Abitare Talks

On February 19^th and 20^th, 2010, Abitare magazine organized an international architectural forum with theme “Do we need museums and galleries”.

For the first time, after the adoption of the conception on reorganization of the museums of our capital city, Abitare Talks gathered together all the main personages on one scene.

The two-day forum which was attended by specialists from Bulgaria and top names from world architecture tried to answer questions concerning the necessity of creating new museums and galleries, the reconstruction of old ones, and if the construction of museums is needed "at all".

 

Mission:

Abitare Talks considers sensitive issues regarding the making of the city as a whole. The first Talks presented the state of galleries and museums and provided examples of what has been experienced and achieved. The theme “Do we need museums and galleries” turned out to be most topical, because a significant reform of these venues is expected in 2010. After the first Abitare Talks, the participants in the forum united around a quote of Samuel Becket: “It is easier to raise a shrine than bring the deity down to haunt it.”

 

The programme:

 

The introductory discussion

In the first discussion at ABITARE TALKS, the moderator Vesela Nozharova presented the idea of the Ministry of Culture about the "Leading Museums of Sofia”. The major points are:
1. The National Art Gallery is to be moved to the building of the former Technical University, where together with the Gallery for Foreign Art it is to form a National Museum of Visual Arts.
2. The Central Sofia Baths are to be turned into a peculiar compilation of Museum of Sofia City and a SPA centre.
3. A Museum of Contemporary Art – Sofia Arsenal, is to be created behind the “Earth and Man” Museum.
4. Just as a possibility, the building of the Traffic Police in Darvenitsa residential quarter might be turned into a Museum of Totalitarian Art.
During the discussion, it became clear that the Government has provided funds which are to be absorbed quickly and very often for unclear goals and concepts.
Prof. Todor Krastev also stated his opinion on the ideas for development of the museum network of Sofia: "We do not share the extreme position of the Ministry of Culture for combining museums.”
Arch. Pavel Popov brought about many commentaries at the conference with the statement that up till now the competitions for new museums have been totalitarian. In his opinion, rearranging the map of the museums of Sofia is a "terrible manner of state policy”. He added that the idea of turning the Central Sofia Baths into a Museum of Sofia City and a SPA centre along with that, is a sheer madness.
"This unique building cannot be remodelled, and if it has two sections, it would lose its outlook. There is not enough mineral water for the SPA centre, there is no parking lot, no convenient connections. On the other hand, if the whole building is to be turned into a museum, this could be unique not only for Sofia, but for Europe, too”, arch. Stanislav Konstantinov said. Over the last 15 years, he has had the "honour” to work on the hard and painfully long restoration of the Baths.
Assoc. Prof. Alexander Kyosev from Sofia University and the Institute of Contemporary Art added the significant remark that the notion of “cultural heritage” is not a homogenous one, because the different age groups have different attitude to the past. In his opinion, the present conception is statesmanlike and undemocratic.
Assoc. Prof. Irina Genova pointed out the possibilities for public-private partnership in creating the museum collections.
Yara Bubnova from the Institute of Contemporary Art asked the reasonable question: “All the time we are discussing the architectural side of museums, and do we ask the question what we are to exhibit in these museums and what the strategy for turning art into a cultural value and an element of the heritage is?” In her view, the conception is an alibi for the missing cultural policy in this country, also regarding the public museums.
Arch. Ilian Nikolov emphasized that his experience as an author of a project for the transformation of the Sofia Art Gallery, and this project was a winning one several years ago, shows that many people get engaged in expensive drills which remain without a continuation. “It is a paradox that to the exception of the Sofia Art Gallery, not a single museum in Sofia has bought art pieces in recent years. Not to mention the total lack of an institution that has a collection of international contemporary art.”
The introductory discussion of ABITARE TALKS provided the framework of the conference. The main conclusion was that we need a contemporary conception for a museum network, but not one with funds that are quickly absorbed, without considering their proper use.
The emotions were calmed down after the discussion thanks to the lovely music of Chopin, performed by the children from the Sofia Music School, commemorating 200 years from the birth of the Polish composer.

 

 

 

David Cascaro was among the first ones to work for Palais de Tokyo – the space for contemporary art in Paris.
How could an old building become a museum for contemporary art? How is architecture to be preserved and at the same time endowed with new functions? These questions are answered by the architectural studio Lacaton&Vassal from Bordeaux who have worked on the project.
It all started in 1999 when the enormous space at one of the quays on the Seine, having been deserted for years, was turned into a working site and home for the architects. They virtually lived in the building while they transformed it: they made a kitchenette and put beds there.

