ACADEMIC APPROACH. ZAHA HADID: EARLY PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS.

A few days ago I went an exhibition of abstract paintings and drawings by late architect Zaha Hadid. The pieces on display were created before her first building; The Vitra Fire Station, and show her visualisations of space and ideas.

Zaha Hadid — Metropolis (1998).

I was very impressed by her drawings and the way how she worked for her projects. The exhibition reminds me my studied in my University. And now I’m fully inspired and want to remind myself old days when I did my silly abstract paintings at uni.

Irish Prime Minister’s Residence, Dublin, Ireland 1979–80. Isometric plan

There is a clear that she was inspired by the works of Constructivist painter there are geometric, angular forms reminiscent of Tatlin and Malevich.

“I have always been interested in the concept of fragmentation and with the ideas of abstraction and explosion, de-constructing ideas of repetitiveness and mass production. My work first engaged with the early Russian avant-garde; in particular with the work of Kasimir Malevich — he was an early influence for me as a representative of the modern avant-garde intersection between art and design. Malevich discovered abstraction as an experimental principle that can propel creative work to previously unheard levels of invention; this abstract work allowed much greater levels of creativity.” — Zaha Hadid, 2007

As far as I understand we can see sketches, abstract paintings of projects she was working on made in different techniques and in an informal way, and so.

Hafenstrasse Development, Hamburg, Germany 1989. Sketches and drawings.

I believe that such working approach functions as a bridge between the stage of exploration of the foundations professional knowlidgу and steps in the creative application of acquired skills in solving design problems, especially in the early stages of architectural and design activity. Such an approach oriented towards an integral forming of real objects or projects, regardless of areas of use.

The Great Utopia: the Russian and Soviet Avant Garde 1932. Sketches and drawings.

Zaha Hadid- Vision for Madrid (1992)

And I tried my best to find any work left from my university period. Below you can find what I manage to find on my computer that have been left from old days. (Sorry for the quality of the pictures.)

Kristina Miles. Composition. 2007

Kristina Miles. Composition. 2010–2011