friday discussions

friday at the art india offices, i was to moderate a discussion on architecture. considering that i was the only man in the group (besides abhay), and the fact that most of the participants were involved in research on women in space, the discussion had to revolve around issues regarding the right to space of the gendered body. though toilet seats and kitchens were still the main examples the discussion did i think manage to raise other ideas- like the masculanization of women through the process of learning, the role and tools that pedagogy can play, and the problems and potentials of architecture- it being so problematic as a stable symbol of power, and so liberating as a space for radical utopian thinking.

afterwards i drove with mary from from cornell to frangipani and had fancy italian food and a great discussion with franz and monica along with anne from berlin. franz offered the concept of ‘sustainability’ as a tool to develop a dialogue with difficult opponents. with the politically correct three e’s of ecology, economics and equity it becomes difficult to deny any. to complicate matters perhaps the’esthetic’ is what he suggested we add.