Solid Orange

Orange on Canvas was a "painting" (for lack of a better word) that was hung up in my college's library. The college was on a historic waterfront, so all of the rest of the decor was paintings of past college presidents, scenes depicting the 1600's and replica tall ships. But then there was this horrendous canvas that dared to call itself a piece of art. It was just a canvas that had been painted solid orange. No interesting brush work, or even multiple hues of orange. Just, orange. I hated it every time I saw it. Maybe I was just bitter that someone else slapped some paint down and got paid a bunch of money for it. But at the same time, its inherent lack of purpose became increasingly frustrating. Was it related to the college somehow? It wasn't staged, or placed anywhere important. Just hanging right in your face as you walked up the first flight of stairs. Who did it? Who thought it deserved to be hung in the most historic building on campus? Was the artist that important that the college couldn't take down the thing? It had no relevance to the community, no hidden interpretation, it didn't elicit an emotional response from people who saw it. It didn't even have a clever name to make you think that it was anything more than orange paint on a canvas! What was the point?

Someone could, so they did. 




























This notion of critical architecture has about as much of my appreciation as that Orange on Canvas. 
"This kind of architecture wants to move away from context. It follows its own rules that have nothing to do with the environment, perception or society." It is, at its extreme, Orange on Canvas. Catching your eye immediately, breaking rules: the "materialized manifesto." This hot architecture can be beautiful, striking, or just plain odd, but what's the point? How can we accept the idea of "because I wanted to" from architects? Everything has to have a reason, a justification. Is it possible to keep a blind eye to the site, the context, the people, the program? Perhaps this is because it goes against everything I've learned, but I don't think it is possible.