Studio-Phoenix Blogspot: I.S.T.Y.O: A brief visual exploration of the project, part 1

Monday, April 23, 2012

I.S.T.Y.O: A brief visual exploration of the project, part 1

Original photos, digital augmentation
& text by K.K.W

I.S.T.Y.O: A brief visual exploration of the project.

In the shadow of the young ones / Vo senkata na mladite

(A joint venture between 1 visual artist in New York City and 2 in Skopje, Macedonia.)

The theme: Exploring the Changing architecture and use of public space in New York city and Skopje Macedonia. New architecture taking over the landscape, young vs old, a battle of style, thought, and city planning. The disturbances

these "young ones" cause within the minds of people, fans and critics is amazing. New York and Skopje's architecture has changed considerably in the last 10 years and will continue to change, but the question is how has, and how will those changes affect the people who live

within these cities.

Already there is a debate on over-consumption of energy by many of these buildings, the eventual displacement of long-time residents due to the influx of new residents, destruction of older buildings and whole sections, and all that come with it. Many of these buildings get huge tax breaks from their city, while being constructed cheaply(in some cases) and in low-income areas, sometimes causing rising prices as well the transplantation of different social norms, and ways of interacting. As many of these buildings or structures are taller then others, or frankly more important, they often cast their shadow over the older buildings. Hence the name of the exhibition, but more then this its a way of looking at them.

Photos courtesy of Matej Bogdanovski.

Photo courtesy of Matej Bogdanovski.
In addition to high-rises and other types
of new architecture, the people
have to contend with large amounts of
new monuments("Skopje 2014" project)

Photo courtesy of Matej Bogdanovski.

Photo courtesy of Matej Bogdanovski.
As you can see the actual statue is
much smaller in reality,
but thats the power of Matej's artwork.
He enlarges the monuments to show them
towering over the people and some of the buildings.
This becomes an expression of the
discontent & fear some have about them
and the project they spring from-
"Skopje 2014".

Skopje: Photo courtesy of
Meglena Visinska.

Skopje: Photo courtesy of
Meglena Visinska.
Meglena's photos seek to find and identify
the beauty and common aspects/features
of modern architecture in Skopje,
which is both unseen and taken for granted
by most of the people of the city.
Her work represents the other side to the
coin that is Skopje today

Skopje: Photo courtesy of
Meglena Visinska.

NYC: Photo by K.K.W
photos seek to find and identify
the strange facets and common aspects/features
of modern architecture in NYC.
His work is an exploration of
the positive and negative of many
new buildings that could be looked at in many ways.

NYC: Photo by K.K.W
The people become less important,
being in ways overshadowed by these
"young ones", although the connection
between them is still constant-
the one without the other is pointless.