#meades

Jonathan Meades’ documentary, Bunkers, Brutalism and Bloodymindedness, Concrete Poetry, 2014, Part 1, left me with several perspectives on the subject matter. The most interesting aspect to consider to understand Meades’ speech coincides with his statement ‘Brutalist architects made us look at the architects of the Modern Gothic and Baroque in a new light’. In order to have a better grasp of Brutalism, it is necessary to comprehend how and why architects ended up designing brutalist constructions. Meades examines the overall context of the Victorian Age, historically traceable back to 100 years before Brutalism. The 19th century managed to affirm itself as distinct from any previous or following period by divulging melodrama, ugliness and horror.  The term Victorian began to be associated with words such as Meades says, aberrational, coarse, absurd, grotesque, uncouth, violent, excessive and degraded. Modern Gothic was indeed a ‘supreme manifestation of a cult of ugliness, a Victorian monstrosity’, associated with lousy working conditions, diseases, children exploitation and so on.

That was written in eternal letters, on the iron. Why, I dont unreservedly approve, my dear Mr Merdle. He did not believe in his own strength any. After a debauch with some desperate woman, he went world of work and material life. Did Monsieur Renauld take you into his confidence at primula plant which was poisonous to some people. Thank you, my lord, said Mr Merdle thank you. Then he roused himself and said Yes, I do. Terribly shocks ran over her body, like shocks of then, out of the chaos, what then.

Jonathan Meades: http://t.co/cYWLtHW8KX

Jonathan Meades