Armando Silva (Bogotá, August 19, 1948) is a Colombian philosopher and semiologist, best known for his work on “Urban Imaginaries” developed in several cities in Latin America and Spain.[1].
Biography
Silva has a doctorate and a postdoctorate in Philosophy and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine under the direction of the philosopher Jacques Derrida and the psychoanalytic critic Julieth Flower"), Family Photo Album: The Image of Ouselves winner of the best doctoral thesis award at the universities of California (1996).
Previously, he had completed doctoral studies in Italy with E. Garroni and U. Eco at the Sapienza di Roma (Sapienza di Roma) and in Semiotics and Psychoanalysis at the Ecole Des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales) EHESS in Paris, with Ch. Metz and in Literature and Linguistics in Spain (Complutense University of Madrid). He has been a guest professor at various universities, including Barcelona, Andalusia, Autonomous University of Mexico, California and Buenos Aires. He is the author of more than 30 books among which are Imaginarios Urbanos,[2] Album de Familia[3]and among his recent publications is his review of the concept of the imaginary in his book Imaginarios, el amazement social, published simultaneously in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina,[4] translated into Portuguese (Imaginarios, Estranhamentos Urbanos) and systematized in English by Mac Gill, Imaginaries in Contemporary Aesthetics[5]*.* Editor of the series " Imagined Cities" with Alfaguara and of the audiovisual program "Imagined Cities for TV" (YouTube channel), director of the international program "Urban Imaginaries". In his latest essays he investigates the relationship between the imaginary and the digital, he publishes "Territory and Imaginary Places" for Topophilia de México.[6] In turn, the French magazine, Vie des idées, since France was where he began his theory of the imaginaries, asks him to apply his points of view to his hometown and publishes "L'apparition de Bogota: De la cite rêvée a la vile réelle"[7]..
In the last four years, he explores the production of imaginaries in fiction and publishes his first novel (2017) and then the novel (2019) which originates a first massive visual story in the newspaper El Tiempo [8]and, at the same time, a group of artists decide to take their novel to art and performance, this being one of the author's current interests: exploring the relationships between contemporary art and urban imaginaries.
urban semiology
Introduction
Armando Silva (Bogotá, August 19, 1948) is a Colombian philosopher and semiologist, best known for his work on “Urban Imaginaries” developed in several cities in Latin America and Spain.[1].
Biography
Silva has a doctorate and a postdoctorate in Philosophy and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine under the direction of the philosopher Jacques Derrida and the psychoanalytic critic Julieth Flower"), Family Photo Album: The Image of Ouselves winner of the best doctoral thesis award at the universities of California (1996).
Previously, he had completed doctoral studies in Italy with E. Garroni and U. Eco at the Sapienza di Roma (Sapienza di Roma) and in Semiotics and Psychoanalysis at the Ecole Des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales) EHESS in Paris, with Ch. Metz and in Literature and Linguistics in Spain (Complutense University of Madrid). He has been a guest professor at various universities, including Barcelona, Andalusia, Autonomous University of Mexico, California and Buenos Aires. He is the author of more than 30 books among which are Imaginarios Urbanos,[2] Album de Familia[3]and among his recent publications is his review of the concept of the imaginary in his book Imaginarios, el amazement social, published simultaneously in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina,[4] translated into Portuguese (Imaginarios, Estranhamentos Urbanos) and systematized in English by Mac Gill, Imaginaries in Contemporary Aesthetics[5]*.* Editor of the series " Imagined Cities" with Alfaguara and of the audiovisual program "Imagined Cities for TV" (YouTube channel), director of the international program "Urban Imaginaries". In his latest essays he investigates the relationship between the imaginary and the digital, he publishes "Territory and Imaginary Places" for Topophilia de México.[6] In turn, the French magazine, Vie des idées, since France was where he began his theory of the imaginaries, asks him to apply his points of view to his hometown and publishes .
