Art

Prac(ce and
Social Par(cipa(on

Caelan Bristow
March 8th 2017
Mary Immaculate College
Strands in Public / community art and design

Projects - Part One Projects - Part Two
Art and Design projects with social Par(cipatory art projects
focus • Role of ar(st / par(cipant
• Reclaiming public space • Type of collabora(on
• Communica(on and interac(on • Context of work
• Civic/community ini(a(ves • Degree of social exchange &
• Public shelter interac(on
• Environmental awareness • Result of par(cipatory ac(on
• Re-use & recycling of public waste (Emo(onal/physical/poli(cal/etc)
• Cri(que of ar(s(c & poli(cal
objec(ves
 Part 1: Examples of
Art & Design Projects
with a social focus
Reclaiming Public Space

Urban Swings
Ac(vist Architecture
Reclaiming Public Space

“Walkmobile”
Hermann Knoflacher
 Reclaiming Public Space

“Ball” and “Bubble”

Citymine/d
 Reclaiming Public Space

Mobile Playground
City Mine(d)
 Reclaiming Public Space

Zebra Crossing
City mine(d)
Communica(on and Interac(on

“Keep off the grass please”

Anonymous, Univ of Michigan US
Communica(on and Interac(on

SMS Guerrilla Projector

TROIKA
 Communica(on and Interac(on

Playhouse, Liberty Hall

Tim Redfern, Jack Phelan, Brian Solon
 Communica(on and Interac(on

“Hearing There”
David Drury
Civic / Community Ini(a(ves

“Add On 20 Hohnenmeter”
Peter Fabnger, Veronica Orso, Michael Rieper
Civic / Community Ini(a(ves

Highline, New York

Diller Scofidio & Renfro with
James Corner Field Opera(ons
 Civic / Community Ini(a(ves

Edible Schoolyard
Alice Waters & Mar(n Luther King Jr Middle School, CA
 Civic / Community Ini(a(ves

De Strip Vlaardingen, Netherlands

Jeanne van Heeswijk
 Civic / Community Ini(a(ves

Hier Enstecht, Berlin

(Strategies of Par(cipa(ve Architecture and Spa(al Appropria(on)
Jesko Fezer, Mathias Heyden
 Civic / Community Ini(a(ves

Playpump, SA
Trevor Field, Ronnie Stuiver
Civic / Community Ini(a(ves

“Palas por pistolas”

Pedro Reyes & Teddy Cruz
 Public Shelter

“ParaSITES”
Michael Rakowitz
 Public Shelter

Bus Shelter
Christopher Fennell & Doug Makemson
Public Shelter

Kitchen Monument
Raumlabor Berlin
 Environmental Awareness/Re-Use
& Recycling of Public Waste

Poster Pocket Plants

Eric Cheung, Sean Mar(ndale
Environmental Awareness/Re-Use
& Recycling of Public Waste

Aquarium Phonebooth
Benoit Deseille & Benedeho Busalino
Environmental Awareness/Re-Use
& Recycling of Public Waste

Belfast Binboat for Venice Biennale

Paddy Bloomer & Nicky Keogh
 Part 2: Examples of
Par(cipatory Projects
& Installa(ons
 Par(cipatory Projects & Installa(ons

“Exchange” for Birr Arts Fes(val

Pauline Rowan
Par(cipatory Projects & Installa(ons

“Park(ing)”
Rebar
Par(cipatory Projects & Installa(ons

“Give and Take”

Center for Community Research & Design,
Woodbury University CA

Table Tennis fence

Droog NL
Par(cipatory Projects & Installa(ons

“Garbage truck Ballet” & “The Social Mirror”

Mierles Laderman Ukeles
Par(cipatory Projects & Installa(ons

“Campinski” workshop with TU Darmstadt students

Office of Subversive Architecture
Par(cipatory Projects & Installa(ons
Slowweave Caelan Bristow

Exercises

Slowweave
Describe the view from where you are without describing Draw the plan, shpae of the place in one continuous line Record every colour you can see, as desctiptively as possible Sketch the path of an insect or Draw a shadow Draw or describe a shape
buildings. bird or cat or dog (or??) This “slow” project expresses the fresh awareness of our sur-

roundings that can happen when we tune in to our senses. We

notice the elaborate tapestry in the way in which people and

creatures inhabit the space surrounding & within architecture (ie.

What exists as built form and/or as a planned environment), lay-

ered with the effect of rain or shadow on a surface and the sonic

potential of a crevisse, and so on...

