An architecture manual and a survey of Mario Botta's career.
This book represents an architectural manual and a survey of Mario Botta's career. A pleasant read that will enlighten both professionals and those less versed in architecture appreciation. When the Palazzo Botta opened in Lugano in November 1988, it was greeted with enthusiasm by the Swiss and international media alike. To this day, it still counts as a rare icon of contemporary bank architecture.
The book is published by the commissioner, BSI (Banca della Svizzera Italiana), as part of their Art Program, relaunched in 2005 by the Italian curator and critic Luca Cerizza. Stemming from a program of site-specific commissions for the bank, the books in this series are conceived as individual monographs and catalogues on each artist's contribution. Gathering preparatory material, documentation on the works, and essays by critics or the artists themselves, these volumes contribute to the discussion around commissioning, the notions of public vs. private collection, and the relationship between artists and patrons (in the same series: John Armleder,
Robert Barry,
Daniel Buren,
Tony Cragg,
Liam Gillick,
Alex Katz,
Daniel Roth,
Maps and Legends,
Free Zone: China, Ils sont peintres).
