Workshop Statement

Audience: Public, Level: Foundation

The Reinvention of the Vernacular is envisioned as an interactive workshop on site-specific interventions merging historical architecture with contemporary art and new media. While much has been written on the iconicity of art and architecture as globally branded phenomena, this workshop proposes a strategic reversal of emphasis to examine the deeper and more perplexing issue of the local in a context in which particularities of both person and place are under immense pressure. How can art, design and architecture contribute to a unique local identity in an age of global branding? How can we achieve a synthesis between regional culture and global impact by bridging new media, ancient techniques and advanced technologies? How can we challenge image-oriented art in favor of spatial and experiential interventions that relate to place? And most importantly, how can we utilize site-specific interventions to create an aura of mystery, discovery, and a sense of arrival in that particular place in that particular country? This workshop focuses on the Reinvention of the Vernacular by taking the Asir Region in Saudi Arabia as an area of intervention. As a pioneer bridge building project, we envision to transform one abandoned village in the Abha region of Asir into a multi-sensorial art installation animated by projections, color and sound. This installation will be powered by solar energy and operate ‘off the grid’.

• Dr. Ing. Anna Klingmann (Germany)  is an architect, urbanist and visionary on branding and architecture.  klingmann.com