The Shit and Love
The Sleeping Beauty 2.0
Throughout his research career he has received distinctions and honors from several universities and institutions. Among his latest tributes, the one from the Latin American Association of Semiotics (2018) stands out, which he himself co-founded together with the Colombian chapter, for his contributions to the study of cities with semiotic and deconstructive tools.[9] He is the author of the Methodology of Urban Imaginaries, selected by the Andrés Bello Agreement to carry out the first investigation of comparative urban cultures in several capitals of Latin America. Several international entities such as UNESCO,[10] the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences FLACSO,[11] among others join the initiative. Selected as the only writer, researcher and artist invited by Documenta II, when for the first time the event invites a writer and philosopher to be part of the global contemporary art exhibition event, Documenta 11, and publishes his book “Urbane Vorstellungs-welten in Lateinamerika” (Urban imaginaries from Latin America Documenta 11) in Germany.[12] Wins the 2024 Opinion Journalism award from the Círculo de Bogotá Journalism (2024).[13].
More than 500 master's doctoral theses have been argued from his extensive theoretical work, ranging from the graffiti studies of 1988 [14] and Family Album: the Image of Ourselves, to Social Astonishment (2014) or Citizen Atmospheres (2019). The Google Academic platform recognizes more than 2,500 citations of his work in the last three years (2019). There are several recent virtual interviews about A. Silva's work. José Luis Fernández interviewed him about his classic work Urban Imaginaries,[15] Paula Mascías about her latest great project (2022 - 2025) Imagined Cities, Communities and Borders (Cycli) [16]or on his website [17]based at FLACSO Buenos Aires.[18].
Armando Silva has been invited to major world art and culture events, such as Documenta II in Kassel, Germany (2002);[19] Sao Paulo Biennial (2004); Venice Biennale (2006). In 2021, the Vienna Biennale is inspired by the theory of urban imaginaries and recognizes him as the creator of the concept and invites one hundred artists and scientists to present works about taking care of the world Eat Love. One of its curators Huber Klumpmer interviews him.[20] Which extended to the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Biennale of Urban Planning and Architecture.[21].
Her complete work in retrospective was exhibited at the Antoni Tàpies Foundation in Barcelona (2007);[22] Natalia González prepared a virtual exhibition of her work referring to Bogotá at MAMBO 2016.[23] She is a columnist for El Tiempo. He founded and directed the Doctorate in Social Studies at the Externado University of Colombia and is a professor at the National University of Colombia, an institution that has granted him the recognitions and titles of Emeritus Professor of the National University of Colombia and University Master.
Around 200 cities in the world follow his methodology of urban imaginaries, a concept that he himself devised and coined in 1992; Today it is already used repeatedly in the academic and journalistic world. Cities that follow his methodology are called "imagined cities" on the basis that what is imagined is a prefiguration in the physical city perception; which the latter perceives from the dominant imaginaries constructed from affective aesthetics such as fear, hopes, love or the borders between nations or cities: "reality is the ghost of the real, not the real," he maintains. Among its new analysis tools it includes contemporary art.[24].
Several of his books and essays, by decision of the author, have been left freely accessible on four websites:
or in the link to his latest digital work (2023) with a transmedia edition where are the keys to how to transfer the reading book to another immersion book from the digital.
Silva Téllez, A. (2017). Shit and love. Rocca Editing Workshop. [27].
Silva Téllez, A. (2016). Italian culture in Colombia: reflections on ethnicities and mixtures in Colombia (2nd edition). Panamericana. (Original work published in 1999). [28].
Silva, Telliz, A. (2014). Citizen atmospheres: graffiti, pubic art, aesthetic niches. Externado University of Colombia. [29].
Silva Téllez, A. (2014). IMAGINARIOS, Urban Estranhamentos (A. Silva Trad.). Edições SESC São Paulo. [30].
Silva Téllez, A. (2013). IMAGINARIES: social amazement. Externado University in Colombia. [31].
Silva Téllez, A. (2012). Family album, the image of ourselves (4 ed.). University of Medellin. [32].
Silva Téllez, A. (2010). Imagined Ibero-American cities. Externado University of Colombia.
Silva Téllez, A. (2008). The imaginaries inhabit us. Latin American and Caribbean Organization of Historical Centers (OLACCHI).[33].
Silva Téllez, A. (2008). Family Album, in the image of ourselves (A. Silva Téllez, Trans.). São Paulo (Original work published in 1996). [34].
Silva Téllez, A. (2007). Urban imaginaries in Latin America: citizen urban planning. Fundació Antoni Tàpies. [35].
Silva Téllez, A (2006). Urban imaginaries: towards the development of urban planning from citizens. Methodology. Andrés Bello Agreement; National University of Colombia. [36].
