Spaces Issue 7

REPORT
Flirting
Text: Kamana Dhakhwa, Swasti Bhattarai
culture of opposition
with convention through ‘
THE OUTRAGEOUS CONCERT OF OZZY OSBORNE, WHO EATS A BAT THROWN OVER THE STAGE
LEAVING THE AUDIENCE SHOCKED, OFFENDED AND FASCINATED! WHY IS THE SCENE
SHOCKING? BECAUSE IT IS UNEXPECTED AND WHY IS IT UNEXPECTED? BECAUSE IT IS OPPOSING
THE THEORY OF WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE.
Breaking the shell
When one form reaches unprecedented
heights, another invariably seeks to
challenge it! Let us begin with the end of
Classicism. Renaissance, Gothic or
Baroque which used ‘complexity of details’
as the element of attraction were so
famous and loved, that it became beautiful
convention and then invincible. But times
change and along came new ideas and
technology that became an impetus to
oppose convention that was too complete
beyond tolerance. Hence, the culture of
opposition began, marking the end of
classicism and the beginning of
modernism- a culture of today that
attempts to rephrase the idea of beauty in
resisting history and pre-self.
Culture of opposition and architecture
of controversy
To understand the culture of opposition,
let us refer to the simple example of
fashion shows. We often notice anorexic
models on the ramp, and we question their
presence. The fact is we notice. And for
the culture of opposition, ‘noticing’ means
‘everything’. A fact musicians are all too
aware of, apparent in the apparels and
The Ronchamp Chapel
mannerisms with which they ornate
themselves and their acts in. The
outrageous concert of Ozzy Osborne,
who eats a bat thrown over the stage!
Leaving the audience shocked, offended
and fascinated! Why is the scene shocking?
Because it is unexpected and why is it
unexpected? Because it is opposing the
theory of what is acceptable.
Hence, the culture of opposition is a
characteristic perception of modernism
with persistent tendency to provoke
controversy, questioning the accepted
convention on demanding attention!
According to Lebbeus Woods,
‘Architecture of Controversy’ is one such
culture of opposition where the architect
is at war with time, with its history and
with all authority that resides in fixed and
frightened forms. However, it is not the
war of violence or destruction but of
competition and construction. On
opposing time, history and authority, art
and architecture has roared such
controversy and such amazing output of
new vision that its popularity has grown
many folds.
The Ronchamp Chapel, an icon of
postmodernism that Le Corbusier built in
the mountain village of Ronchamp,
France, is one of his most talked about
projects. Critiques often argue that
planning a church has proven an involved
problem for contemporary architects. The
general tendency is to go back to the old,
well-worn forms, because of some strange
72 NOV-DEC 2005 SPACES