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Arguments from silence


Lesley Naa Norle Lokko
Published online: 08 Dec 2010.

To cite this article: Lesley Naa Norle Lokko (2002) Arguments from silence, The Journal of Architecture, 7:4,
369-374, DOI: 10.1080/1360236032000040884

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Argument s from silence


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1111 Lesley Naa Norle Lokko Bartlett School of Architecture, University College,
2 London, UK
3111
4
5 This paper is about architecture, about clients, by race is limited. In any of the disciplines through
6 about talking and listening and discussing, and which we routinely authenticate knowledge
7 doing all of the things Mies admonished against. It scienti c enquiry, biology, genetics the concept
8 is also a paper about race and its relationship to of race simply cannot exist. Having black skin (or
9 architecture, or vice-versa, and to why, despite our brown or any other colour, for that matter) is not
10111 (loud) protestations to the contrary, this has in itself remarkable in genetic or biological terms,
1 remained such an immature discussion. In order for the differences between two people, one white
2 the title and the latter half of the paper to make and one black are about the same as the differ-
3 sense, it is appropriate to begin by thinking about ences between a blue- and a brown-eyed person
4 race itself and why it is also desirable to think about and we certainly dont speak of those in terms of
5 its relationship to architecture and to the business race. In the recent competition to map the human
6 of talking about it and making , for clients and archi- genome, scientists were nally able to con rm
7 tects alike. Mies charge, Never talk to your client what cultural theorists have known all along
8 about architecture is super uous in this context. genetically, there are as many differences between
9 Christianity against other gods, the indigenous peoples who share skin colour, as between those
20111 against the foreign invader, the masses against who do not. In other words, if we were to think
1 the ruling class where I came from,1 all these of ourselves as a cluster of genetic data, the gene
2 become interpretative meanings of the differ- that is responsible for skin colour or hair texture
3 ences seen, touched and felt, of skin and hair. has so little impact on our total makeup of genetic
4 Skin and hair. It has mattered more than any- information as to be genetically insigni cant. When
5 thing else in the world.2 we really get down to it, no-one can say what
6 What is race? Is it, as the South African writer exactly race is its not a gene, its not a species,
7 Nadine Gordimer describes, skin colour? Hair its not a biological or medical or metaphysical cate-
8 texture? The relative thickness and thinness of lips, gory. Racial categories, the skin and hair differences
9 the width of a nose? In our everyday usage, we to which Gordimer refers, are not natural differ-
30111 use it in large part to refer to and signify differ- ences any more than blue eyes or large feet signify
1 ence. But from what? And from whom? Once you . . . anything. Lets shift the focus.
2 start asking those questions, everything begins to In cultural terms, at least initially, we appear to
3 slide, alarmingly. After a number of years spent be on rmer ground. We can and do speak of black
4 pondering this question, the conclusions are quite culture music, yes, de nitely; literature, we tend
5111 clear. Our ability to de ne exactly what we mean towards a post-colonial de nition; art appears to

1111 2002 The Jour nal o f Archit ect ure 13602365 DOI: 10.1080/1360236032000040884
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be largely movement-based Renaissance, Cubist, something, if not everything, to the persistence of 1111
Surrealist, Modern; cuisine can be African (whatever race as a meaningful category in the division and 2
that means) or Caribbean; lm . . . Francophone or concentration of wealth, power and privilege, 3
Anglophone (is Bollywood black?) The point I am economic or otherwise. It is in the light of this latter 4
belabouring is the dif culty, even in terms as uid statement that this paper is at all signi cant. 5
and slippery as culture, to de ne what we mean At present, there are 225, or 400, or 1% , or 6
by black. To complicate it further, there is another, 2.6% (depending on whom one consults) black 7
even greater struggle: to understand and separ- architects in the UK, gures that for many reasons 8
ate our de nition of race from our understanding may as well have been plucked from thin air. In 9
and experience of racism. They are not the same. 1996, there appeared to be 45 registered black 10111
What is the difference between race as a trope of architects, but what exactly were they registering? 1
culture-difference and skin colour and racism as a Skin colour? There are some remarkable and inter- 2
trope of power? As cultural theorists Ella Shohat esting statistics oating around. In its October 26, 3
