Deciding not to die, artist-architect-poets Shusaku Arakawa and Madeline Gins, have designed residential housing they say “boosts immunity and increases longevity“. The architecture is clearly infuenced by the Dada anti-art & cultural movement of the early 20th century. The above complex is located in Mitaka, Japan. The husband and wife team live in New York City. They had a major show at the Guggenheim in 1997 called Reversible Destiny. Their art has also been influenced by the French philosopher Michel Foucault.
How does the architecture, which involves bright discordant colors, uneven flooring, misplaced electrical outlets & switches, & unconventional rooms help you live longer and not drive you crazy? Well, the theory goes that overstimulation of the body & mind reduces the effects of aging. Visit their Architectural Body Research Foundation.
The bizarre architecture has already made its way to the US. The Bioscleave House can be found in East Hampton, New York. Even if this house lets you live forever, no doubt the price tag will kill you.
Bioscleave House (2004)
A couple of favorite Dadaists & examples of their work:
Marcel Duchamp, Bicycle Wheel (assisted readymade 1913)
Duchamp, Nude Descending a Staircase (1912)
Duchamp, Fountain (1917)
Man Ray, The Gift (1921)
Man Ray, New York (1917)
Man Ray, Self Portrait (1916)
