Re-Thinking Things Through Photography and the Austere Philosophies of Le Corbusier
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1 Re-thinking Things Through Photography and the Austere Philosophies of Le Corbusier Vanila Netto A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Media Arts College of Fine Arts University of New South Wales 2009 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages Title page 1 Table of Contents 2 Acknowledgements 4 List of illustrations 5 Abstract 11 Preface 13 Introduction 15 Chapter One – Realising Form Through Excess: Poeticising Ergonomics – Studio Practice 18 • Introduction • Work Methodology • Photography and the Staged Sculpture • Collaborative Models • Influential Practices The Modern Avant-Garde More Contemporary Influences • Conclusion • Illustrations (Plates 1.i-xix) Chapter Two – Un-leashing the Domestic in Le Corbusier’s Habitats 47 • Introduction • Bare and Dare Confronting Comfort – Embracing the Self • Thinking Matter(s) Preserving Ephemera • Case Studies Villa Savoye Villa La Roche • Conclusion • Illustrations (Plates 2.i-xiv) 3 Chapter Three – ‘Loosing’ Weight 91 • Introduction • ‘Ergonomic’ Living Pavillon de L’Esprit Nouveau • Recycled Fashions • Pure Consumption • Equity Design – Socialism of Vision • Conclusion • Illustrations (Plates 3.i-xv) Chapter Four – A Postmodern Critique of Modern Architecture 125 • Introduction • The Anti-Corbusian Cult • The Functional Debate • Conclusion • Illustrations (Plates 4.i-xi) Chapter Five – Indulging Nations, Bulimic Notions –The Economy of Waste 151 • Introduction • Streamlining Disorder • Cheap Thrills Time Kills • Happy? • Aping the Celebrity • Illustrations (Plates 5.i-vi) Chapter Six – Wasteland 178 • Introduction • Shadowaste • Digestive Tract Bypass • Conclusion • Illustration (Plate 6.i) Bibliography 191 Illustrations Credits 206 Appendix 4 Acknowledgements First thanks to Thomas Chung, Akiko Myazaki, Jo Bosben, Margaret Blackmore, David Gasch, David Wills, Melissa K. Lee, Uros Cvoros, Nadja Mott, Nicholas McColl, Bic Tieu, and Maro F. Alwan, the friends who through the period of this research process have given their time to become the models in my photographs. For their professional assistance, I am grateful to the librarians at the College of Fine Arts Library who were also wonderfully friendly and supportive. I also would like to thank the staff at Fondation Le Corbusier in Paris for their civility and assistance, which made my study in Paris productive and very enjoyable. I am appreciative of the intellectual and moral help that I have received from supervisor Ross Harley in the final stages of my thesis. This thesis completion owes to my dear friend Samantha Ferris who edited it in its early stages. I am also indebted and thankful to Min Dark, who has tirelessly helped through reading, editing, and commenting on various aspects of my writing as well as being genuinely supportive of my entire art practice. Thanks to all my friends for the intellectual discussions and exchange of ideas. Thanks to the College of Fine Arts and University of New South Wales who found my research worthy of support. I am thankful and should express my endless gratitude to my mother whose encouragement and advice through all the different stages of this journey has been incommensurable. 