Art Architecture Complex The Unity of Art, Architecture, and Design in the Age of Globalization

Over the past half-century, we have witnessed the fusion of art with architecture and design: Artworks transcended the boundaries of conventional gallery and museum spaces, moving into old industrial buildings, everyday environments, and nature, while architecture, setting aside its structural, historical, and social priorities, increasingly began to establish itself as a visual art. As a result, on one hand, art emerged that rivaled architecture in scale and its intervention in public spaces, and on the other hand, star architects appeared, leaving as profound an impression on our visual culture as artists. This convergence led companies and governments to turn their attention to the art-architecture duo to brand cities and attract business investments with iconic museums known more for their architecture than their exhibits, and with events like festivals and biennials. In this process, where economy and culture are inextricably intertwined, both fields became integrated into and reinforced the global spectacle culture. Both art and architecture became tools for implementing neoliberal economic policies through culture. Hal Foster examines the history and contemporary impacts of this fusion, which he calls the art-architecture complex, through the works of star architects and artists who opened art to new fields. He explores ways to resist the false subjectivity and sociality created by global spectacle culture.