and Robert Stam write in their excellent book, 2001 issue, Building Design reports that in spite 4
Unthinking Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the of the rise in the ethnic minority population, the 5
Media, race and racism are not one and the same, proportion of black architects has remained at 2% 6
even though they are linked. Although racism [is] since 1993. 4 In the same issue, Sumita Sinha, chair 7
hardly unique to the West and is not limited to the of Architects for Change, argues that students 8
colonial situation (anti-Semitism being a case in [of architecture] must have worked three times as 9
point) it [racism] has historically been both an ally of much as their white counterparts to get where 20111
and the partial by-product of colonialism. The most they are. She also notes, somewhat confusingly, 1
obvious victims of racism are those whose identity that racism is certainly not 5 connected with the 2
was forged within the colonial cauldron. 3 Here, poverty of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) students 3
race is inserted into its necessary political frame- and saying so simply undermines the experiences 4
work, opening up a wider membership to include of those who suffer from it. Finally, John Rouse of 5
almost every non-European. I need not mention the UK Commission for Architecture and the Built 6
here how tricky that de nition can get since Europe Environment (CABE) reminds us that one thing 7
is the only ideological continent (i.e., its boundaries black architects do have [as opposed to what? All 8
have historically never been clearly de ned). the other things they dont have?6] is a more astute 9
Despite the inaccuracy of the term race as a personal understanding of what is community and 30111
signi er of difference, it is absurd to suggest that how community issues can be handled. But, he 1
we do not know exactly what we mean when we goes on to say, black architects are also a busi- 2
use it. Reiterating that there is no such thing does ness bene t. If youve got a culturally diverse work- 3
little to alter the fact that every day, across the force that can adapt to different cultures, then 4
globe, millions of people live in ways that owe youre going to make money. Dear God. 5111
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1111 Recent conversions, requests-for-interviews, sur- So, what is the relationship between these
2 veys, documentaries, column inches, headlines, all ambiguous and over-arching terms race, archi-
3 lament the current state of affairs. There are woe- tecture, culture? And what do these have to do
4 fully too few BMEs in the wider profession and in with the stated agenda of the conference and its
5 architecture and its schools in particular. The RIBA proceedings?
6 was moved to place on the cover of its 20001 There are several routes into this inquiry. I have
7 Annual Review, a picture of a young black school- chosen one that takes its origins outside architec-
8 boy standing outside Will Alsops Peckham Library, ture, in the seemingly unrelated eld of archae-
9 under the caption this is how all architecture can ology, from where my title comes. An argument
10111 be: relevant, surprising and human. 7 Well put, from silence is the term used by archaeologists in
1 tasteful photograph. Obviously, organisations like their search for proof or the truth about a given
2 the Society of Black Architect s, now almost 10 years historical period. Fundamentally (and in tangible
3 old; the RIBA-af liated Architects for Change; the relation to the archaeological dig), it is the belief
4 culturally-oriented Thirdspace lecture and events that if something has not been found it cannot
5 series; the Stephen Lawrence Trust and its af liated have existed in signi cant quantities. I rst came
6 programmes; the gender-speci c Women in Archi- across it in Martin Bernals book, Black Athena, in
7 tecture; the terms diversity, inclusivity, cultural which he challenges the whole basis of Western
8 sensitivity; Bollywood and Channel 4s Indian thinking about classical civilisation, arguing that its
9 Summer all point to something, some awareness deep roots in black Afro-asiatic cultures have been
20111 of a relationship between the terms culture, race, systematically suppressed since the eighteenth cen-
1 ethnicity and yes, architecture, even if it is a hard tury, largely for racist reasons. Bernal describes the
2 one to de ne. If we examine the trope differently, term argument from silence as the favourite tool
3 blackness, de ned politically or epidermologically, of archaeological positivists, although, as he says,
4 is what its all about. Not culture; not language; not modern archaeologists are much too sophisticated
5 style nor canon . . . just blackness; the state(s) of and, somewhat more curiously in relation to this
6 being black. But whilst the sentiments are admirably paper, no serious scholar today believes in the exis-
7 warm and fuzzy (everyone, surely, likes to think of tence, let alone the importance, of race. Im
8 themselves as inclusive and relevant , diverse and not sure about architects.
