The John Edwards Lecture is an annual dialogue presenting leading international architects in conversation with influential figures from other disciplines – from artists and filmmakers to writers and philosophers. Focussed on the multiple narratives of the history of modernist architecture in Morocco, this year's talk is being given by artist Yto Barrada who will be joined by the renowned architect and architectural historian Jean-Louis Cohen. The talk coincides with the presentation of Yto Barrada's exhibition, Agadir in The Barbican's Curve.
Yto Barrada (Moroccan, French, b.1971, Paris) studied history and political science at the Sorbonne and photography in New York. Her work — including photography, film, sculpture, prints and installations, — began by exploring the peculiar situation of her hometown Tangier. Her work has been exhibited at Tate Modern (London), MoMA (New York), The Renaissance Society (Chicago), Witte de With (Rotterdam), Haus der Kunst (Munich), Centre Pompidou (Paris), Whitechapel Gallery (London), and the 2007 and 2011 Venice Biennale.
Jean Louis Cohen (French, b. 1949) trained as an architect, graduating in 1973. He received his Ph.D. in Art History from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in 1985. In 1994 he was named the Sheldon H. Solow Chair for the History of Architecture at New York University's Institute of Fine Arts, where he currently teaches. His major publlications include Architecture in Uniform: Designing and Building for WWII (2011), The Future of Architecture. Since 1889 (2012) and Le Corbusier: An Atlas of Modern Landscapes (2013).
Praise for Yto Barrada's exhibition, Agadir, at The Barbican
"Yto Barrada, the celebrated 46-year-old Moroccan artist based in New York, is a force of life and her new show in the Barbican Gallery’s Curve space is a delight. *****" Matthew Collings, Evening Standard
The annual John Edwards Lecture is supported by the Estate of Francis Bacon and forms part of Architecture on Stage, a programme of talks presented by the Architecture Foundation in partnership with the Barbican.