Magzoid Magazine - Luxury Magazine in the Creative Space | March 2024 |

Your exhibition, “The Idealised City,” explores
the intersection of urbanism, cultural
identity, and globalization. How do
you believe contemporary cities are reshaping
individual and collective identities
in the post-globalization era?
Since globalization started we have seen
a simplification of architectural details and
urbanistic approaches, that on one side
weakened local relations with identity and
heritage, but on the other created spaces
where people with similar lifestyles across
the globe could quickly resettle and navigate
with ease. While heritage and the relation
with personal or common roots is a
richness that has to be cultivated, in certain
geographic areas and some maximalist environments
it also became a burden to move
towards present goals or to allow for spaces
for experimentation to exist.
Your work often delves into the concept
of ‘authenticity’ in urban development.
Can you elaborate on how you perceive
the notion of authenticity in the context of
rapidly evolving cityscapes, particularly
in regions like the Gulf where modernization
intersects with traditional cultures?
Authenticity has to do with truth, as opposed
to representation, and if we look at
this definition fastly evolving landscapes are
becoming more authentic than many static
landscapes. When I talk about static landscapes
I primarily refer to urban environments,
as there’s nothing unauthentic or static,
but what is the purpose of transforming
heritage and historical centers - in Europe
for example - into mere scenography for
cosmopolitans and tourists when their function
as living cities vanishes? These spaces
became places of representation, sometimes
even enactment. If you look at evolving
landscapes in the Middle East or elsewhere
instead you will find less representation and
more authenticity even if it could sound paradoxical.
Old isn’t a synonym for authentic
anymore.
www.magzoid.com March 2024
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