5 List of Illustrations Plates Chapter One Figure 1.1: Vanila Netto, Camaski, 2004 1.i Figure 1.2: Vanila Netto, Site-geist, 2006 Figure 1.3: Vanila Netto, Breaking the Frozen Pattern (Rampage), 2004 1.ii Figure 1.4: Vanila Netto, Beyond Fission Lies Fusion (Untamed), 2004 1.iii Figure 1.5: Vanila Netto, Freezing to Death (Transcommunication Pack), 2004 Figure 1.6: Vanila Netto, Desert State (Mountain), 2003 Figure 1.7: Vanila Netto, Aerodynamic – Existential Technique (H + C) and Atomic – Existential Technique (H2 + C), 2004 1.iv Figure 1.8: Vanila Netto, Look, No Hands, 2004 Figure 1.9: Vanila Netto, Rocking Well, 2004 1.v Figure 1.10: Vanila Netto, Metal Skelter, 2006 Figure 1.11: Vanila Netto, Bricklaying, 2006 1.vi Figure 1.12: Vanila Netto, The Magnanimous Beige Wrap (Part 1-Contraption), 2006 1.vii Figure 1.13: Vanila Netto, The Magnanimous Beige Wrap (Part 2-Expansion), 2006 1.viii Figure 1.14: Vladimir Tatlin, Monument to the Third International, c. 1920 1.ix Figure 1.15: Vanila Netto, The Magnanimous Beige Wrap (Part 3-Collaboration), 2006 1.x Figure 1.16: Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917 1.xi Figure 1.17: Constantin Brancusi, View of the studio, 1925 Figure 1.18: Constantin Brancusi, Princess X, 1915 1.xii Figure 1.19: Vanila Netto, Milestone Frontier: Brancusi Emaculated Here, 2006 Figure 1.20: Constantin Brancusi, Self-portrait, c. 1933-34 1.xiii Figure 1.21: Constantin Brancusi, sculptures in the studio Figure 1.22: Constantin Brancusi, Hand, 1920 Figure 1.23: Lygia Clark, Structuring the Self, 1976 1.xiv Figure 1.24: Lygia Clark, Dialogue: Goggles (Diálogo: Óculos), 1968 Figure 1.25: Lygia Clark, Relational Object – Stone and Air, 1966 Figure 1.26: Vanila Netto, Lumbar Hi-Fi Receivers, 2004 Figure 1.27: Vanila Netto, Little Rugged Red Rocking Roof, 2004 1.xv Figure 1.28: Lucy Orta, The Unit, 1996 Figure 1.29: Vanila Netto, Two Hands, One Head, Twice, 2004 1.xvi 6 Figure 1.30: Lucy Orta, Collective Wear Survival Sac, 1992-94 Figure 1.31: Vanila Netto, Sobremanta Sol, 2006 1.xvii Figure 1.32: Anni Albers, Black-White-Red, 1964, reproduction of 1927 original Figure 1.33: Anni Albers, Wall Hanging, 1925 Figure 1.34: Ruth Hollos-Consemüller, gobelin tapestry, c. 1926 Figure 1.35: Vanila Netto, In Metal We T(rust), 2004 1.xviii Figure 1.36: Archigram (Michael Webb), Cushicle, 1966-7 Figure 1.37: Vanila Netto, In Curiosity We Fit, 2004 1.xix Figure 1.38: Superstudio, Continuous Monument, New York, 1969 Chapter Two Figure 2.1: Billboard advertising, Paris, 1925 2.i Figure 2.2: Posted wall (advertising), Paris, c. 1908 Figure 2.3: Dentclair toothpaste. Advertising, France, 1925 Figure 2.4: Cover of L’Esprit Nouveau journal issue number one 2.ii Figure 2.5: Advertisement for Solomite in L’Esprit Nouveau journal Figure 2.6: Le Corbusier, diagrammatic sketch of his ‘essential joys’ Figure 2.7: The liner Paris, 1921 2.iii Figure 2.8: Le Corbusier, Villa à Garches, 1927-8. Entry and main hall Figure 2.9: Le Corbusier’s sketch of a cell of the Monastery of Ema, 1911 2.iv Figure 2.10: Cabin in a ship, c. 1920 Figure 2.11: Raoul La Roche’s bedroom at Villa La Roche, 1923-5 Figure 2.12: Vanila Netto, Normal Distractions from Good Conversation (Part 1), 