BEYOND THE SUPER-SQUARE:

At the Corner of Art & Architecture

October 28-30, 2011

Beyond the Super Square: At the Corner of Art & Architecture is a three-day conference designed to draw attention to an important historical period of architectural production in Latin America and the Caribbean that 50 years later continues to resonate among contemporary artists. Held on October 28–30, 2011, the conference strives to contextualize the impact of modernist architecture throughout the Americas through a series of panels and presentations by architects, urban planners, and contemporary artists. 

Download the conference poster.

Friday October 28, 2011

THE ARCHITECTURE CHALLENGE!

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6:30PM  WELCOME REMARKS                       

Holly Block Executive Director, The Bronx Museum of the Arts (NYC)

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6:45PM  THE ARCHITECTURE CHALLENGE!

Conceived by artist Pedro Reyes

Beyond the Super-Square inaugurates with The Architecture Challenge!  In lieu of a traditional opening night lecture, our conference speakers will come together as contestants to test their knowledge of modernist architecture in a playful game show style competition. Our charming hosts, Eva Franch i Gilabert (Director, Storefront for Art and Architecture) and Pedro Reyes (artist) will grill conference participants on the most obscure architectural facts.

This evening of game and celebration is conceived by artist Pedro Reyes and organized by The Bronx Museum of the Arts in collaboration with The Vera List Center for Art and Politics at The New School.

Introduction:

Holly Block Executive Director, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York 

Hosts:

Eva Franch i Gilabert Director, Storefront for Art and Architecture, New York 

Pedro Reyes artist, Mexico City

Contestants:

Carlos Brillembourg Principal, Carlos Brillembourg Architects, New York

Jose Castillo Principal, arq911sc, Mexico City

Felipe Correa Co-founder, Somatic Collaborative, New York

Ana Maria Duran Co-principal, Estudio A0, Quito

Belmont Freeman Principal, Belmont Freeman Architects, New York

Alejandro Hernandez Galvez Editor, Arquine Magazine, Mexico City

Javier de Jesus Martinez Associate Dean, Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Ponce

Ligia Nobre independent curator, Sao Paulo

Jorge Pardo artist, Los Angeles

Saturday October 29, 2011  

9:00AM  MORNING REFRESHMENTS

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9:45AM  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS                                  

Holly Block Executive Director, The Bronx Museum of the Arts (NYC)

Maria Ines Rodriguez Chief Curator, Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporaneo (Mexico City)

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10:00AM  LEAD SPEAKER                          

Francisco Jorge Liernur Dean, Torcuato Di Tella University School of Architecture (Buenos Aires)

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10:30AM  REMNANTS OF MODERNISM IN ART & ARCHITECTURE

Between the 1920s and 1960s, countries throughout Latin America made great strides in social, cultural, and economic progress. For many architects and urban planners in these modernizing societies, the utopian ideals promoted by European artistic and intellectual vanguards were embraced and integrated in numerous architecture projects constructed during this period. This panel will provide a historical context for modernist architecture in Latin America while exploring the remnants of modernism in artworks created by artists based in the region today. Case studies from Caracas, Havana, and Mexico City will be presented.

Moderator                                                                            

Carlos Brillembourg Principal, Carlos Brillembourg Architects (NYC)

Presenters                                                              

Jose Castillo Principal, Arquitectura 911sc (Mexico City)

Javier de Jesus Associate Dean, Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (Ponce)

Hannia Gomez Founder, Fundacion de la Memoria Urbana (Caracas)

Terence Gower artist (NYC)

Eduardo Luis Rodriguez Editor, Arquitectura Cuba (Havana)

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12:30PM  LUNCH BREAK

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1:30PM  PARADIGMS OF CONTEMPORARY URBANISM: EXPERIMENTS AND INTERVENTIONS

Modernism in Latin America did not always follow the doctrines espoused by Le Corbusier, Hannes Meyer, Mies van der Rohe and their Latin American interlocutors. Throughout the Americas, modernist projects were often compensated by experimental and intervening counterpoints from various peripheral sources – a dynamic which continues today through the work of contemporary artists such as Pedro Reyes and Torolab. This panel will examine how auxiliary paradigms of modernism such as informal urban settlements and highly modernized company towns, along with socially engaged art practices, expand traditional notions of architecture and urbanism in today’s Latin America.

Moderator                                                                            

William Morrish Dean, Parsons/The New School of Constructed Environments

Presenters                                                                            

Raul Cardenas/Torolab artist (Tijuana)

Felipe Correa Co-founder, Somatic Collaborative/Harvard Graduate School of Design (NYC)

Ana Maria Duran Co-principal, Estudio A0 (Quito)

Alejandro Hernandez Galvez Editor, Arquine Magazine (Mexico City)

Pedro Reyes artist (Mexico City)

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3:45PM  THE MODERN AND THE CONTEMPORARY IN BRAZIL

The year 2010 marked 50 years since the construction of Brazil's impressive modernist capital. In the years following Brasilia’s inauguration, Brazilians witnessed and endured cycles of political instability and social upheaval.  More recently, Brazil has made headlines for its enthusiastic economic growth - ushering in an era of optimism and prosperity for South America's largest country. This panel will situate modernist architectural projects and architecturally inspired contemporary artworks among the major social, political, and economic issues arising in Brazil from the past 50 years in order to critically analyze the current moment of cultural production. 

Moderator                                                                            

Sergio Bessa Director of Programs, The Bronx Museum of the Arts (NYC)

Presenters                                                                            

Barry Bergdoll Chief Curator of Architecture and Design, The Museum of Modern Art (NYC)

Jose Lira Professor, University of Sao Paulo (Sao Paulo)

Ligia Nobre independent curator, Mackenzie University (Sao Paulo)

Mauro Restiffe artist (Sao Paulo)

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5:30PM   Open Questions and Conversation

Sunday October 30, 2011  

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OPEN HOUSE:  Antoni Muntadas Information>>Space>>Control 

2:00PM-5:00PM

The Bronx Museum of the Arts | 1040 Grand Concourse | Bronx NY