Domestica

December is a month, whether we like it or not, in whicch familiar habitats (or the idea of them) intensify and domestic surroundings, one’s own or those of others, new or old, are particularly central. It is also the month we’ve wanted at A*DESK to reflect on “the domestic”. The house, the home, or private space, and all that these concepts imply and their links with the idea of family (as a primary or a more complex idea) in and through contemporary art.

We began the month with an interview by Andrés Carretero with Uriel Fogué, architect, lecturer, and co-founder of the research group [Inter]sección de Filosofía y Arquitectura. He is also, along with Eva Gil and Carlos Palacios co-founder of the architectural office elii. Their work as architects is linked directly with contemporary art (they have collaborated with Alicia Framis and María Jerez) and are recurrent in spaces such as Matadero Madrid, Tabakalera, and the MNCARS.

We also published Xavier Acarín who wrote a brilliant conceptual cocktail in which he establishes the links between the domestic space and subjectivity, including relations of domestic power or lack of it, and forms of precariousness and exploitation; the history of architecture, smart houses and their links with contemporary creativity, more performative architectural practices…and all this by way of Le Corbusier, Eileen Gray, IKEA, el MoMA, and Bifo, amongst others.

In the third week,Glòria Guso undertook a revision of the evolution of the bond public-private, the transferences and confusions between them and what this has all yielded in recent history, with special attention to the benefits of “opening your house”, at present, on both a professional level as well as much as recently for economic profit.

Finally, to bring the month to a close, Aymara Arreaza wrote a critique of the exhibition “Hogar dulce hogar”, by Ciprian Homorodean a la Capella de Sant Roc, Valls. The artist by making his home a place for everyone, or vice versa, once again places on the table (from his home) amongst other things the concepts of the precariousness of the artist today. But also the precariousness and transferability of the very concept of the home that is not found, far from it, linked to a particular space when talking about professionals or migratory citizens.

December is over. Happy homecoming.