'Modernity and the Completely New': lecture by Mark Cousins, 23rd January, 1998

Extent: 1 audio cassette (90mins), 4 digital files (725.9 MB)

Comprises audio recording of a lecture entitled 'Modernity and the Completely New' given by Mark Cousins on 23rd January, 1998. Recordings consist of a Maxwell 90 audio cassette tape, 2 digital preservation files (591 MB, .wav format) and 2 digital access files (134.9 MB, .mp3 format). Duration of access version: 58mion 19sec

Copyright: Architectural Association

Creator: Mark Cousins

Admin History: The recording is of the 8th lecture in the series entitled 'The New', given by Mark Cousins as part of the AA General Studies programme, 1997-98. In this lecture, Mark Cousins debates the idea of the 'absolutely new' as an issue in modernity. He believes that we can consider this idea in terms of the dialectical relation between the old and the new or we can think of it by the opposition between the existing and the new. Moreover, he analyzes the Hegelian assumption of a contradiction whose outcome is the sublation of the past. He also discusses Hegelian notions of development in relation to architecture. Furthermore, he elaborates on the term 'trauma' and the incapacity to master the new. Finally, he declares two ways of dealing with a 'new object'. One is to reduce it and another is to domesticate it.

Custodial History: Audio cassette recording was made by the AA Audio Visual Department and retained by the AA Photo Library until 2019, when it was transferred to the AA Archives.

Aquisition: Audio cassette was transferred from the AA Photo Library to the AA Archives in 2019. Digital preservation and access copies were created by the AA Archives in 2021.

Archive Note: Catalogue description by Samaneh Karimelahi

Publication Note: AA Events List, Spring Term, Week 2, 19-23rd January, 1998