1 2 3 4 5 6
Slowweave was inspired by previous projects on the gather-
ing of site experience. George Perec’s classic text “Tentative

walk 20 paces slowely and record what you hear Describe any change in light quality as it moves Draw one or more clouds List all letters visible in order of how many you see Record something you see that corresponds to the word; of sensory information we may experience in a place when we
exclamtions
a)passing open our eyes, ears, nostrils etc. William H. Whyte’s 10-year re-
b)prevent
c)quiet
d)tight Urban Spaces” (1980), a rich and colourful expression of the way
e)warm we use public space, relevant even today. The Slowweave project
f)violent
is also indebted to “Learning to Love you More”, a web-based
g)fragile
participatory art project developed by artists Harrell Fletcher and

Miranda July in which thousands of participants completed and

exchanged some 63 “assignments” on the web site. The struc-

7 8 9 10 11 12 ture of the LTLYM projects gave me ideas for how to encourage

participants to start the observation process with a clear, uninten-

tional mind...

make small rubbings of as many surfaces/textures possible photograph someone you see (ask permission if necessary) Write a very short story about something you see, smell,or Interview someone you see about what they’re doing (keep
tool) hear (less than a page) it short) Participants are invited to complete a series of exercises at their
Building your house chosen site. The exercises are generally space-related, and
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to
leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his require the participant to record their observations in some way
extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire. They
could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go & asked if he could build just one more
house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his
heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. exercises focus on observing people and some deal with the self
It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
within the space. Some focus on qualities of light and shadow.
handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, “This is your house... my gift to you.”
The carpenter was shocked!
What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it Some require creative thinking and some will require the observer
all so differently.
So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the to list a series of elements.
building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we
could do it over, we would do it much differently.
But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a

13 14 15 16 board,
or erect a wall. Someone once said, “Life is a do-it-yourself project.” Your attitude, and the
choices you make today, help build the “house” you will live in tomorrow.
17 18
Therefore, Build wisely! Observers are asked (if feasible) to return to their chosen site at a

different time of day or if the weather changes. Observations may

be recorded using any additional methods as well as the method

Draw or photograph something you see from a viewpoimt un- List all the plants you see and know / describe those you a) List the surface material in your chosen site Write out a recipe (useful or not) made with things from Describe or draw a network or system underground or List all the rubbish you see according to categories such as
der 3 feet/1 meter don’t know the name of b) Make a audio recording of the sound made by hitting the your site behind, eg. Sewer diagram food & drink, clothing, etc indicated (eg. You can photograph your toes stuck in a crack in
mayerial with your pen addition to writing a description). Any amount of observational
material is welcome.

Slowweave is ongoing and ever-expanding: every observation

leads to further exploration and enrichment of the slow experi-

ence.

19 20 21 22 23 24
Caelan Bristow copyright 2010

Record all types of human industry evident Copy onto paper several cracks and make a face or Draw or describe a physical gesture you witness Record something at your site that made you stop and think Make up your own exercise & complete it
llandscape out of them the feeling

25 26 27 28 29 30

Instructions: 4. Complete 10 or more of the exercises listed below. They are in a Each board in drawer represents one location/observer. New
random order so read all before selecting & starting! observers are welcome to participate.

1. Select a public place that is planned & built for public use (such as Contributors & Slowweave Location:
a plaza/town square, a housing development hub, a lane way, a park- Michael Bristow - Kingston, Ontario, CA Denotes sound recording - listen via headphones to
ing lot, a cul-de-sac, a street corner, shopping mall, etc). Angelica Dobson - Market Square, Birr ipod segment
Mike Haslam - Dublin
2. Choose a place to sit or stand. Christopher Roland Mahon - Dublin
Lena Kuppens - Amsterdam
3. Record elements such as Alan Roe - Birr
Caelan Bristow - Limerick & Lough Boora
-Date, time including day of the week Nicholas Ward - University of Limerick
-Name of the place you’ve chosen Guiseppe Torre - University of Limerick
-Your position in the place Keith Winter - Limerick
-Duration of study Louise Allen - Kilkenny Parade
-Weather conditions Aoife Desmond - Dublin
-(Optional) why you chose the site
slow architecture and place

“Slowweave” in Slow Architecture and Place project 2010

Caelan Bristow
Par(cipatory Projects & Installa(ons

“Slowweave Offaly” 2011

Caelan Bristow
Projects with children

“OpenEd” schools project

for Open House Limerick
Architecture Fes(val 2014/17
Caelan Bristow
Projects & artists/art groups/designers for Masterclass presentation

