Educators Postmodern
Mario Botta, a Swiss architect born in 1943, is celebrated for his profound contributions to contemporary architecture. His work is characterized by a robust geometric style and profound respect for historical context, often integrating modern elements with traditional designs. Botta's designs are known for their distinct use of brick and strong shapes, such as circles, squares, and triangles, which make his buildings instantly recognizable.
Among his notable projects are the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Evry, France. These structures exemplify his approach to blending new construction technologies with classical forms. The museum, in particular, showcases his ability to manipulate space and light, creating dynamic environments for displaying art. His buildings are not just structures but are often considered sculptural works that enhance their surroundings.
Mario Botta's influence extends beyond architecture into design and education, where he has mentored generations of architects. His work is displayed in numerous exhibitions worldwide and serves as a testament to the enduring power of integrating contemporary design with traditional elements. Collectors and experts in architecture appreciate Botta’s unique ability to transform ordinary spaces into extraordinary places.
For those interested in the innovative work of Mario Botta, consider signing up for updates on new project unveilings and auction events related to his creations. This subscription ensures you stay informed about the latest developments and opportunities to engage with Botta's influential designs.
John Miller is an American artist, sculptor, writer, critic, and musician who lives in New York and Berlin.
He studied at the California Institute of the Arts and worked as a gallery manager for the Dia Art Foundation. Miller is currently a professor of professional art history practice at Barnard College.
His work includes photographs, installations, live mannequin exhibitions, and videos in response to current political events and sentiments. Miller has also authored critical works on representation in art.
Alfred Garrievich Shnitke (russian: Альфред Гарриевич Шнитке) was a Soviet and Russian avant-garde and postmodernist composer, music educator and musicologist.
Alfred's father was journalist and Russian-German translator Harry Shnitke, his mother was German teacher Maria Vogel, and Russian and German were spoken in the house. In 1946-1948 he lived with his family in Vienna, where he learned to play the piano and compose. From 1948 he lived in the Moscow region, then in Moscow. In 1953 Shnitke graduated from the conducting and choir department of the Music and Pedagogical College (now the Shnitke Moscow State Institute of Music), and in 1958 from the Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory. Between 1961 and 1972 he taught instrumentation, score reading, polyphony and composition at the Moscow Conservatoire. From the mid-1970s he appeared as a pianist, performing his own compositions.
In the early 1960s Shnitke turned his attention to modern compositional techniques, including dodecaphony, became an active supporter of the European musical avant-garde and tried to find his own style. His first significant achievements in this field were Dialogue for cello and seven instrumentalists (1965) and the Second Violin Concerto (1966).
Shnitke wrote more than 200 musical works in various genres, including the operas The Story of Dr. Johann Faust (1983-1994) and Life with an Idiot (1991); and the ballets Labyrinths (1971), Sketches (1971-1985) and Per Gynt (1986). Among his choral works, Requiem (1975) is widely known, as well as Poems of Penitence for a cappella choir (1987) and others. The composer wrote nine symphonies, concertos for violin, viola, cello, piano and other instruments. Shnitke also wrote music for many famous and popular films and cartoons from 1964-1994, as well as for theatrical productions of the main theaters of Russia.
Alfred Shnitke is an Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR, winner of the N.K. Krupskaya State Prize of the RSFSR and the State Prize of the Russian Federation. In 1990 the composer, together with his wife, pianist Irina Kataeva-Shnitke, moved to Germany and received German citizenship, as an exception he was allowed not to renounce his Soviet citizenship. He taught composition at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg, and was elected a member of the West Berlin Academy of Arts, the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts, and the Royal Swedish Academy.
Shnitke died in Hamburg from the effects of four strokes, and is buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow.