Wars of
Abstraction
Fall 2022
Critics: Anna Neimark, Michael Osman
Wars. So many wars. Wars outside and wars inside. Cultural wars, science wars, and wars against terrorism. Wars against poverty and wars against the poor. Wars against ignorance and wars out of ignorance. My question is simple: Should we be at war, too, we, the scholars, the intellectuals? Is it really our duty to add fresh ruins to fields of ruins? Is it really the task of the humanities to add deconstruction to destruction? …What has become of the critical spirit? Has it run out of steam?
Bruno Latour
“From Matters of Fact to Matters of concern” [2004]
Fort Barrancas, once a formidable fortress built to protect Pensacola Bay, now stands as a testament to time and neglect. Completed in 1839, the fort was soon overshadowed by the Navy yard and fell into disrepair. Sitting dormant and unused for the latter part of the 19th century, this stripped-down masonry structure has been envisioned as a place of creativity and art. The proposal is to transform Fort Barrancas into a space dedicated to the art of photography and image-making. The fort’s raw and rugged aesthetic will be preserved, with most of the structure remaining untouched, inviting visitors to experience the fort in its original state, with the rough brick and raw materials exposed to the elements. But in the corners of the fort, a minimal intervention will be made to enhance the spaces with creative and unique geometries, shifting from the fort’s rough brick to smooth white plaster surfaces. These corners, illuminated by artificial light and equipped with mechanical vents, will serve as photography studios, an image-making room, and a small gallery. They will provide a contrast to the fort’s rugged materiality, and a space for visitors to explore the interplay of light, shadow, and performance. In the photography studio, natural light will be augmented with artificial light, creating a controlled environment for capturing the perfect shot. The image-making room will be outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment and technology, allowing visitors to experiment with different techniques and mediums. The small gallery, on the other hand, will showcase the works created within the fort, providing visitors with a glimpse into the creative process and the fort’s new purpose.