9 human) what of the reality? What does it mean The full and provocative title of this conference
30111 to be a black architect? How should we de ne is, Never talk to your client about architecture; he
1 that? Who is black and who is not? And even if will not understand what you say most of the time.
2 we could de ne it, is there any meaning beyond the The title is not quite so provocative if youre black
3 nebulous astute sensitivity mentioned by Rouse and for the purposes of this paper, I will assume
4 and others, so nebulous, in fact, it cannot be this means anyone who is not white. This can
5111 taught, cannot be learned, cannot be written? be read in a number of ways: I have chosen the
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following position if you are black (in the West, to say that there are not black architects or that 1111
at least), you are rather less likely to be client or they, and everyone else, dont struggle to nd or 2
architect. That is a fact. The percentages referred make meaning, matter or material out of the issues 3
to earlier may be rising and the interest groups and cultural experiences that are shared by all black 4
gaining in strength but the fact still remains that, diasporic peoples, wherever in the world they may 5
over centuries, the visual person-associations of the occur. And, equally importantly, this is not to say 6
words client and architect tend to be white, if that all black students, whether they de ne them- 7
not male and probably middle-class and although selves culturally, politically, or epidermologically, are 8
the latter may be a bit harder to visualise, youll duty-bound to explore these issues as if a) only they 9
know exactly what I mean. Try it yourselves for a can claim authorship and b) only they want to. But 10111
minute or two if you dont believe me. this is a complex issue, raising all sorts of questions 1
But, and this is the subject of my response to about history, territory, authorship and so on. So 2
Mies statement, so what if architects and clients when Mies advises us not to talk to our clients, Im 3
tend not to be black? What difference would it interested, not because I dont want to talk, but 4
make, either to architecture or the ability to talk because I dont know what to talk about. 5
about it, if there were 145 or even 445 black archi- Kipnis has written something powerful about 6
tects and clients? My response is that it would make architecture and its relationship to life, our lives. (I 7
a fair bit of difference. Archaeologists, as Bernal has have long since lost the quotation, and will there- 8
shown us, use the rather crude, but effective, argu- fore paraphrase it.) He argues that it is the thing 9
ment from silence tool to prove a point. Architec- that we fear most, for it is the thing that orders, 20111
ture, as a discipline, makes use of a similar tool when structures and gives meaning to our lives, our cul- 1
it comes to thinking about matters of race and tures, our experiences. Without it, in a metaphor- 2
black cultural identity. Its called history, or perhaps ical and material sense, we are lost. For blacks, 3
pedagogy, or theory or design; architectures own living in what can be described as a kind of dias- 4
argument from silence occurs in every school, at poric state of in-betweenness or cultural amnesia, 5
every level, in every class, studio, seminar and lecture this loss is profound. In medical terms, illnesses 6
hall. As a teacher, I can attest to this. I can do it even generally occur in two general forms: acute and 7
more convincingly as a student. I can still recall my chronic. An acute illness is a one-off, a singular 8
embarrassment as a rst-year student looking for experience, even if it does recur. Chronic illnesses 9
Africa on Bannister Fletchers Tree of Architecture. are those that can be kept under control or reduced 30111
Everyone else got a branch but Europeans owned (and, incidentally, are linked more commonly to 1
the tree. Black history, culture, precedent, tradition, psychosomatic experiences) but that never disap- 2
experiences, insofar as these might have some form pear. In contrast to acute pain, chronic pain persists 3
of architectural expression, particularly contempo- where there is no immediate threat, when no 4
rary expression, have always been absent. This is not further healing can occur and when no organic 5111
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1111 basis for it can be found. The reason I bring the homogeneity in the nature of the work they
2 subject of pain into the discussion is to do with produce is brought about by what shackles them
3 the way in which race (or identities based on together, rather than through anything that they
4 concepts of race) is almost always a way of nego- might share. If by nothing else, they are united in
5 tiating the chronic (i.e., ongoing) pain of racism. their desire (however vaguely formed) to be free
6 To be Indian, or Asian or even, at more of a stretch, of imposed cultural circumstances, ones that do
7 Oriental, is to have what I would call an acute iden- not t the patterns and texture of their own lives,
8 tity constructed through concrete notions of although they will de ne these in accordance with
9 nationality (passport), language (mother tongues), a widely differing experience of circumstantial
10111 cuisine (regional), even religion. To be black, how- reality.
