MuMaGi

... the ar/t/khitecting of paradigms of knowledge...



...these paradigms of knowledge and language may lead to 'architecture' in its commonly understood sense, but we would say that an ar/t/khitect is to the architect what dark matter is to matter.



Maybe it is a provocation, to provoke thought, to provoke action.

And yet it is not all about architecture at all, for it encompasses musical composition amongst other things, such as the design of worlds.



The word ar/t/khitecture is still young, we are still developing the thoughts around the concept.

It is a noun, an adjective and a verb.

The reinvention of words often comes as a discovery that the terminology we take for granted effectively doesn't make sense or no longer makes sense in the way that we know of'. Marco Poletto.

In a post internet age ar/t/khitecture as we know it is being buried under the weight of layers of unfolding expectation.

The new ar/T/khitecture is emerging, born of a parallel dimension existing in a dark web of non-reality and exclusion.

Intangible, ephemeral, built of networks of independent nodes; the ar/T/khitect operates in an interstitial space within the ecology of life support production.

Press Pack

MuMaGi activies are built upon a continually evolving set of principles and a growing number of ethical, theatrical and pragmatic concerns; developed and explored within the pages of eight evolving ar/t/khitectural books:

The MuMaGi Book
The UnKnown
The Symphonic Multiverse
The Codex
A Taxonomy of Beings
A Kind of Joy
Eschatological Narratives
The Eighth Book

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https://artkhitecture.com/

https://mumagi.bandcamp.com/

https://scrtworlds.bandcamp.com

The codex, often regarded as a precursor to the modern book, is a remarkable artifact that has played a pivotal role in preserving knowledge and shaping human history for over a thousand years. It represents a significant evolution from ancient scroll-based forms of writing and has been instrumental in the dissemination of literature, science, religion, and culture throughout various civilizations. This essay will delve into the rich history of the codex, tracing its origins, development, and enduring impact on the transmission of information.

Origins and Antecedents
The term "codex" derives from the Latin word "caudex," meaning a block of wood, tree trunk, or wooden writing tablet. The transition from scrolls to codices was a gradual process. Ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks and Romans, used scrolls made from materials like papyrus and parchment to record their writings. Scrolls had certain limitations, including bulkiness, limited accessibility, and difficulties in referencing specific sections of text.

The first recognizable codices emerged during the early Christian era, between the 1st and 4th centuries CE. Early Christian scribes and scholars began to experiment with folding and binding sheets of parchment or vellum to create compact, book-like forms. The motivation for this transition was not merely practical but also symbolic. The codex allowed Christians to compile and disseminate sacred texts, enabling easier access to religious writings. The Codex Vaticanus, one of the earliest extant codices, dates back to the 4th century CE and contains the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

The Codex and Medieval Manuscripts
The codex gained prominence during the Middle Ages when monastic scribes meticulously copied and illustrated manuscripts by hand. These illuminated manuscripts were not only repositories of knowledge but also artistic masterpieces. Monasteries became centers of learning and the preservation of classical texts, and codices played a crucial role in maintaining the continuity of ancient wisdom.

One of the most famous medieval codices is the Book of Kells, an illuminated Gospel manuscript produced in the British Isles around the 9th century. Its intricate, colorful illustrations and calligraphy are a testament to the artistry and dedication of medieval scribes. Such manuscripts often incorporated religious texts, classical writings, and scientific treatises.

The Renaissance and the Printing Press
The Renaissance period witnessed a resurgence of interest in classical literature and a renewed emphasis on scholarship. With the advent of the printing press in the mid-15th century, the codex took a significant leap forward. Johannes Gutenberg's invention revolutionized the production of books by replacing manual transcription with mechanical printing. Gutenberg's Bible, also known as the 42-line Bible, was one of the first major books printed using movable type. The Gutenberg Bible is a testament to the codex's role in the dissemination of knowledge during the Renaissance.

The printing press democratized access to information and accelerated the spread of ideas. It fueled the growth of libraries, universities, and the literary culture of the time. The codex format, with its standardized pages and consistent layout, was perfectly suited to the printing press and became the predominant book form during this period.

