Experiment setup 1-6

(EN)     Architecture critics from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark write critiques of fictional works of architecture. The critical reflection departures in the critics’ own dreams and imagination. The written critiques are handed over to six designers from the three countries who generate form through model and drawing based on the critique. The written critique and the graphic and spatial design representations are presented together in the exhibition.

The supposition behind Damn critics! is that good architecture requires good criticism. Which paths are to be pursued in order to revitalize critical practices within the architectural discipline? What role should architectural criticism play in the future? Under which conditions should criticism and the critics function? And could we establish a common architectural criticism for the Nordic countries? Through experiments placing criticism at the center of investigation, we wish to create an arena for the discussion of these questions. At this moment in time, where architectural criticism is widely considered as a depleted discipline, this project is at once a celebration of criticism and a curious inquiry into its future.

Like many other artistic disciplines, architecture is faced with a number of challenges regarding the shared conversation within the discipline. The critics’ authority is being called into question. Public discussion is strained by endless fora for particular agendas. Internally, the discipline is characterized by a lack of established criteria for the evaluation of architecture. The importance of context, user participation, material qualities, and energy consumption is much disputed. Whether architecture has become a billboard for the promotion of developers or whether nostalgia is taking over the image. The discipline appears to be subdivided into discursive echo chambers that rarely cross paths to reveal ideological differences.

A transformed media landscape has changed the conditions for constructing an architectural frame of reference. Popular websites present an endless stream of architecture projects devoid of critical reflection. Self-published, self-glorifying books released by architecture studios are available at professional book shops as well as in sophisticated clothing shops. There seems to be an infinite number of architecture awards from commercial actors. As the publicly available landscape of architecture continues to grow, it seems still more difficult to locate proper criticism.

In the shortcomings of the architectural criticism, a number of questions arise: How can we practice architecture without discussing its quality and value? How do we determine what concepts to refine and what buildings we would not repeat? What is the relationship between the built and the written in architecture as a cultural institution? Who defines the discipline of architecture and its presentation in history?

This is the territory Damn critics! is stepping into and what the experiment aims to qualify.

Exhibitors: Jonathan Meldgaard Houser(DK), Mari Hvattum(NO), Martin Søberg(DK), Element(NO), YlvaFrid(SE), Kaleido-scope Nordic(NO), Gaute Brochmann(NO), Tham & Videgård(SE), Sara Ettrup(DK), KrupinskiKrupinska(SE), Rasmus Wærn(SE), Leth & Gori(DK)

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(DA)     I JÄVLA KRITIKER!s seks eksperimenter har arkitekturkritikere fra Sverige, Norge og Danmark skrevet kritikker af fiktive værker. Kritikernes idéverden og forestillingsevne er udgangspunkt for den kritiske betragtning. De skriftlige kritikker overleveres til seks formgivende arkitekter fra de tre lande, som giver form til det kritiserede værk. Resultatet er seks værker – opstået imellem kritik og formgivning.
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Eksperimenternes omvendte kronologi kaster en række spørgsmål af sig. Har kritikerne følt arkitekternes formgivning som et overgreb på deres skrevne forestilling? Har formgiverne følt kritikernes beskrivelser begrænsende? Eller opstår der i det usædvanlige samarbejde nye frugtbare muligheder for udvikling af arkitektur? Det er spørgsmål besøgende inviteres til at reflektere over i udstillingen.
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Udstillingens tværnordiske karakter med bidragsydere parret imellem Norge, Danmark og Sverige giver yderligere dimensioner til eksperimentet. Ser arkitekturkritikken ens ud i de tre lande? Kan vi lære hinanden noget? Forstår vi overhovedet hvad hinanden siger? Med en dialog på tværs ønsker projektet at bane vejen for en fælles nordiskkritikkultur. På vandringen igennem Norden har eksperimenterne været udstillet på Rom for Kunst og Arkitektur i Oslo, Färgfabriken i Stockholm og Form/Design Center i Malmö for nu at afslutte sin rejse på galleriet til:værks i København, hvor udstillingen kan ses fra 22. juni til 08 juli 2023.
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Udstillere: Jonathan Meldgaard Houser(DK), Mari Hvattum(NO), Martin Søberg(DK), Element(NO), Ylva Frid(SE), Kaleido-scope Nordic(NO), Gaute Brochmann(NO), Tham & Videgård(SE), Sara Ettrup(DK), Krupinski Krupinska(SE), Rasmus Wærn(SE), Leth & Gori(DK)
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Jävla kritiker! er støttet af Dreyers Fond, Statens Kunstfond, Nordisk Kulturfond, Kulturrådet(NO) og Det Kongelige Akademi.
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TIL:VÆRKS er støttet af Statens Kunstfond, Fogs Fond, Danmarks Nationalbanks Jubilæumsfond og Dreyers Fond.
Stor tak til Statens Værksteder for Kunst. Materialesponsorater af Forbo Flooring og Søberg Lystek.

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