Inviting the playful appropriation of school building: Florian Graf's School Models

Swiss artist Florian Graf conceived his School Models art project for the public space in the city of Zurich. Situated within the school yard of a public secondary school, it is comprised of models of three buildings on the campus, each representing a period of architectural history. Graf's white limestone sculptures of 1:20 scale are supported by oversized, multi-colored Terrazzo toy blocks. Students are invited to view their school buildings in entirely new ways, such as seating or as meeting places. The interplay of proportions between oversized blocks and miniature school buildings, as well as the actual school buildings used as a backdrop, prompts a re-evaluation of the underlying power dynamics and interpretations that shape educational systems.

This book documents a unique public art project that evokes interaction through images and supplementing texts. It illuminates key terms such as education, model, collaboration, and resonance. It also invites a reflection on the evolution of education and its institutions over time.

Autorentext

Florian Graf, ausgebildet als Architekt und bildender Künstler, lebt und arbeitet in Basel. Seine Kunst setzt sich mit Fragen der Identität und der Orientierung in einer von Vielfalt geprägten, transienten Gesellschaft auseinander.

Yasmin Afschar lebt und arbeitet in Zürich und Mainz als Kuratorin und Autorin.

Klappentext

Swiss artist Florian Graf conceived his School Models art project for the public space in the city of Zurich. Situated within the school yard of a public secondary school, it is comprised of models of three buildings on the campus, each representing a period of architectural history. Graf's white limestone sculptures of 1:20 scale are supported by oversized, multi-colored Terrazzo toy blocks. Students are invited to view their school buildings in entirely new ways, such as seating or as meeting places. The interplay of proportions between oversized blocks and miniature school buildings, as well as the actual school buildings used as a backdrop, prompts a re-evaluation of the underlying power dynamics and interpretations that shape educational systems.

This book documents a unique public art project that evokes interaction through images and supplementing texts. It illuminates key terms such as education, model, collaboration, and resonance. It also invites a reflection on the evolution of education and its institutions over time.

Zusammenfassung
Inviting the playful appropriation of school building: Florian Graf's School Models