On Monday, 13 June 2016, at 7 p.m. in Oris House of Architecture, architect Friedrich Achleitner will deliver a lecture regarding his book A Flower for the Death. The Memorials of Bogdan Bogdanović (Den Toten eine Blume. Die Denkmäler von Bogdan Bogdanović). The introductory speech will be given by Vera Grimmer, the editor-in-chief of Oris.

Memorials of the urbanist, architect, sculptor and writer Bogdan Bogdanović can hardly be described using the vocabulary of contemporary theory of architecture. His multiethnic, trans-religious, life-oriented places of remembrance belong to the most impressive ones in the European culture of remembrance of the 20^th century. These are the places of encouragement for the coexistence of ethnic groups, nations, religions and regions. These monuments, memorials, mausoleums and necropolises are the bright places that look towards the future and life. Therefore, it is not unusual that many of these places are visited by younger people and families with kids. While most of the monuments from the recent history disable or even halt thinking, the monuments of Bogdan Bogdanović facilitate and even trigger the thinking process. They are not familiar with the pathos of proclamations, they do not offer security, nor give lessons. However, they enrich their content, enable the events they reminds us of all the possible space. They dedicate their attention to the lasting materials and the biggest artistic and manufacture engagement.

Form the book A Flower for the Death. The Memorials of Bogdan Bogdanović

The lecture will be held in Germen with a consecutive interpretation into Croatian.

Friedrich Achleitner was born in 1930. Studied architecture in the class of Clemens Holzmeister, graduating in 1953. Before 1958 he was a freelance architect, and then he started working as a freelance writer (member of the ‘Vienna Group’) architectural critic, writer and university professor. He was the head of the department of history and theory of architecture at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. Professor emeritus since 1998. Numerous literary works, selection: Quadratroman, 1973; Kaas, 1995; Die Plotteggs Kommen, 1995; Einschlafgeschichten, 2003; Wiener Linien, 2004; Und Oder Oder Und, 2006; Der Springende Punkt, 2009. Architecture related publications, selection: Österreichische Architektur im 20. Jahrhundert, 1980 – 95 – 2010 (6 volumes); Nieder mit Fischer von Erlach, 1986; Die Rückwärtsgewandte Utopie, 1994; Wiener Architektur, 1996; Region, ein Konstrukt? Regionalismus, eine Pleite?, 1997.