1. Introduction to Brutalism
- Emerged in the 1950s as a post-war architectural movement.
- Coined by Reyner Banham as “The New Brutalism” to challenge soft modernism.
- Multiple origins of the term, including references to Le Corbusier’s béton brut and Peter Smithson’s nickname ‘Brutus.’
2. Principles of Brutalism According to Banham
- Defined by Banham in 1955 with chief principles:
- Memorability as an image.
- Clear exhibition of structure.
- Valuation of materials “as found.”
- Seen as an amalgam of stylistic features (Cubism) and ideological principles (Futurism).
3. Early Brutalist Architects
- Alison and Peter Smithson among the first to associate with Brutalism.
- Described Brutalism as an ethical movement facing mass-production society, emphasizing rough poetry.
- Michael J. Lewis sees early Brutalism as a delayed appearance of modernism in British architecture.
4. Critiques and Public Reception
- Brutalism criticized for its stark, cold, and monolithic appearance.
- Rejected by the public for being insufficiently pleasing and too surly.
- Anti-beauty characteristic highlighted by Banham and misunderstood by the public.
5. Aesthetic Features of Brutalism
- Minimalistic aspect evident in the use of raw, unprocessed materials.
- Examples include Sigurd Lewerentz’s construction and Smithsons’ Hunstanton School.
- Extensive use of right angles, cubes, abstract geometric patterns, monochromatic or reduced color palette.
6. Personal Connection to Brutalism
- Author Mo H. Zareei’s upbringing in a Brutalist residential building complex in Tehran.
- Deep affinity for the ‘anti-beauty’ aesthetics of Brutalism.
- Connection between Brutalist architecture and Zareei’s sound-based artworks.
7. The Brutalist Noise Ensemble
- Zareei’s audiovisual project designed to take glitch music outside computers.
- Three instrument types: Mutor, Rippler, and Rasper.
- Aesthetic transformation of non-beautiful sonic aspects into artistic expression through sculpture forms.
- Transparent structures, homogeneity, and rhythmic patterns reminiscent of Brutalism.
8. Sound-Based Brutalism
- Expanding the concept of Brutalism to sound-based arts.
- Not a direct translation of architectural principles but a shared set of aesthetic features.
- Proposing ‘brutalism’ as a descriptor for shared aesthetic principles, decoupled from historical associations.
9. Materiality in Sound-Based Brutalism
- Focus on the materiality of ‘anti-beautiful’ sonic materials.
- Highly ordered, organized, and often quantized mode of expression.
- Embraces Pierre Schaeffer’s objet sonore but rejects reduced listening.
10. Contemporary Relevance and Neo-Brutalism
- Despite past criticism and demolitions, Brutalism is experiencing a revival.
- Contemporary interest in Brutalism in various artistic disciplines.
- The emergence of Neo-Brutalist architecture and inclusion of sound-based practices in this context.
11. Challenges to Direct Translation
- Acknowledges challenges in directly correlating contemporary sound-based aesthetics with a primarily architectural movement.
- Recognizes the historical failure and criticism of Brutalist architecture.
12. Establishing a Frame of Reference
- Intention is not to argue for the direct translation of architectural principles into sound-based artworks.
- Aims to establish a frame of reference based on shared aesthetic features.
- Suggests ‘brutalism’ as a term to describe this shared aesthetic without direct architectural connections.
13. Sound-Based Brutalism in Contemporary Art
- Extending the concept of Brutalism to the broader context of contemporary sound-based art.
- Argues for a shared aesthetic movement across genres and media.
- Highlights the need for further investigation, definition, and clarification of this aesthetic trend.
14. Sound-Based Brutalism Characteristics
- Focus on materiality, similar to microsound’s conception of sound as particles.
- Emphasis on the material over the musical, aligning with noise music’s goals.
- Sound-based brutalism encompasses works that concentrate on the materiality of ‘anti-beautiful’ materials in both sonic and visual forms.
15. Comparison with Futurism and Minimalism
- Suggests that sound-based brutalism draws from the noise of Futurism and the reductionist rigour of minimalism.
- Emphasizes a historical point of reference decoupled from the normative association of noise-based practices with Futurism.
16. The Revival of Brutalism
- Observes a growing interest and curiosity in Brutalism in recent years.
- Neo-Brutalist architecture emerging and being embraced by visual artists.
- The proposal to include sound-based practices in this neo-brutalism based on shared aesthetic features.
17. Conclusion
- Reiterates the argument for the use of ‘brutalism’ as a descriptor for shared aesthetic principles in sound-based artworks.
- Acknowledges the evolving nature of Brutalism’s reception and its impact on various artistic disciplines.
- Emphasizes the need for continued exploration and understanding of sound-based brutalism as a distinct aesthetic movement.