Real Review #5

Autumn 2017

SYSTEMIC DOUBT

Juergen Teller

Vilém Flusser

Leon Batchelor

Phin Harper

Nina Power

Metahaven

Nick Roberts

Jack Self

Louise Benson

Dele Adeyemo

Max Turnheim

Max Creasy

Anna Minton

Matthew Soules

Jack Self

Amelia Stein

Liam Denhamer

Ai Weiwei

Thomas Brown

Rory McGrath


We live in extremely uncertain times. Our faith in the future is increasingly
tested. Far from being a hopeful, utopian domain, the future now seems doubtful. But what does it mean to doubt today?

Societal levels of anxiety are rising. Insecurity is now a generalised condition. Concern that civilisation itself is on the brink of some cataclysmic change is ubiquitous. And yet, doubting doubt – through the scientific method, imperial evidence and systemic thought – has not only created modernity, but offers the only hope to our worry.

Inside Real Review 5

Did you ever doubt yourself? We interview photographer JUERGEN TELLER on persona and confidence. Philosopher VILEM FLUSSER reviews doubting doubt. LEON BATCHELOR reviews the IKEA catalogue and its ethical propositions. DELE ADEYEMO reviews resilience strategies, systemic racism and social injustice. MAX TURNHEIM reviews FONDATION CARTIER and 20th-century glass, with photography by MAX CREASY. ANNA MINTON reviews London’s spatial politics.

Also in the issue: PHIN HARPER reviews the architectural competition, exploitation and ego. Meanwhile, NINA POWER reviews the philosophy of uncertainty, and METAHAVEN review the current trend in post-Soviet dystopian subcultures. NICK ROBERTS reviews a house that can’t ever be completed and LOUISE BENSON reviews opium. JACK SELF reviews the meaning of luxury and time confetti. MATTHEW SOULES reviews Vancouver’s property monsters and the morality of one-for-one real estate. AMELIA STEIN reviews primitive technology, LIAM DENHAMER reviews if Brexit means Brexit. AI WEI WEI reviews the life of LIU XIAOBO.