The dialectic of ruin

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dc.contributor.author Viljoen, Marga
dc.date.accessioned 2012-03-08T14:08:54Z
dc.date.available 2012-03-08T14:08:54Z
dc.date.issued 2011
dc.description.abstract This article focuses on the ambiguous aspects of 'ruin' in its different appearances - as visible material phenomenon and as concept or idea. The word 'ruin' implies the dialectic of passivity and action; the specific and universal, and the merging of past and future in the present. I apply the abstract and physical idea of ruin to the European political sphere of the past century. The meanings of 'ideology' and 'dialectic' are placed in perspective with the physical destruction of the Berlin wall. Within days after the event, chunks of wall were for sale in the USA: wrapped in velvet satchels and stacked under Christmas trees, this became part of the American Christmas shopping experience. The material and symbolic value and meanings attached to 'ruin' is explored in light of the Berlin Wall. In some ways the symbolic meaning of the ruined wall can serve as a metaphor for the ambiguity of our existence and its similarities to 'ruin'. en_US
dc.description.abstract Die artikel fokus op die dubbelsinnige karakter van die ruïne: enersyds as 'n fisiese artefak en andersyds as 'n idee of 'n konsep. Die woord 'ruïne' impliseer die dialektiese verhouding van aktiwiteit en passiwiteit; van die spesifieke en die universele, asook die samevloei van verlede en toekoms in die teenwoordige. Die idee van die ruïne word hier weergelê in die lig van die Europese politieke geskiedenis van die afgelope eeu. Die val van die Berlynse muur dien hier as fisiese en simboliese verwysingspunt om die betekenis van 'dialektiek' en 'ideologie' in die konteks bloot te lê. Die verskillende betekenisse van die ruïne mag dalk as analoog dien om ons eie bestaan te interpreteer en beter te verstaan. en_US
dc.description.uri http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_sajah.html en_US
dc.identifier.citation Viljoen, M 2011, 'The dialectic of ruin', South African Journal of Art History, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 156-161. en_US
dc.identifier.issn 0258-3542
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/18409
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher Art Historical Work Group of South Africa en_US
dc.rights Art Historical Work Group of South Africa en_US
dc.subject Berlin wall en_US
dc.subject Dialectic en_US
dc.subject Ideology en_US
dc.subject Rationalisation en_US
dc.subject Berlynse muur en_US
dc.subject Dialektiek en_US
dc.subject Ideologie en_US
dc.subject Rasionalisasie en_US
dc.title The dialectic of ruin en_US
dc.title.alternative Dialektiese aspekte van ruine en_US
dc.type Article en_US


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