Yona Friedman in Budapest
One of the most important retrospective exhibitions of the work of the artist, architect and urban planner, Yona Friedman, opens on the 28th of October 28 at Ludwig Museum in Budapest. This exhibition, which will be on display until the 8th of January 2012, covers theoretical processes, artwork, projects and drawings by Friedman.
The Exhibition is organized to cover almost all relevant aspects of this artist, including the development of his work as an architect, urban planner and the theoretical approaches that have become a required source for young artists and architects who produce works using as a stage the public space or are worried about it and the link of them with the individuals.
Yona Friedman was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1923. He is considered one of the most important living contemporary artists in this country, despite his French nationality. He was famous for his anticipating theories about urbanism and also for building interesting concepts that revolutionized the way we see the development of cities and human settlements, raiding models based on sustainability. He also explored the animated film and design.
He is considered the father of utopian architecture; his proposals are always placed in areas bordering the creation and theory, even leaving many of his statements in an “unsolvable” state in terms of technical and practical aspects. Hence the name of utopian architecture.
During the World War II, he managed to flee from the Nazi repression and moved to the city of Haifa, Israel, where he stayed for over a decade. In 1957 he was finally transferred to Paris where he became a citizen in 1966.
In 1956 he participated in the 10th International Congress of Modern Architecture in Dubrovnik with his “Manifesto of the mobile architecture”, revolutionizing the art scene with his perspective on the creation of cities, where inhabitants can enjoy the freedom of movement, breaking with the idea of rigid architectural structure.
Among the applications or forms of materialization of the “mobile architecture” he proposes the concept of “Space City”, which raised the possibility of building mobile and adaptable spaces, detachable and changeable for their own inhabitants. A revolutionary idea of social architecture, that ended up permeating his entire career and his work.
In 1958 he founded the research group Mobile Architecture (GEAM), not for long, but with a short productive life, the group was dissolved in 1962, being a fundamental reference for the process of change and transformation in the early 60�s.
Among his most important works are the Cylindrical Shelers a construction proposal for immigrants, done in 1953, Span-Over notebook in 1958, where he developed his manifesto Mobile Architecture and in 1989 the Science Museum of La Villette in Paris.
In the area of the theory, the publications: Toward a Scientific Architecture at MIT Press, 1975. Meina Fibel in 1982 and Pro Domo ACTAR D, 2006. These and other publications reported a proliferation of theoretical and supported his effort to make room for thinking about a better life in cities.
For more information http://ludwigmuseum.hu/site.php?inc=kiallitas&kiallitasId=763&menuId=44
Nancy Guzman
If you�re spending a romantic autumn in apartments in Budapest walking through its beautiful streets and enjoying the amazing architecture, you cannot miss the Museum Ludwig and this second to none exhibition.
Translated by: Hans
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