THE RADICAL ARCHITECTURE OF LITTLE MAGAZINES 196X – 197X
NOVEMBER 14, 2006 – JANUARY 31, 2007
STOREFRONT FOR ART AND ARCHITECTURE / 97 KENMARE STREET / NEW YORK CITY

From November 14, 2006 – January 31, 2007, Storefront for Art and Architecture will host the exhibition Clip/Stamp/Fold: The Radical Architecture of Little Magazines 196x – 197x, curated by Beatriz Colomina, Craig Buckley, Anthony Fontenot, Urtzi Grau, Lisa Hsieh, Alicia Imperiale, Lydia Kallipoliti, Olympia Kazi, Daniel Lopez-Perez, and Irene Sunwoo at Princeton University.

In recent years, there has been resurgence of international interest in the architecture of the 1960s and 1970s. Yet the role of the many experimental publications that were the engine of that intensely creative period has been largely neglected. The exhibition Clip/Stamp/Fold: The Radical Architecture of Little Magazines 196x – 197x tracks the critical function of the little magazine in architecture during these years, when a remarkable outburst of publications disseminated and catalyzed a range of experimental practices. Coined in the early twentieth century to designate progressive literary journals, the term “little magazine” was re-mobilized during the 1960s to grapple with the contemporary proliferation of independent architectural periodicals that appeared in response to the political, social, and artistic changes of the period. Clip/Stamp/Fold investigates how an internationally diverse group of architectural little magazines informed the development of postwar architectural culture.

Questions, about the choice of a medium put to use in dissemination of ideas with the goal of effecting influence:

Is it possible to trace the influence of “paper architecture” upon built works? Possibly, but I would guess a more likely and lasting influence is upon the architectural culture machine. Buildings, after all, are generally pretty risk adverse adventures – peoples lives and livelihoods are at stake. It’s capital intensive! Despite this buildings make “statements” all the time – about what is valued.

More about the show here and eventually a time-line and listing of little magazines. Storefront for Art and Architecture link here…

Additionally, this really sets up the question of what are the “little magazines” of today? Of websites / blogs – can this modern media form create an environment of influence lasting beyond the moment of the flickering computer screen? Or does it take something like the “book” to lend weight and permanence to the recording of ideas? Or, does it take built work to ultimately embody the idea? Perhaps it’s all of the above to maximum effect.

Coincidentally, certain parallels can be found in photography. This is a series of interesting posts about the photo book as an influential cultural object (and a record) – for the collection of photographs – by a photographer (Alec Soth). And this is another take on it here on the site: “Conscientious – a weblog about fine-art photography (and more) “