Construction Sites of the Social
Master's thesis
IZK Institute for Contemporary Art
Graz University of Technology
Faculty of Architecture
Supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Mag. Milica Tomić
2024
Abstract
The relationship between architecture and the social is a relationship of
continuous mutual construction. Not only do we build and design architecture,
but also architecture in return constructs societies and perpetuates ideological
power dynamics. The societies that emerge from this construction eventually
become the mediums where violence is justified, rationalized, and expanded.
In light of this,
the thesis investigates simultaneously two spatial configurations that
function as construction sites of the social. These spaces are metaphorically
called the White Cube and the Black Box and refer to the contemporary art
exhibition space and the prison. The logic of studying these two spaces stands
behind the argument that they were produced exactly at the intersection of
various political and ideological regimes. Therefore, juxtaposing the White Cube
and the Black Box will unfold interlinked histories explaining the contradictions
of the present.
As an outline of investigation, the dissertation begins with tracing the
interlinked histories of the carceral system under the influence of modernity
and the Exhibitionary Complex as studied by Tony Bennett. It continues
investigating the historical consequences that established the Black Box as
a tool of dominance and the White Cube as a colonial instrument. Then, the
research demonstrates how display and torture intersect as acts of violence
by presenting examples where subjugation goes beyond object and subject
relations and is practiced in abstraction. The last part of the dissertation is an
architectural reading of two sites, one of them is a contemporary art association
called Grazer Kunstverein in Austria and the other is a notorious detention
center called Saydnaya Prison in Syria.
This research concludes that oppressive regimes build institutions to
produce submissive societies. It does so by revealing the role of architecture
in enforcing discipline and thought suppression. Ultimately, the dissertation
suggests that architecture is not merely a passive backdrop but an active
participant in shaping societal structures. This research demands finding ways
to imagine architectures that function as spaces of emancipation.
Systems of Violence
In this section, I examine the systems of violence associated with both the White Cube and the Black Box. Specifically, I explore the intersection of two primary actions commonly practiced in these spaces: Display and Torture. To illustrate this, I present three case studies that offer alternative perspectives on torture and display, moving beyond the traditional object/subject dynamics. The case studies are: Towers of Silence, Torture of Display, and Soluble Poison. Scenes from the American occupation (Baghdad) by artist Jean-Jacques Lebel.
Statement
I refuse to include any pictures of Soluble Poison. Scenes from the American occupation (Baghdad) artwork displayed at the Berlin Biennale 2022 in this thesis. This refusal is based on my argument that circulating such images perpetuates the position of the victim and normalizes the violence inflicted by the United States military force on the Iraqi body.
Spatial investigation
This section examines how the Black Box and the White Cube are realized through their architecture. For this, I bring two concrete examples that represent these models and I read their spaces from an architectural lens. The first case of study is the Grazer Kunstverein, a contemporary art association located in Graz, Austria. In contrast, I examine Sydnaya Prison, a notorious detention center located in Damascus, Syria. Both sites featured in this study exemplify the disciplinary mechanisms found in both the prison system and the exhibitionary complex. They are part of a broader institutional framework and function within a unified system of governance.
