "Morning" (2022)

Selknam chants from Chilean Patagonia, a 1920 wax cylinder recording by Martin Gusin.

Acknowledgments:

Heartfelt thanks to Linda Heinrich, Paul Emmons, and Felipe Pino for their invaluable contributions and insights.

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