The Age of Exploration and the Enlightenment
The codex played a pivotal role in shaping the Age of Exploration, a period of maritime discovery and global expansion that began in the late 15th century. European explorers and navigators carried codices containing maps, charts, and accounts of their voyages. These codices, often richly illustrated, contributed to the mapping and understanding of the New World.

The Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries ushered in a new era of reason, inquiry, and the exchange of ideas. Encyclopedias, philosophical treatises, and scientific journals, all in codex form, became influential tools for spreading Enlightenment ideals. Diderot and d'Alembert's "Encyclopédie" is a prime example of a comprehensive work of reference published in the form of a multivolume codex.

The Codex in the Modern Age
The codex continued to evolve and adapt in the modern age. It played an essential role in the documentation of historical events, scientific discoveries, and literary achievements. For instance, Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species," published in 1859 as a codex, revolutionized the field of biology and remains a cornerstone of evolutionary theory.
In the 20th century, the codex format became the standard for academic publications, novels, non-fiction works, and countless other genres. The codex's portability, ease of use, and capacity for organized information made it indispensable for a rapidly expanding global literary market.

The Digital Age and the Future of the Codex
With the advent of the digital age, the codex has faced new challenges and opportunities. E-books and digital libraries have transformed the way people access and consume written content. However, the codex has proven remarkably resilient. Many readers continue to prefer the tactile experience of a physical book, and printed codices remain a staple of the publishing industry.

In conclusion, the history of the codex is a testament to the enduring power of human ingenuity and the written word. From its early beginnings as a Christian innovation to its role in the Renaissance, Enlightenment, and beyond, the codex has been a vehicle for preserving and disseminating knowledge. Its adaptability and continued relevance demonstrate that, despite advances in technology, the codex remains an enduring and cherished form of information transmission. As we embrace the digital age, we must remember the rich legacy of the codex and the profound impact it has had on our collective intellectual journey.

(Chat GPT 3.5: 'write 1000 words about the history of the codex')

Tyshawn Sorey

Posthuman Philosophy

Nellhy Ben Hayoun

Fourth Space

Sanford Kwinter

Mathis Nitschke

Yanyun Chen

Martina Koppelstetter

SCOTT BREWER

Practice Architecture

Archinect Network

Tatiana Bilbao

ANON

University of the Underground

Naked House

Bill Dixon

Zena Edwards

Amin Taha

Extra Office

Jennifer Sigler

Pi Recordings

The Practice Research Portal

How Can Architecture Be Biological?

Mumagi Musound

OMMX

MuSound: beyond an essentialist view of the production of sound happenings



..... ., ;';''; ..



MuSound is sometimes organised sometimes disorganised, sometimes a mixture of the two - this we call anexact.



;.',, organised and disorganised musound as a phenomenological proposition of mind and sensory perception. Often reaching for a hidden beauty beyond the veil of normative reality. Beauty coming from an epistemology of life.

A Kind of Joy, we have been looking for this for many years, it is something many of us are seeking; is it a designed space, or is it a found space? - Is discovering the same as inventing? - Is it a dwelling or an attitude within which to reside within a dwelling?



Is it a collection of dwellings or a single unit? Are these dwellings distributed across space or clustered together? Are specific materials required? Are there specific types of spaces and circulation? How about how these dwellings are used? Is that part of the plan? A Kind of Joy, what is it?

It is something we are striving for and can attain... perhaps the attainment is only momentary and fades away the moment we have it in our hands?



A Kind of Joy, perhaps it sounds a bit like Kind of Blue by Miles Davis? Blue and Green?

A Kind of Joy ar/t/khitecture and musound. The building blocks, the datum, the DNA are to be found in The Codex.



Collectivist, Individualist, do we believe in the common good, or pure selfishness?

Heaven looks like a different place to different people. We become incompatible with each other as we work towards different dreams.



What is your dream?

The Codex is a Data Soup, it allows possibilities to arise, spores of potentialities, some will lay down or float superfluous, they may be useful in the past or later to be resurrected.



A data soup of sounds, materials, techniques, symbols, idioms, typologies, visions, dreams, tools, formulae, sketches, research, laws, regulations....



from the data soup arises all....



by recombinations, transformations and replacements........