Silva Téllez, A. (2004). City dust. La Balsa Cultural Society. [37].
Silva Téllez, A. (2004). Urbane Vorstellungswelten in Lateinamerika, Documenta 11. Germany: Kassel.
Silva Téllez, A. (2004). Methodology. Urban Imaginaries. Andrés Bello Agreement. [38].
Silva Téllez, A. (2003).Imagined Bogotá. Andrés Bello Agreement; Distributor and Publisher Aguilar, Altea, Taurus, Alfaguara, S.A.; National University of Colombia.[39].
Silva Téllez, A. (2004). Graffiti: an Imagined city. Even when the hell. (2nd revised ed. 1990, 3rd ed. 2004). Third World Editors. 1988 [40].
Silva Téllez, A. (1987). Citizen point of view: Visual Focus and Staging of Graffiti. Translated. Caro and Cuervo Institute. Original work published 1986. [41].
Works
Following the approaches of the works of Henri Lefebvre, Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, Steven Izenour"), Rem Koolhaas, Jean-Paul Sartre and Pierre Sansot, among others, Silva points out that Urban Imaginaries study social programs where the aesthetic function dominates as a way of perceiving and acting in the city; therefore, it would be a theory of feelings and their collective expression.[42] Silva proposes three situations that make up "urbanism." citizen»:.
According to the Imagined-Real formula, when a fact, an object or a story does not exist in verifiable empirical reality but a community imagines and experiences them as truly existing.[43].
According to the Real-Imagined formula, where a fact, story or text that exists empirically and referentially is not used or evoked by society or any group of it.[43].
According to the formula: Imagined-Real-Imagined, when the imagined collective perception coincides with empirical reality.[43].
These imaginaries, in turn, are constituted from three main dimensions:
As a psychic inscription, where feelings – fear, hatred, affection, etc. – dominate the imaginary order.[44].
As a social inscription, when the imaginary does not correspond only to an individual psychic inscription, but rather provides us with an affective and cognitive condition within social communities.[44].
As a technology for collective representation, where the imaginary is associated with the techniques that will serve as an instrument to represent, materialize and create types of vision, which requires understanding that each era constructs its perceptions sized from dominant technologies and that each one, in turn, allows the world to be deduced from its same inherent condition that yields one potential structuring and no other.[44].
Silva has carried out several investigations aimed at identifying the imaginaries of some cities in Latin America and Spain; In this context, Bogotá Imaginada,[45] Barcelona Imaginada,[46] Sao Paulo Imaginado,[47] and other books of this project were born, whose objective is to understand the forms of representation of imaginaries in cities.
In his opinion, this subjective approach to social behaviors from the imaginaries has opened a rich field of work that dialogues with other currents such as the sociology of affects, Peirce's logic and the hermeneutics of psychoanalysis.[48] His studies have complemented the theoretical framework of other works, among which can be found the Social Construction of Fear,[49] Latin America: a Cultural Space[50] and the Imaginaries of the School,[51] among others.
[10] ↑ «Proyecto de "Culturas urbanas en América Latina y España desde sus imaginarios sociales", es una investigación que se centra en numerosos movimientos urbanos del continente.».: https://www.oas.org/udse/cic/espanol/web_cic/tabla_temas1.htm
[17] ↑ «Imaginarios urbanos en el mundo. Lugares de mundo donde tiene presencia los estudios de imaginarios urbanos desarrollados a partir de la metodología de Armando Silva».: http://iu.imaginariosurbanos.net/
[51] ↑ Bocanegra, Elsa María (2008). «Del encierro al paraíso. Imaginarios dominantes en la escuela colombiana contemporánea: una mirada desde las escuelas de Bogotá». Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales 6 (1). ISSN 319-346 |issn= incorrecto (ayuda). (enlace roto disponible en Internet Archive; véase el historial, la primera versión y la última).: http://revistaumanizales.cinde.org.co/index.php/Revista-Latinoamericana/article/viewFile/277/143
"L'apparition de Bogota: De la cite rêvée a la vile réelle"[7].
In the last four years, he explores the production of imaginaries in fiction and publishes his first novel The Shit and Love (2017) and then the novel The Sleeping Beauty 2.0 (2019) which originates a first massive visual story in the newspaper El Tiempo [8]and, at the same time, a group of artists decide to take their novel to art and performance, this being one of the author's current interests: exploring the relationships between contemporary art and urban imaginaries.
