Figures, Creatures, Characters—One Day with John Hejduk

Abstract

“What warrants a collection of ruminations on a theoretical practice whose focus is an architecture neither theoretical nor practical in any conventional sense of the terms?” —K. Michael Hays, Hejduk’s Chronotope John Hejduk had a long and constructive history with Bernhard Hoesli and the Institute for the History and Theory of Architecture (gta), leading him to credit the ETH Zürich as his “European base”. In an attempt to bring him here once more, we will hold a one-day symposium on April 28, 2016 to discuss the work of John Hejduk and its influence upon subsequent generations of European architects. How is Hejduk received or interpreted? Which aspects of his work are useful, inspiring, or irritating? For a transatlantic discussion, we will host K. Michael Hays from Harvard’s GSD as our American representative. Hays has been instrumental in interpreting and theorizing Hejduk’s work, so we would like to put him in conversation with several European architects and scholars whose work, thinking or teaching bears an affinity or, possibly, an aversion to the work of John Hejduk. This symposium will take place within the space of a gta exhibition which will feature several of Hejduk’s projects, commemorating three Hejduk exhibitions held by the gta between 1973 and 1983. On display will be Hejduk’s 1986 “Victims” project as well as drawings from his “Diamond Plan” series. This exhibition will be held in anticipation of the gta’s upcoming 50-year anniversary. Location: ETH Zürich, Hönggerberg, HIL, gta Exhibitions