To reflect the theme of this year?s International Architecture Exhibition ? ?Cities, Architecture and Society?, a broader subject which addresses the interactions between cities, their built form and their inhabitants ? the group of architects have constructed an alternative contemporary architectural experience built from thousands of functioning networked Chinese toys.
?The exhibition goes beyond the problem of national representation....It exemplifies the importance of openness, receptiveness and cooperation. These virtues are indispensable to all creative activities and for the renewal of thinking in architecture,? Márta Schneider, undersecretary at the Ministry of Education and Culture, said at the opening.
The exhibition features an architectural network created from thousands of cheap toys purchased at Budapest?s Chinese Market. To make the installation, the architects examined, with the assistance of sociologists and sinologists, the impact of Budapest?s growing population of Chinese, many of whom are involved in trade, on Hungarian culture, Attila Nemes, the project?s chief coordinator, said earlier.
The architects chose to focus on the system, rather than on form, on do-it-yourself methods, instead of authored design. And in place of high tech materials, they re-appropriated cheap and ubiquitous technologies.
Among these are an array of pink and black plastic walkie-talkie penguins which hang over visitors? heads, a pond of LED lilies, a ?mist kitchen? with images of Chinese food and a wall of tiny toy cars moving forward, then falling back again. All of the objects in the installation were purchased at Budapest?s famous and colourful District VIII Chinese Market.
The 10th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice runs from September 10 until November 19. However, the exhibitions at the event were open to journalists and professionals already on Friday and Saturday.
For more information on the Hungarian exhibition visit www.reorient.hu