 

Monique Veaute is the person who was in charge of the enormous project for the transformation of Punta della Dogana, Venice. There, one can see the collection of contemporary art of Francois Pinault. Everybody has heard of him – the seventeenth richest person in the world and one of the biggest collectors of our time.
The project for the transformation of Punta della Dogana was designed by Tadao Ando who is well-known for his museum realizations. His talent turned a historic building dating back six centuries ago into a museum for contemporary art. In Renaissance times, Della Dogana was a custom house. Naturally, the historic architecture had to be fully preserved. Solely the internal spaces were changed.

 

Zhang Daping is Senior Editor of ABITARE China. Her presentation attracted incredible interest on the part of the public, by showing the picture of contemporary art in China. If we have to define it with one word, this would be "explosion”. The explosion of new art spaces, museums, galleries, whole art neighbourhoods.
After the change and the opening of the country in 1987, not only did China become a prime political and economic power, but has also started attracting an ever greater interest in the field of contemporary art. Young artists today form whole neighbourhoods-communes featuring ateliers, galleries, bookstores, music halls and open spaces for art.
This is the case with “789” – the name of a whole neighbourhood in Beijing – a former military factory occupied by young artists.
The other face of the “Chinese explosion” is the museums for contemporary art. They are state-owned one, such as the pompous National Art Museum of China in Beijing which reminds of the palace of an emperor, or private ones, such as Today Art Museum (also in Beijing) with its futuristic architecture. The CAFA museum also demonstrates impressive architecture – it was designed by the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki.
Zhang Daping showed us that the new world art centre also bears the label Made in China.

 

The presentation of Wu Wenyi convinced us that contemporary Chinese architecture is impossible without him. The development of urban planning in China is like no other. An example of that is the latest project of the architect. Presently, he is creating a city to be inhabited by millions one year from now, in the place of a small village. In the centre of the future city there will be a gallery called an “observatory”. This is going to be exactly the spot from which one would be able to observe the growth of the city as an art project. Wu Wenyi often transforms old traditional Chinese buildings into contemporary ones. It is important for him to incorporate new functional elements into classic architecture. And when creating a new building, he always uses an element of tradition.
Wu Wenyi also outlines the huge issues related to preserving the environment in China. That is why he always entwines the green nature in his architecture.

 

 

 

Stefan Nikolaev is a contemporary artist, founder of the prominent experimental gallery Glassbox in Paris. At the end of the 90’s, French painters preferred travelling to Berlin and London where alternative spaces were much more.
Glassbox changed the artistic climate with its very first exhibition called “Stay” which appealed to artists not to get away from Paris.

 

The forum was closed by one of the legends of architecture – Jean Nouvel.

 

He demonstrated how a true architectural legend works today. His two-hour lecture was a worthy conclusion to Abitare Talks.
The world-famous architect virtually overwhelmed the public with a carefully considered selection of his wide-scale projects. The underlying idea was that a building is always in some context. Each museum caters to a strictly defined space, audience, art and social environment.
Jean Nouvel said: “If you want to build a museum, you should know that there are no general rules. Each project is unique.”
Nouvel started with one of his earlier museum constructions – the building of the Cartier Foundation in Paris with its shining mirror facade. After that he presented several exhibitions. For example the one in the Pompidou Centre in Paris, dedicated to the design of the 1950’s. Nouvel combined the designer’s furniture with objects without value from the same epoch, bought from the flea market Marche aux Puces, in order to show the spirit of those times. The owners expected that there would be an increase of the price of their old furniture and were disappointed. A scandal followed.
The architect also commented on his provocative project for the museum of advertisement in the Louvre. He opposed the classic architecture of the 18^th century to the insane language of advertising.
Nouvel also presented his conceptual project in Mouret, Switzerland – an artificial island in a lake.
A brilliant example for what a contemporary art museum was given – through Reina Sofia Centra de Arte in Madrid.
The presentation of Jean Nouvel ended with his latest project for a big museum – the Louvre in Abu Dhabi, a building which is the subject of most various interpretations even before it is completed. Featuring a double dome, it will probably be among the most expensive museums ever built.

 WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK

M-Tel, who are going to give awards for contemporary Bulgarian art for the fifth time in a row this year.

ЕТЕМ, for whom not everything is tons of aluminium.

SAMSUNG, who are so advanced that they answered our requests simply by saying "No problem".

Bulgaria Air, BMW, Moroso, Baumit and Sklada for their support.

The Ministry of Culture because it is accepted that one would also thank before the job is done.

Arch. Tania Glebova because she understands what a cause is and how one should work for it.

Tzvetana Chipkova and Petar Torniov who, while working on organizing the conference, also prepared the forthcoming issue of Abitare magazine, dedicated to the venues for art.

Antonie because she made what was needed so that Abitare can speak.

Our thanks go to the friend, advisor, and cosmopolitan Olivier Boissiere.