12.03.2010

Flip Your Field

By COURTNEY COFFMAN

“Organized as ten opportunities for ideological re-investment, the conference launches a discipline that can trade-up rather than sell-out or declare bankruptcy.”1

My weekend at the ACSA conference, Flip Your Field,2 contained plenty of catch phrases and double-entendres from architects experimenting with practices outside their discipline as inspiration for fresh ways to (re)organize architecture as a discipline.  Over two long days of conversation, I sat back in uncomfortable chairs, observed, and listened to what the predominate voices in the field of architecture were proposing as new strategies to “trade-up.” Of course there were the typical historical, albeit predictable, lectures of architecture.  The presentations usually ended in some form of the lecturer’s own work even if it typically did not flow with the context of the conference theme.  However, within the individual architectural agendas, what I did not expect were some lecturers looking to my generation for an evolutionary model. 

Jason Payne’s lecture was unabashed in its agenda, a quality he lent to the obvious nature of its efficacy within the discourse.  His step-by-step process demonstrated how to gauge an audience and remain underground based on Sub Pop Records.  Known as the badass of the music industry from the early 80s and into the 90s, Sub Pop represented unknown alternative bands and catered to their small audiences allowing for “certain freedoms [which] come from a position of subpopularity.”3 Through the Sub Pop model Payne illustrated why it is better to be underground, how to avoid the inevitable issue of popularity, and concluded if popularity does ensue, “at least remain alternative.”

Karen Lewis stunted her own alternative model based on BMX riders and their bold nature to fail big.  She suggested embracing failure as a device for the creative process versus a tactile process: failing within the parameters of a formalistic framework.  A platform like BMX became a case study in generational failures, where each failure leads to perfection as a unique methodology in pursuit of an individualistic style. 

At the evening lecture, Jeff Kipnis theorized, “Individuality is a form of misbehavior.”  It was the final thought for a long day.  Kipnis retraced how his own misbehavior accounted for his popularity and his mainstream appearance.  Kipnis’ theory for misbehavior was yet another alternative device, like the others proposed throughout the conference, observing (mis)behavior as a new model.  This model is promising in its attempt to explore identity and (political) position within the discourse.

These three lecturers all use devices of a counter-culture to deploy their own arguments, a reactionary position to ensue a new generation of ideological re-investment.  Payne’s observation felt authentic and the context was fresh, true to his own project.  Lewis’ argument felt forced and the subject (of failure) has recently been played out, even at Knowlton.  Kipnis’ lecture appeared deeply rooted within his own commentary, yet his contemporaneity spoke to a younger generation; like his example of dental composites, which I correlated to the gold fronts rappers wear.  Still, Payne and Lewis are not the same generation as Kipnis and it seems my generation is always late to the revolutionary party.  My hope lies between Payne, Lewis, and Kipnis where a new counterculture can emerge. 

Naturally there is a constant threat to countercultures of becoming mainstream as Payne illustrated, the audience shifts as it approaches mainstream status. The primary audience has more than likely moved on to something else deemed un-cool for fear of being labeled a sell-out (or formalists) among peers.  Meanwhile, the mainstream public embraces the “new” movement as gesture to feel cultured in cool.  Now that this topic has the potential for popularity, I’m out…


Notes:
1As quoted by Penelope Dean, Assistant Professor, UIC and Flip Your Field Conference Chair. 
2ACSA West Central Fall Conference held at UIC, October 21-23, 2010.
3From Jason Payne’s “Subpop (Or, Keeping it on the Down-Low)” Lecture at the Flip Your Field Conference, October 22, 2010