Throughout his research career he has received distinctions and honors from several universities and institutions. Among his latest tributes, the one from the Latin American Association of Semiotics (2018) stands out, which he himself co-founded together with the Colombian chapter, for his contributions to the study of cities with semiotic and deconstructive tools.[9] He is the author of the Methodology of Urban Imaginaries, selected by the Andrés Bello Agreement to carry out the first investigation of comparative urban cultures in several capitals of Latin America. Several international entities such as UNESCO,[10] the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences FLACSO,[11] among others join the initiative. Selected as the only writer, researcher and artist invited by Documenta II, when for the first time the event invites a writer and philosopher to be part of the global contemporary art exhibition event, Documenta 11, and publishes his book “Urbane Vorstellungs-welten in Lateinamerika” (Urban imaginaries from Latin America Documenta 11) in Germany.[12] Wins the 2024 Opinion Journalism award from the Círculo de Bogotá Journalism (2024).[13].
More than 500 master's doctoral theses have been argued from his extensive theoretical work, ranging from the graffiti studies of 1988 [14] and Family Album: the Image of Ourselves, to Social Astonishment (2014) or Citizen Atmospheres (2019). The Google Academic platform recognizes more than 2,500 citations of his work in the last three years (2019). There are several recent virtual interviews about A. Silva's work. José Luis Fernández interviewed him about his classic work Urban Imaginaries,[15] Paula Mascías about her latest great project (2022 - 2025) Imagined Cities, Communities and Borders (Cycli) [16]or on his website [17]based at FLACSO Buenos Aires.[18].
Armando Silva has been invited to major world art and culture events, such as Documenta II in Kassel, Germany (2002);[19] Sao Paulo Biennial (2004); Venice Biennale (2006). In 2021, the Vienna Biennale is inspired by the theory of urban imaginaries and recognizes him as the creator of the concept and invites one hundred artists and scientists to present works about taking care of the world Eat Love. One of its curators Huber Klumpmer interviews him.[20] Which extended to the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Biennale of Urban Planning and Architecture.[21].
Her complete work in retrospective was exhibited at the Antoni Tàpies Foundation in Barcelona (2007);[22] Natalia González prepared a virtual exhibition of her work referring to Bogotá at MAMBO 2016.[23] She is a columnist for El Tiempo. He founded and directed the Doctorate in Social Studies at the Externado University of Colombia and is a professor at the National University of Colombia, an institution that has granted him the recognitions and titles of Emeritus Professor of the National University of Colombia and University Master.
Around 200 cities in the world follow his methodology of urban imaginaries, a concept that he himself devised and coined in 1992; Today it is already used repeatedly in the academic and journalistic world. Cities that follow his methodology are called "imagined cities" on the basis that what is imagined is a prefiguration in the physical city perception; which the latter perceives from the dominant imaginaries constructed from affective aesthetics such as fear, hopes, love or the borders between nations or cities: "reality is the ghost of the real, not the real," he maintains. Among its new analysis tools it includes contemporary art.[24].
Several of his books and essays, by decision of the author, have been left freely accessible on four websites:
or in the link to his latest digital work (2023) with a transmedia edition where are the keys to how to transfer the reading book to another immersion book from the digital.
Silva Téllez, A. (2017). Shit and love. Rocca Editing Workshop. [27].
Silva Téllez, A. (2016). Italian culture in Colombia: reflections on ethnicities and mixtures in Colombia (2nd edition). Panamericana. (Original work published in 1999). [28].
Silva, Telliz, A. (2014). Citizen atmospheres: graffiti, pubic art, aesthetic niches. Externado University of Colombia. [29].
Silva Téllez, A. (2014). IMAGINARIOS, Urban Estranhamentos (A. Silva Trad.). Edições SESC São Paulo. [30].
Silva Téllez, A. (2013). IMAGINARIES: social amazement. Externado University in Colombia. [31].
Silva Téllez, A. (2012). Family album, the image of ourselves (4 ed.). University of Medellin. [32].
Silva Téllez, A. (2010). Imagined Ibero-American cities. Externado University of Colombia.
Silva Téllez, A. (2008). The imaginaries inhabit us. Latin American and Caribbean Organization of Historical Centers (OLACCHI).[33].
