Modern designs an inspiration of Early Centuries Artists and Architects

The concept of modernism has been reviewed numerously by different authors on its impacts to human thoughts and activities. From the 19th century, modernization and industrialization have significantly transformed the individual style of living as many have adopted new concepts such as technology in art, music, and architecture. In this case, the paper seeks to examine and interpret the impact of modernism as argued by Marx and Shelley in contrast to a contemporary event. Through an article by Rowan Moore in the Guardian newspaper, the essay explores how Marx’s and Shelley’s ideas on modernism apply to the renovation of St Peter’s Kilmahew, in Scotland built in 1966.

From Marx and Shelley’s perspective on modernism, the paper reviews the controversial concepts of modernism on such a project. Marx would argue that development of such a structure to a modern new design structure would ignore the existence of past ideas by architects and would encourage the adoption of the modern ideas as the renovation would only be of interest to a few people. These would also reflect his ideas on capitalism as the efforts in the renovation process would be to use modern technologies and architectural designs making the building accessible only to those who can afford and those of the idea to change the design.

Critics of Modernism by Marx and Shelly

Modernism is a concept that describes the numerous reforms on literature, art, music and architecture that transformed on human social life decades ago. According Karl Marx in his Manuscripts of 1844, he argued that human beings have evolved decades ago and are known to have a conscious mind that make their way of expressions unique in comparison to other animals. In his argument, he explained that human beings have transformed through numerous changes in their way of expressing their minds either through art, music and architecture (Karl Marx, 1844, p. 1016).

In the concept of modernism, different designs were applied in the work of art where individuals used better tools to create new artworks and architecture. Many people continue to uphold some of such designs to create improved and innovative work. According to Shelley (1994), she maintained Marx argument through her writing about Victor who followed his ambitions in regardless of the consequences for his actions that forced him to ignore normal human activities (Shelley, 1994).

Through Marx and Shelley argument, they both focused on the impact of the modernism where many people had begun turning to other means of self-expression. Modernism brought about a series of change among individuals that Marx and Shelly felt was dehumanizing as people had ignored their normal way of expressions and had turned to objects to achieve their ambitions. Marx believed that humans’ that were used as laborers through capitalism was an act to ignore individual’s nature of expression (Marx, p.1015). Shelley also through her novel believed that Humans have different ways of escaping their normalcy of expression as in the case of Victor, who ignored many traditions to make new discoveries.

Additionally, it’s also eminent that their argument had some slight differences where Shelley’s argument was based on a human who was willing to change from his normalcy to make new discoveries while Marx argument was based on a situation where the human was forced by capitalism to labor.

Case Study: Rowan Moore Article.

Through an article written by Rowan (2015), published by the Guardian on Saturday 17 January 2015 in the Guardian Newspaper, He explores through an Architectural structure in Scotland commonly referred as the best 20th Century building in Scotland. Built by Gillespie Kidd and Coia in the 1966, St Peter’s Kilmahew was a unique architectural adoption of Roman Empire architectural designs.

In his article, he exposes how some traditions in architectural designs remain relevant to date by explaining how Angus Farquhar, an architect intends to renovate the building using modern technologies (Rowan, 2015).

In relation to Marx argument on modernism, the plan to adopt new architectural design using technology would be an attempt to go against and detach the same human ideas that were physically used to either develop the artwork in the building (Marx, 1013). But with Shelley’s argument this explains the human nature to explore and develop ideas using the best means such as technology to improve the standards of ideology application (Shelley, 1994). work on either an existing idea or new ideas, but out of willingness, human can become creative and feature something better out of their creative mind (Shelley, 1994).

According to Marx, the existence of    St Peter’s Kilmahew in its current status and the intended renovation would trigger debates on why the renovation is necessary and how it was to be done. From Marx view, using modern design to renovate the building might be a source to dividing humans into their social classes as the modern design would only reflect the interest of those who would associate themselves with classic structures that many would not afford to be associated with. Though the intention of renovating the building would sound good to the economy of Scotland, Marx would view this as a way to put people under harsh labour in renovating the building only to benefit just a few later in the society after the renovations are done.

According to Shelley argument, she explained that the human nature desires to develop better things was the nature of modernism

Though much is expected of Angus Farquhar if permission is granted to renovate the building, obstacles such as retaining the original design remain a challenge. Marx would be against the idea as he argued that as much as humans would want to generate more resources through such new structures, there would be signs of inequality on the distribution of the resources gained after the completion of such a project.

Conclusion

Through Shelley and Marx arguments on modernism, their concepts remain relevant as many people continue to use deferent methods of expression for art, and architectural designs. Architects have continued to adopt new technologies in putting up new buildings but have

With the renovation of St Peter’s Kilmahew using modern technologies, this reflects the importance of such project as the building would contribute significantly to the economy of Scotland. Through the building, both the locals, the government and the international visitors would as well benefit from the new building as it would serve as national and international attraction that is against Marx ideas. In compassion to the old structure with elements of traditional religious buildings, after the expected renovations are complete, the building will not only incorporate new art designs but as well as become a modern public center.

References

Marx, Karl. Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 (in part). From Plato to Derrida. Ed.

Forrest E. Baird and Walter Kaufmann. 4^th ed. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2003. 1011-

1019.

Rowan, M. (2015, January 17). St Peter’s Seminary-a second coming for Scotland’s modernist

masterpiece?. The Guardian p.12. Retrieved from

Shelley, M. (1994). Frankenstein. New York: Signet Classic.