1 ever, signi es a chronic identity, one that is con- From a disintegrated consciousness, all seek
2 structed through that which it is not, i.e., white. wholeness in themselves and a reconnection
3 To be African (insofar as it is impossible to talk with the voltage of social dynamism. Opposi-
4 about an African identity) is one way of negoti- tion to an existing society implies a hunger to
5 ating the same sense of chronic loss that the black create and identify with another and better
6 Diaspora invokes. one. The abjuration of one set of values
7 Never talk to your architect about architecture; implies an intention to create and relate to
8 he will not understand. another set. For the black architect or student,
9 Every artist, and by that I mean anyone involved these implications become part of the trans-
20111 in creative endeavour, has to struggle through what formations of reality which become his or her
1 Neruda calls the labyrinths of his or her chosen work.8
2 medium of expression. The black architect, no The transformations of realit y, the points of depar-
3 matter where in the urban world he or she resides, ture, such as drawings, manifestos, sketches and
4 lives within societal norms that have rejected his models, become the texts claimed by these students
5 or her culture, systematically or otherwise, for hun- who, although they may individually understand
6 dreds of years. This is as true here in London as it different things by them, recognise in them the
7 is in Johannesburg. One may argue over the details weapons with which a particular kind of silence may
8 of this rejection (was it better or worse, here or nally be broken.
9 there, enduring or short-lived, suppressed or overt) Never talk to your client about architecture.
30111 but it is an inescapable fact. For black students Long before the client appears, long before the
1 of architecture, the group of black architects (in building materialises, there is language. Not only
2 waiting) with whom I am most immediately what to talk about, how to talk about it. Struggle,
3 familiar, this realisation invariably leads to others. I would argue, is the state of collective conscious-
4 They do not know as yet whether these are dead- ness for black students seeking language: both
5111 ends, or can be made into a new beginning. Any formal, spatial, material and verbal. Language, in
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the terms I have just described, becomes the And yet . . . 1111
weapon for articulating and resolving this state of Talk to your client about architecture. 2
struggle. Talk to your architect about architecture. 3
There is a kit of reliable emotive phrases for writ- Talk. 4
ers, a ready-made aesthetic for painters and sculp- 5
tors, an unwritten index of subjects for playwrights 6
and a list of approved images for photographers. Not es and references 7
1. South Africa.
But what of the architect? This is my seventh year 8
2. N. Gordimer, in A Sport of Nature (Alfred Knopf Inc.,
of teaching. In that time, I have taught black stu- 9
New York, 1987; reprinted by Penguin, Harmonds-
dents from Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, Europe and 10111
worth, UK, 1988), p. 184.
the US. Some good, some bad, like all students. In 1
3. E. Shohat and R. Stam, Unthinking Eurocentrism:
many ways, it is impossible to distinguish their work 2
Multi-culturalism and the Media (Routledge, London,
from others: after all, theyre all reading Bannister 1994), p. 18. 3
Fletcher and, one assumes, ingesting the same cul- 4. Building Design, October 26 2001, pp 2627. 4
tural references. But in some I have been made 5. My emphasis. 5
aware of a suppressed desire, a kind of secret 6. Again, my words (in brackets). 6
energy, a drive towards expressing something that 7. Attributed to Marco Goldschmied, former RIBA 7
has never found expression. This work has not President, 2000. 8
really, fully developed itself beyond protest, beyond 8. N. Gordimer, in The Essential Gesture (Penguin, 9
identifying itself in relation to that which it is not. Harmondsworth, 1986), p. 214. 20111
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