Silva Téllez, A. (2008). Family Album, in the image of ourselves (A. Silva Téllez, Trans.). São Paulo (Original work published in 1996). [34].
Silva Téllez, A. (2007). Urban imaginaries in Latin America: citizen urban planning. Fundació Antoni Tàpies. [35].
Silva Téllez, A (2006). Urban imaginaries: towards the development of urban planning from citizens. Methodology. Andrés Bello Agreement; National University of Colombia. [36].
Silva Téllez, A. (2004). City dust. La Balsa Cultural Society. [37].
Silva Téllez, A. (2004). Urbane Vorstellungswelten in Lateinamerika, Documenta 11. Germany: Kassel.
Silva Téllez, A. (2004). Methodology. Urban Imaginaries. Andrés Bello Agreement. [38].
Silva Téllez, A. (2003).Imagined Bogotá. Andrés Bello Agreement; Distributor and Publisher Aguilar, Altea, Taurus, Alfaguara, S.A.; National University of Colombia.[39].
Silva Téllez, A. (2004). Graffiti: an Imagined city. Even when the hell. (2nd revised ed. 1990, 3rd ed. 2004). Third World Editors. 1988 [40].
Silva Téllez, A. (1987). Citizen point of view: Visual Focus and Staging of Graffiti. Translated. Caro and Cuervo Institute. Original work published 1986. [41].
Works
Following the approaches of the works of Henri Lefebvre, Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, Steven Izenour"), Rem Koolhaas, Jean-Paul Sartre and Pierre Sansot, among others, Silva points out that Urban Imaginaries study social programs where the aesthetic function dominates as a way of perceiving and acting in the city; therefore, it would be a theory of feelings and their collective expression.[42] Silva proposes three situations that make up "urbanism." citizen»:.
According to the Imagined-Real formula, when a fact, an object or a story does not exist in verifiable empirical reality but a community imagines and experiences them as truly existing.[43].
According to the Real-Imagined formula, where a fact, story or text that exists empirically and referentially is not used or evoked by society or any group of it.[43].
According to the formula: Imagined-Real-Imagined, when the imagined collective perception coincides with empirical reality.[43].
These imaginaries, in turn, are constituted from three main dimensions:
As a psychic inscription, where feelings – fear, hatred, affection, etc. – dominate the imaginary order.[44].
As a social inscription, when the imaginary does not correspond only to an individual psychic inscription, but rather provides us with an affective and cognitive condition within social communities.[44].
As a technology for collective representation, where the imaginary is associated with the techniques that will serve as an instrument to represent, materialize and create types of vision, which requires understanding that each era constructs its perceptions sized from dominant technologies and that each one, in turn, allows the world to be deduced from its same inherent condition that yields one potential structuring and no other.[44].
Silva has carried out several investigations aimed at identifying the imaginaries of some cities in Latin America and Spain; In this context, Bogotá Imaginada,[45] Barcelona Imaginada,[46] Sao Paulo Imaginado,[47] and other books of this project were born, whose objective is to understand the forms of representation of imaginaries in cities.
In his opinion, this subjective approach to social behaviors from the imaginaries has opened a rich field of work that dialogues with other currents such as the sociology of affects, Peirce's logic and the hermeneutics of psychoanalysis.[48] His studies have complemented the theoretical framework of other works, among which can be found the Social Construction of Fear,[49] Latin America: a Cultural Space[50] and the Imaginaries of the School,[51] among others.
[10] ↑ «Proyecto de "Culturas urbanas en América Latina y España desde sus imaginarios sociales", es una investigación que se centra en numerosos movimientos urbanos del continente.».: https://www.oas.org/udse/cic/espanol/web_cic/tabla_temas1.htm
[17] ↑ «Imaginarios urbanos en el mundo. Lugares de mundo donde tiene presencia los estudios de imaginarios urbanos desarrollados a partir de la metodología de Armando Silva».: http://iu.imaginariosurbanos.net/
[51] ↑ Bocanegra, Elsa María (2008). «Del encierro al paraíso. Imaginarios dominantes en la escuela colombiana contemporánea: una mirada desde las escuelas de Bogotá». Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales 6 (1). ISSN 319-346 |issn= incorrecto (ayuda). (enlace roto disponible en Internet Archive; véase el historial, la primera versión y la última).: http://revistaumanizales.cinde.org.co/index.php/Revista-Latinoamericana/article/viewFile/277/143