'The End of Art History': lecture by Mark Cousins, 13th February, 1998

Extent: 1 audio cassette (90mins), 2 digital files (493.1 MB)

Comprises audio recording of a lecture entitled 'The End of Art History' given by Mark Cousins on 13th February 1998. Recordings consist of a Maxwell 90 audio cassette tape, 1 digital preservation file (402 MB, .wav format) and 1 digital access file (91.1 MB, .mp3 format). Duration of access version: 38min 54sec.

Copyright: Architectural Association

Creator: Mark Cousins

Admin History: The recording is of the 11th lecture in the series entitled 'The New', given by Mark Cousins as part of the AA General Studies programme, 1997-98. Continue his investigation of ideas on 'the new', Mark Cousins poses the reverse question of what is 'the end'. In the Hegelian sense, the end of history means overcoming of social and conceptual alienation, where unification of knowledge and being happens. In art history, the end of an artistry instead marks the moment of the beginning of another. Cousins then questions the idea of 'the end', whether it should be seen as a death certificate marking the moment that one's life no longer exist, or more like the 'the end' of a film or novel, where such concept could be reconstructed differently. He asks whether the concept of 'the end' comes from the anxiety of loss, or perhaps the psychological fear of beginning.

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 Ke Bo Tsai

Publication Note: AA Events List, Spring Term, Week 5, 9-13th February, 1998