Architectural Ephemera/Intuitive Architecture

osa, MERZEN, CUBE

osa (Office for Subversive Architecture) are currently exhibiting an installation in progress at CUBE, Manchester, inspired by the MERZ collage work of Kurt Schwitters.  The exhibition is part of the North West festival, 'MERZMAN' showcasing events relating to the artists legendary visual practice.

osa is building a three dimensional collage within the gallery space; using the first area as a storage section of building materials.  The objects are then arranged three dimensionally in the second gallery space and down towards the lower gallery. All objects of 'Architectural Ephemera' are collected locally - such as discarded building materials and woodwork. The group place objects within the three dimensional space of the gallery - overlapping and wrapping around existing architectural elements of the building.  The project is separated into three installation stages - with the last stage commencing on the 25-28 March 2011

The press release quotes Schwitters on his approach to composing discarded materials; "Merz is sensing without knowing" (1920).  As a younger student, I was influenced heavily by his use of materials; a tactile approach to collage and 'unknowing' successful composition.  The placing of objects in collage to create composition involves an intuitive process to engage with the materials and space - to achieve a sense of balance.  When discussing composition, it is hard to articulate why certain formal elements work and other do not.  It comes through often an intuitive feeling, an approach quite adverse to a contemporary art discourse centred around criticality.

The exhibition also makes me think of a book I have I recently read by Robert Kronenbourg, 'Spirit of the Machine - Technology as an Inspiration in Architectural Design'.  In the last chapter, he discusses 'Intuitive Architecture', an approach to architecture undertaken by everyday individuals, not choreographed by powerful architects.  He celebrates architecture constructed fully, or just amended - by building materials close to hand, such as discarded wood, or construction ephemera, or the materials specifically local to the area.  Within the installation by osa at CUBE, they are working within this framework, but perhaps oscillating elements of these practices - by creating a three dimensional collage within the traditional display area of the contemporary white cube.

osa/Merzen/ runs until 16th April 2011 at CUBE, Manchester.