A monument to contemporary architecture

Kevin Driscoll

Kevin Driscoll’s ‘A Monument to Contemporary Architecture’ calls attention to the cheap, almost ephemeral material quality of today’s architecture. The sculpture features thin columns that stand as frail descendants of the once strong and ornate stone columns of the past. As a memorial, it diverges from the expected overbearing weight and presence typically associated with such structures, yet it carries a significant presence in its own unique way. This sculpture mirrors the proportions of the first bedroom Kevin had in Berlin. Its size represents what the square meter price of an ‘old’ apartment contract would equate to in today’s market. Instead of relying on abstract numerical comparisons (for example, today’s highest rent in Berlin being 28€/qm compared to an average of just 5€/qm about 15 years ago), Kevin chooses to embody this change in a physical form. This approach allows viewers to visually grasp the weight of the current situation.