'Taste as an Ethical and Political Idea...': lecture by Mark Cousins, 19th May, 1988

Extent: 2 digital files (4.46 GB )

Comprises video recording of a lecture entitled 'Taste as an Ethical and Political Idea in the Eighteenth Century', given by Mark Cousins on the 19th May, 1988, as part of the conference 'Legitimation and Credibility', organised by the AA Graduate School / History and Theory Programme. The conference took place in the Main Lecture Hall, Bedford Square. The recordings consist of a digital preservation copy (3.35 GB, .MPG format) and a digital access copy (1.11 GB, .MP4 format). Duration of access version: 56min 27sec.

Copyright: Architectural Association

Creator: Mark Cousins

Admin History: The lecture was part of the two-day conference entitled 'Legitimation and Credibility' organised by the AA Graduate School / History and Theory Programme on the 19-20th May, 1988. Speakers included Roy Landau, Paul Hirst, Peter Dews, Simon Schaffer, Julian Roberts, Mark Cousins, Dimitris Fatouros, Anne Sassoon, Josep Rovira, Jennifer Bloomer, Robert Segrest, Jacques Boulet, Michel Levi, Josep Maria Montaner, Mary Alice Dixon Hinson, Patricia Meehan, Yehuda Safran, Miguel Alonso, Val McLauchlan, Gordana Korolija, Andreas Kourkoulas and David Bell. According to the AA Events List, the conference was based around "three main themes of discussion. The first concerns the formation of codes which command assent, whether in the realm of form or aesthetics (good taste), personal behaviour (morality), or politics (law). How do these codes legitimise themselves? Who, or what enforces obedience to them? What explains their historical variability?.... The second theme is the role of architecture in expressing, defining and implementing codes of social authority. For example, can a building be said to make a political statement? ... Can buildings be said to support, or service distinct political ideologies by means of a purely architectural idiom? The interaction of architectural practice and architectural training with codes of legitimisation is the third discussion area." In this lecture Mark Cousins addresses notions of 'taste' within the aesthetic discourse in 18thC Britain. Cousins notes that whilst it is possible to map aesthetic transformations from the 15th-18thC, via collections of scholarly texts, there is a lack of accounts of the mechanisms by which such transformations took place. He therefore analyses 18thC discussions of 'taste' (and the transformations of 'taste' within those discussions), noting what he considers to be contradictory aspects. Finally, Mark Cousins posits that consideration of 18thC questions of religious ethics and political drive could point the way towards a deeper understanding of these apparent contradictions

Custodial History: The 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: The recording 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 Ke Bo Tsai

Publication Note: AA Events List, Week 4, Summer Term, 16-20th May, 1988