Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of West Wycombe as an architectural study is the fact that the classical theme of its exterior is greatly extended by the design of its lavish interiors. What becomes apparent from this activity is that, constructing a country house in the 18th century was a complex operation – determined not … Continue reading West Wycombe Park – The Interiors
Objects figure prominently in Dada and Surrealism, starting with Marcel Duchamp’s (1887-1968) introduction of the assisted ‘Ready-Made’[1] and branching out into the ‘Surrealist Object’ which 34 took its cue from Duchamp’s conception and initial use of the ‘Found Object’. Attached to Dada as a disruptive art of ‘noise’[2], props and masks were used, incorporating objects … Continue reading Dadaism & Surrealism: Use of Objects
Dada and Surrealism respond to cultural circumstances, into which their respective aesthetic and ideological frameworks come into play. The dadaist response post-WWI is overtly politicised in Berlin, where the aftermath of war in Germany was felt acutely, providing a state of social and political disorder which German artists could exploit through the dada channel. Dada, … Continue reading Dadaism & Surrealism: Responses to Culture
The remit of the architect in the 18th century became all-encompassing. It was in this period that the role flourished in such a way that had been unrealised in preceding centuries. Indeed, considering the great names in architecture of the era, one would associate a fame: These men were not merely builders, but gentlemen of … Continue reading Notes on The Architect in Georgian Britain
