Thesis Book Chapter 2 - Method

DELAMINATING THE REAL

UNPACKING THE PHYSICAL EXPRESSION OF IDEOLOGY IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

LAWRY BOYER

THE DETOURNEMENT

Asger Jorn, The Disquieting Duckling

The Detournement is a technique developed by the French Letterist and Situationist groups in the 1950s which entailed subverting two artistic means of production by layering them upon each other; the juxtaposition of the two would create new meaning and artistic value that was not inherent in either alone. While a member of the Situationist International, Asger Jorn painted by means of “modifying” and “disfiguring” as seen in Le Canard Inquietant or The Disquieting Duckling. His work with the Situationists uses extant paintings as found objects and modifies them. In the case of Le Canard Inquietant: a traditional painting of a cabin in the countryside, which Jorn would have found at a flea market, exemplifying undesired traditional art and the excessive waste produced by commodity culture. Jorn’s addition is a large, gestural, and colorful duck, alluding to the children’s story “the Ugly Duckling” in a playful manner. Like other modifications that Jorn produced, The Disquieting Duckling is an example of his vandalistic interests, with the goal of at once destroying a piece of traditional and hegemonic art and creating a new one. This idea comes from the Situationist International’s “detournement,” in which the combining and reuse of existing elements undermines the importance of each while creating new meaning in their combination. The Situationists used detournement to bring value back to kitsch and folk art, asserting that it holds as much if not more value than esteemed “high art” crowned by art institutions which the group was intent in disrupting.”

An Egyptian obelisk at appropriate scale compared to the Washington Monument, inspired by an obelisk but scaled monumentally

TRACING A GENEALOGY

Using Foucault’s genealogical method of a “history of the present,” I have traced the design intents that the Macedonian Government Building emerged from, tracing its lineage to the architecture of antiquity through a convoluted route of influences.

“Macedonian White House” Macedonian Government Building, 2014

“A grand palace for the president” James Hoban White House, 1792

“Reliving and perfecting the grandeur of Antiquity”

“A stately Georgian Mansion in the Palladian Style”

Richard Cassels

Leinster House, 1745

Andrea Palladio

Barchessa Padua, 1550

“Firmness, Commodity, Delight” Temple of Athena, Paestum, 6th c. BCE

EVALUATING CONTEMPORARY CLASSICISM

Classical Architecture has been codified in architectural theory by a number of historians since the fascination with it that began in the Renaissance period. The primary way of understanding, reading, and creating classicism is through matching proportions to existing buildings that used the same proportions, often Greek or Roman ruins. Thus, one can evaluate a building today and its success in the execution of classicism by comparing it to canonical classicism. In this case, I used Vignola’s orders to compare case study buildings in both Washington, DC, and Skopje to evaluate if these buildings historically reflect the proportions of the classical family that they claim to be part of.

COLUMNS OF THE CAPITOL (DC)

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Most cities have existed and evolved for many years to arrive at the point where they are currently, with the lives of many spent devoted to changing the city. Each place has a nuanced and detailed micro history that can be seen through the layering of culture, architecture, space usage, etc. However, large scale planning practices overwrite these traces of history and individuality, preventing long term memory of the past and the complex history to a city. This effect is called organized amnesia, and serves an end to impose a narrative of urban and cultural identity and establish a

specific image of the city at the cost of authenticity. Then today, how can we identify what is truly authentic that we see in our cities? Or does the distinction matter? To answer this, we must look at the intent behind such projects and examine the actors involved and their motivations.

Early Images of Washington, DC

and a Bishop’s crosier

English crown, a Pope’s miter,

Taft portrayed as a student at

Chief Justice William Howard

Yale University Senator Elihu Root

Research Present

Research Past

Chief

Cass Gilbert, Architect of the Supreme Court

Order

Liberty enthroned

Authority

Lawrence Boyer

Robert Aitken, sculptor of

the pediment Chief Justice John Marshall

holding Roman scrolls

Justice Charles Evans Hughes

An urn, mosaic tables,

and an oil lamp

Moses and the 10 commandments

Tempering justice with mercy

Fundamental and supreme power of the court

Tortoise (fable) Hare opposite

Maritime Functions

Confucius

Solon of Athens

Law enforcement teaching youth of right and wrong

Settling state disputes through enlightened judgment

Studying and pondering of judgments

Hare (fable) Tortoise opposite

Industry

Young boy catching fish

Textile worker spinning wheel

Foundry workers pouring metal

Printer with Press

(child) with olive tree

Peace protecting Genius

Agriculture

Agriculturist with ox Woman and child harvesting field Ram and Lamb

Man with reaper and youth

Lawrence Boyer

Rising sun

America holds a laurel wreath and an oak wreath, signifying military and civic success Eagle, representing power and empire

Native American Chief

Crying

Lumberjack clearing the forest, settling on the land Native American hunter with serpent

Native American mother and child

Native American Grave

Children exploring and aspiring Soldier prepared to draw sword Merchant with cotton and bags of coins

Schoolmaster and child

Mechanic with cog and hammer Wheat

America’s past America’s present & future

of Civilization, Senate East Pediment

Lawrence Boyer

The Committee of Five, Jefferson Memorial

Five signers of the Declaration of Independence

Thomas Jefferson

Roger Sherman

Robert Livingston

Benjamin Franklin

John Adams

Two genii bear the fires of patriotism

Warrior carries swords of defeated enemies

Two lovers, the romance of history

Child holding scroll of history

Destiny on a throne with two eagles

Man on horseback guarding peace

Woman carries olive (peace) and palm (victory) branches

Man carries torch of enlightenment

Man with harp sings “Song of Achievement”

Arts of War

Arts of Peace

US CAPITOL BUILDING

US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES