Eritrea's liberation in 1991 started a re-exploration of the spacial and architectural qualities in the capital Asmara – a striking sample of European urban architecture in the early 20th century. Despite the turmoil that emerged from the 2nd World War and a 30 year lasting struggle for independence most of the modernist architecture hasn't been altered since the Italian forces withdrew in 1941 and remains intact to this day.
Exhibition opening and Round table
Asmara – Africa's Secret Modernist City
09.06.2010 | 7 p.m.
Venue: House of Architecture (HDA) in the Palais Thinnfeld, Mariahilferstraße 2, 8020 Graz
Eritrea's liberation in 1991 started a re-exploration of the spacial and architectural qualities in the capital Asmara – a striking sample of European urban architecture in the early 20th century. Despite the turmoil that emerged from the 2nd World War and a 30 year lasting struggle for independence most of the modernist architecture hasn't been altered since the Italian forces withdrew in 1941 and remains intact to this day.
Although this heritage was formed in an atmosphere of colonialism, fascism and racism Eritrea's current population identifies themselves with this particular architecture. For this reason the national government is seeking inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Being under the patronage of the UNESCO, the UIA (Union International des Architects) and others, this touring exhibition supports this very effort by showcasing the paramount examples of modernist architecture in Asmara – both in pictures and models and always considering their historical perspective. Thoughtfully, the final destination of this exhibition will be Asmara itself.
The exhibition will be accompanied by the film “City of Dreams” by Ruby Ofori and Edward Scott.
The exhibition will open on the 9th of June 2010, at 7 pm.
In the setting of the exhibition opening the House of Architecture will be hosting an open discussion titled “Identity and Assimilation – Architectural exports as a mean of political intervention”.
Participants: Naigzy Gebremedhin, Curator, Nairobi / Washington D.C. | Alfred Mansfeld, President of the Austrian- Eritrean Association, Vienna |Bärbel Müller, Architect, Vienna | Andreas Rumpfhuber, Architect, Vienna |Arno Sonderegger, Lecturer at the Institute of African Studies, Vienna. Moderation: Michael Schrott, Journalist, Radio Ö1, Vienna
Duration of the exhibition: 10th June – July, 31st 2010, Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm.
Curators: Prof. Omar Akbar PhD, former chairman and head of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation and Naigzy Gebremedhin, former director of CARP (Cultural Assets Rehabilitation Project).
Initiated and realized by “4Asmara Arbate Asmera” – German Eritrean Project Group Asmara in "Association to support Education and Journalism for Environment and Development, registered".
Exhibition design: Rainer Weisbach
Photography: Edward Denison
Modelling: Prof. Wolfgang Knoll
http://www.hda-graz.at/
