Photo credit: Ira Efremova
Dr. Claudia Perren, an architectural critic and writer is joining the Bauhaus Foundation Dessau from August, 2014 as the 1st female director*. She is going to be the successor of Professor Philipp Oswalt who was employed until February 2014.
It has been the most talked about issue recently related to architecture, the creative sector and politics in Germany. In order to support another term of Professor Oswalt for next five years (2014-2019), a number of protests took place last year in the creative world round the globe. There was also an open petition signed by many scholars** from all over the world, a resignation letter by the board of trustees of the foundation was part of that protest worth mentioning. This foundation achieved many positive international exposures during the past five years under Professor OswaltA?s directorship. These achievements are quite high since this foundation was founded in 1994. It was clearly a reason for such a support on Professor OswaltA?s behalf. Interestingly the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs completely ignored the opinion of international scholars and sticked to their decision of replacing Professor Oswalt without giving any clear explanation why Professor Oswalt cannot be appointed for the next term!
Under such circumstances, the creative world will be observing closely and critically how Dr. Perren deals with such a controversial post and keeps the foundation going. It will be a very big challenge for the new director to overcome such a political pressure and to initiate innovative projects. How political her place was in the University of Sydney while she has been working as an architecture lecturer might not be clear but the post as the director of Bauhaus Foundation Dessau will be a highly politically challenged position for sure. According to the foundation structure, Dr. Perren is going to be appointed for the next five years, until 2019. The year 2019 is going to be the most significant one as the Bauhaus jubilee celebration will also take place at the same time.
Good wishes for the first woman in suchcultural andpolitical a position in Germany. Her achievements will be considered as a statement internationally in the field of politics vs. the creative society!
For further reading:
http://www.art-magazin.de/newsticker/?news_id=7837
http://diestandard.at/1392688167868/Claudia-Perren-wird-Direktorin-am-Bauhaus-Dessau
https://www.facebook.com/bauhausdessau
