Making it Modern: The History of Modernism in Architecture and Design

Description

At its root, modernism is that fundamental. It is a question of having something to represent that is of the moment. In the most radical interpretation, modernism always comes too late. The modern is that which is always new, which is to say, always changing and already old by the time it has appeared. Modernism is always a retrospective act, one of documenting or trying to catch what has already appeared - an attempt to fix life as it is being lived. Modernity is just the very fact that we as human beings are continually remaking the world around us through our actions, and are doing so consciously. Modernism is a monument to or memory of that act, which in its own making tries to remake the world it is pretending to represent.

Aaron Betsky (born 1958) is a critic, curator, educator, lecturer, and writer on architecture and design, as well as Dean of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. He was previously the director of the Cincinnati Art Museum. Betsky was named as the director of the 11th Exhibition of the Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2008. From 1995-2001 Betsky was Curator of Architecture, Design and Digital Projects at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. He worked as a designer for Frank Gehry and Hodgetts & Fung.

"The history of Modernism, the defining architecture and design movement of the 20th century, is well-trodden and highly contested ground. Betsky argues that, in seeking to represent the constantly changing reality of modern life, Modernism was always a bit too late. From teacups to cities, the of 'making it modern' was always elusive." --Metropolis Magazine "An illustrated and exceptionally thoughtful and insightful study that is particularly well organized and presented, "Making it Modern" is very highly recommended for professional and academic History of Architecture collections in general, and Contemporary Architectural supplemental studies reading lists in particular." --Midwest Book Review