October 12, 2004
Monasteries & Modernism
I've always been critical of minimalism as a mode of dwelling. But sometimes the stark simplicity that rejects the ninteenth century cottage loved by the heritage industry makes sense.
John Pawson, The Church at Novy Dvur, 2002
Consider the Cistercian Order, a cloistered community whose mode of life is based on simplicity, utility, economy. These principles, which lie at the heart of the Cistercian aesthetic, resonate with the modernist desire to eliminate what is ostentatious and superfluous, to choose the simplest solutions and materials whilst making no concessions on the quality of the workmanship and to harness the dramatic qualities of natural light.
The artwork emphasizes the profound links between Minimalism and spirituality.
John Pawson'sspeech
Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at October 12, 2004 11:32 PM | TrackBack