PQ_011 day four

The morning began with a 3 hour session presenting current research in scenography, in particular phd students associated with Universities of Zurich and Vienna. This was hugely informative for my own work, as the students were all at various stages through the process of and there was a mix of research by practice, purely theoretical, and one student who was looking at community performance from a more ethnographic / social science perspective. It was also another chance to have coffee and appreciate the dramatic panoramic view of the city from roof terrace atop the Veletrzni Palace.

A quick tram ride across the river was required to ensure a seat for the Richard Sennett lecture. He had been invited to address the Architecture Section on the subject 'when is a theatre', but quickly confounded then charmed the audience with a different topic; his 'sideline' as a professional cellist. The experience of becoming a craftsman of the musical instrument was analogised with the master craftmans - both, he suggested, must learn the skill of 'minimal force' and both are essentially about arriving at form through a difficult process of 'collaging ambiguities' - rather than beginning with a 'quick fix' clarity of form or identity. Form is an arrival from a multiplicity of means, not a start point, and if you can create this type of form or beauty you are more 'in touch' with the world. Unfortunately it seems that contemporary online condition and more passive/easier 'user-friendly' interfaces (both digital and physical) are eroding this sense of 'touch'. Inspiring stuff from a man who's voice and style reminded very much of a cross between Garrison Keillor and Larry David!

Following Richard Sennett, I finally had a chance to properly take-in the architecture expositions. Commissioner Dorita Hannah had asked participating countries to submit a 'table', as one of her interests is table as a site; one that can be read as 'feminine' / domestic or 'masculine' / confrontational. One thing I found frustrating is the fact it wasn't clear how participants were invited and under what criteria; as a result we had both dour entries (such as the UK exhibit - a history of the thrust stage in traditional architectural scale models set into a 'table') next to highly pretentious but totally illegible. Very few were actually to do with table as site! Of the more interesting exhibits, Serbia had an amazing and disorientating 3D video shot in a building site that is half-constructed (stalled) project for new national theatre, while the Chilean exposition used video and text to ask questions about choreographed / mediated 'public performances' - with particular reference to the nationalistic outpouring that followed the rescue of the 33 miners.