Thursday 22 October 2009

CAPTURING THE CONCEPT



Since beginning to think about architecture in preparation for my role in leading Walk and Talk sessions for Mind Into Matter, the subject has been cropping up everywhere!

By pure co-incidence last week I was lucky enough to go to a discussion event where Sir Nicholas Grimshaw was one of the speakers, and to see Capturing The Concept, an amazing exhibition of his sketchbooks. The exhibition contains Sir Nicholas' sketchbooks from 1982 to 2007 (he averages about 2 a year) open at selected pages to show drawings and annotations representing his thoughts and ideas for ambitious projects like the Eden Project and the refurbishment of Waterloo Station, committed to paper for the very first time.

In his foreword for Mind Into Matter, Alan Powers talks about "the architect's role as a special type of thinker", a notion which really became clear as I pored over the drawings and heard Sir Nicholas talking about the space we were sitting in for the discussion. His comments about its aspect and light, its situation in relation to its surroundings, the flow of people around and through it, all demonstrated his immersion in all things spatial. Add to this the technical knowledge and visionary qualities which make it possible to transform an idea from a few lines on paper into an extraordianry structure which is not only beautiful but functional too, and one begins to get an idea of the special thinking which our great architects harness.

(Capturing the Concept can be seen at the Royal Academy of Arts from 6th November to 31 January 2010)

Wednesday 21 October 2009

What are you thinking?

This blog is an ongoing forum for discussion, inspired by the programme at the De La Warr Pavilion. The team of artists that work with us on interpretation will be regularly contributing to this blog in response to the work they do around our exhibitions and associated programme.

We hope you'll join the debate around art, culture and life in general.

Our new season has just opened. On the cusp of its 75th anniversary year, the Pavilion - a building of unique design and function - presents two exhibitions that celebrate the ideas, form and purpose of architecture.

Mind into Matter, curated by Alan Powers
Sons of Pioneers, Matthew Houlding

See our website for full details, www.dlwp.com

On alternate Saturdays, you're invited to join a member of our interpretation team for a cup of tea and a conversation about art, culture and life in general. These conversations will be summarised here, so you can join the discussion online.

We hope you'll join us for some Thinking Aloud.