Architecture is Art

September 1 - October 10, 2009

Hong Kong

Architecture is Art Festival

Artistic Director:  Mathias Woo

Message from Artistic director

Architecture is Art Festival is an art festival with architecture as the central topic.

We live amongst architecture, but our understanding of architecture always remains in the economic dimension. The essence of architecture is not economy, but art. Architecture is everywhere, in every aspect of our world of the senses: sounds, colours, smells, lights and the air. Architecture has always been considered as art in Chinese and Western traditions; and has created various aesthetic systems for spaces. Both the Chinese Siheyuan or quadrangles and the Western gothic churches use architectural spaces to draw relationships between men, heaven and earth. However, with the globalisation of capitalism in the last decades, under the environment of our economy being dominated by the market, architecture all over the world has become more integrated, serving for economic benefits only, and focusing solely on monetary returns.

Architecture should only be art, and nothing else, just as cinema should only be art. Economic benefits should have evolved out of artistic effects; but now the nature of architecture is distorted by the market. If the true nature of architecture is lost, and architecture is no longer art, then architecture is no longer architecture. What we are left with is luxury apartments and properties for sale and speculation.

What is the meaning of architecture for the human race, without the art of architecture? What is the meaning of architecture when architecture does not evolve out of art? Architecture is Art Festival will re-examine architecture from an artistic point of view, manifesting various artistic possibilities of architecture with different art forms.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRFqJmSn7Nchttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRFqJmSn7Nc If you live in Hong Kong, or are planning a visit to Hong Kong during the festival, please support it by attending programs that appeal to you.  Visit the official website for full information on all programs, events, tours, lectures and other aspects of the festival.  They are also looking for coporate sponsors and volunteers.

http://www.aiaf.hk/