Published by: Hatje Cantz Verlag Year of publication: 2011 Languages: Deutsch/Englisch Pages: 256 ISBN: 978-3-7757-3186-7
Contributions by: Beiträge von: Regina Bittner, Carson Chan, Rainer Hehl, Andres Lepik, Ronald Rael, Anne Schmedding, Christian Welzbacher, editor Andres Lepik, design by Verena Gerlach
In ist early decades beginning in 1953, the annual publication Jahresring reported on contemporary art, architecture, literature, music, and theater. Only in the last twenty years has visual art become ist primary emphasis, as reflected in the addition of the subtitle Jahrbuch für Moderne Kunst (Yearbook for Modern Art).
This volume, however, once again focuses on architecture – a change of perspective for the first time in many years. The theme was inspired by a remarkable exhibition entitled Small Scale, Big Change: New Architectures of Social Engagement, shown in 2010 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In this exhibition, curator Andres Lepik presented architectural projects distinguished above all by their social, ecological, and political engagement.
These aspects are where art and architecture meet today: a significant part of contemporary artistic production likewise explores socially relevant themes and devoted itself to questions that concern us all and are the subject of broad discussion. Just as the New York museum showcased the exhibition, this book serves to showcase a refelction of the current debate, presenting a range of differing contemporary approaches to participatory building and artistic strategy.
I am grateful to Andres Lepik for this book, which points in new directions and displays the expanded concept of architecture that has emerged in recent years, one that increasingly seeks to reach global society in ist totality and lend it positive form.