2001 2.v Figure 2.13: Vanila Netto, Normal Distractions from Good Conversation (Part 3), 2001 Figure 2.14: The Villa Savoye, Poissy, 1928-30. Façade seen on arrival 2.vi Figure 2.15: The Villa La Roche, Paris, 1923-5 Figure 2.16: Villa Savoye. Ground-floor plan 2.vii Figure 2.17: Villa Savoye. Entry foyer (detail) Figure 2.18: Villa Savoye. Entry foyer (detail) Figure 2.19: Villa Savoye. Living room 2.viii Figure 2.20: Villa Savoye. Living room (detail) Figure 2.21: Villa Savoye. Internal stair and view to terrace and ramp (detail) 2.ix Figure 2.22: Villa Savoye. Coloured cabinets (detail) Figure 2.23: Villa Savoye. Kitchen 7 Figure 2.24: Villa Savoye. Main bathroom (detail) 2.x Figure 2.25: Villa Savoye. Main bathroom (detail) Figure 2.26: Villa Savoye. Main bathroom (detail) Figure 2.27: Villa Savoye. Living room terrace 2.xi Figure 2.28: Villa Savoye. Roof top terrace (detail) Figure 2.29: Villa La Roche. Picture gallery in present conditions 2.xii Figure 2.30: Perspective view of the La Roche gallery Figure 2.31: Villa La Roche. Picture gallery in present conditions (detail) Figure 2.32: Staircase and metal doors at Ozenfant’s House, 1922 2.xiii Figure 2.33: Staircase and metal doors at L’Esprit Nouveau Pavilion, 1925 Figure 2.34: Metal doors at Villa La Roche, 1923-25 Figure 2.35: Villa Savoye. Boudoir aspect and integrated storage 2.xiv Figure 2.36: Villa Savoye. Son’s bedroom aspect and integrated storage Figure 2.37: Villa Savoye. Living room (detail) Chapter Three Figure 3.1: J. Jucker and W. Wagenfeld, table lamp, 1923-4 3.i Figure 3.2: Peter Behrens, AEG electric fan, c. 1908 Figure 3.3: Victor Horta, Hotel Tassel, Brussels, 1893 Figure 3.4: The Parthenon, 447-434 BC 3.ii Figure 3.5: Delage ‘Grand-Sport’, 1921 Figure 3.6: Peter Behrens, AEG Turbine Factory, Berlin, 1908-09 3.iii Figure 3.7: Walter Gropius, Fagus Works Factory, Alfeld, 1911 Figure 3.8: Walter Gropius, Bauhaus, Dessau, 1925-6 Figure 3.9: Le Corbusier, Ozenfant House Studio, Paris, 1922 Figure 3.10: Amédée Ozenfant, Accords, 1922 3.iv Figure 3.11: Le Corbusier, Red Violin, oil on canvas, 1920 Figure 3.12: Commercial glassware and crockery Figure 3.13: Maison Pirsoul bidet 3.v Figure 3.14: Innovation storage trunk Figure 3.15: Illustrations from catalogue merchandise, 1925 Figure 3.16: Light fittings from Electrical Review, 1927 3.vi Figure 3.17: Plaster workshop of G. Jackson & Sons Ltd, 49 Rathbone Place, London W1, circa 1928 Figure 3.18: Entrance lobby of New Oxford Street Corner House, London, 1920s 8 Figure 3.19: Jaap Gidding, foyer of the Tuschink Cinema, Amsterdam, 1918-21 Figure 3.20: Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann salon, 1925 International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, Paris 3.vii Figure 3.21: Le Corbusier, pavilion L’Esprit Nouveau, 1925 International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, Paris Figure 3.22: Le Corbusier, proposal of ‘hanging gardens’ in vertical units for the urban development Contemporary City (Plan Voisin), 1922 3.viii Figure 3.23: Le Corbusier, ‘hanging gardens’, L’Esprit Nouveau pavilion, 1925 Figure 3.24: Le Corbusier, Pavillon L’Esprit Nouveau, Paris, 1925. Living room reconstruction, 1987 3.ix Figure 3.25: Le Corbusier, Pavillon L’Esprit Nouveau, Paris, 1925.