Hello again,
Our world is one of cause and effect; to begin a conversation on the impact of the Case Study House Program, one must first look to the events, individuals and the various movements that made such an undertaking possible, much less, conceivable.
Our world is one of cause and effect; to begin a conversation on the impact of the Case Study House Program, one must first look to the events, individuals and the various movements that made such an undertaking possible, much less, conceivable.
World War
One (yes, we’re going back that far) was historically called “The War to End
all Wars.” In man’s collective naiveté he actually believed that this,
hitherto, unmatched display of violence and bloodshed would never be
superseded. History has taught us a harsh lesson through poetic irony; however,
that not only did WWI fail to “End All Wars,” but it actually led to a Second
World War. I digress: onward.
The
beginning of the Twentieth Century ushered in a new understanding of, not only,
art and architecture, but also society as a whole. For many of the European
nations, the First World War stood as a testament to overwhelming nationalist
sentiment and the distinct cultural stratification that eventually led to this
unprecedented conflict. Following the war, artist and architects chose to
utilize a non-regional, ahistoric aesthetic in an effort to transcend cultural
and dogmatic biases to ultimately create an art form of unity.
Many
movements developed during this time in many different nations around Europe;
among them were the Dutch De Stijl and Italian Futurists. The members of the De
Stijl canon believed art should go beyond representation, and instead, serve as
a form of universal expression. The Italian Futurists; on the other hand,
sought to embrace the wonders of the modern world with all of its technological
advancements; these artists and architects used: movement, speed and power as
their media. Both: De Stijl and Futurism are prime examples of European Avant
Garde as well as stylistic precedents of the Case Study Houses and Modern
Architecture as we know it today.
These are
only a few example of this monumental developments in the history of art, and
only represent the proverbial tip of the iceberg. The Twentieth Century
would not pass before realizing a complete and utter revolution of art, architecture and quite possibly Western Civilization at large.
Until next time
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