Caelan’s list for discussion

FINAL DRAFT
Projects List
11.10.2009

OTHER (highlighted for slideshow) DRAFT 4 10.10.2009

Project Artist/Group Location Theme Project Artist/group Location Theme

Exchange Pauline Rowan Birr Co. Offaly People exchange objects/ideas/gestures in
What makes people big as cars Hermann Knoflacher Reclaiming public space
local square
Various 2012/Superuse international Art & design with recycled materials
Learning to Love you more Miranda July, Harrell Fletcher international Participatory Web project to guide people
Learningtoloveyoumore.com to have their own experience
Parasite Michael Rakowitz USA Shelter
Bio-mapping Christian Nold International Emotional response to physical environment
http://www.biomapping.net/ Urban Swings Activistarchitecture.com Reclaiming public space

1. Ball citymine/d international Reclaiming public space Various wochenklauser International Social interventions
2. Bubble http://www.citymined.org/aboutus.php http://www.wochenklausur.at/index1.ph
p?lang=en
Park(ing) Rebar US Reclaiming public space SMS Guerrilla Projector TROIKA
http://www.rebargroup.org/projects/
parking/PARK(ing)/index.html Bus Shelter Christopher Fennell, Doug Makemson Atlanta Art & design with recycled materials

Table tennis fence Droog (www.Droog.com) Netherlands Making places for communication & Air Bear Joshua Allen Harris NYC Rubbish becomes animated
See CCA (cca-actions.org/search- interaction from marginal spaces
actions/56) Aquarium phone booth Benoit Deseille, Benedetto Busalino Lyon Disused phonebooths have 2nd life

Give and Take Center for Community Research and CA, USA Making places for communication & Reverse graffiti Alexandre Orion Brazil Creating art by cleaning pollution
Design, Woodbury University interaction from marginal spaces
Crate Sphere Crateman crew Adelaide Participatory parade float in milk crates
Poster pocket plants Eric Cheung, Sean Martindale International Guerrilla planting of billboards
http://torontoist.com/2009/07/green_sle Keep off the grass please University of Michigan USA Prohibitive signage makes people participate
eves.php
Belfast Bin boat Gondola Paddy Bloomer, Nicky Keogh Venice Boat built from dumpsters and bathtubs etc
X-PO Deirdre O’Mahony Co. Clare Reactivation of abandoned post office as
cultural centre for community The Soft Edge Aileen Lambert Ireland Landscape experiences of public recorded in
book
Various Walk & squawk international Relational art activity
Sarah’s list for discussion http://walksquawk.org/
Urban/community Initiatives Sentient City Survival Kit Mark Shepard Buffalo Responding to invisible information systems
Project
High line Artist/group
Diller & Scofidio Location
NYC Theme
Rebirth of derelict elevated rail line, as http://survival.sentientcity.net/ in everyday life
Procession Jeremy Deller Manchester public park 1. Peace Lines David Drury 1. Belfast 1. Soundscape of (contentious) separated
Add on. 20 Hohenmeter http://www.msa.mmu.ac.uk/continuity/in
Fattinger, Orso, Reiper Germany & http://peacelinesbelfast.blogspot.com/ areas projected onto contrasting (fluid)
dex.php/2009/07/06/jeremy-deller’s- 2. Hearing there http://www.vagueterrain.net/journal13/d 2. Montreal physical reality
Sensorial Lisbon ?procession/ Lisbon Blindfolded walks of the Alfama borough to avid-drury/01 2. Anti-segregation of architectural space
Hidden Curriculum Annette Krauss UK heighten awareness using soundscape
The Blue House Amsterdam Palas por pistolas Pedro Reyes Mexico
(Het Blauw Huis) http://www.bdonline.co.uk/
Various
Invisible Zagreb Stephen willats
platform 9/81 London
Croatia Mapping project -empty buildings in rapidly story.asp?storycode=3143490
http://www.variant.randomstate.org/4te
(architect-artist collaborative group) developing city, proposed potential of reuse Mobile Stage What If London
xts/Jane_Kelly.html & encouraged temporary use with cultural http://www.what-if.info/LIFT.html
activities Various Space Hijackers UK
Camberwell Street Training Manual
Edible Schoolyard Lottie Childs London
California environmental & social responsibility taught http://www.spacehijackers.co.uk/
http://www.camberwellarts.org.uk/lottie to children
Freemobile -child/ Seattle Van-share distributing goods & services for
free
Crystal Quilt
Kunsprojekte Suzanne Lacy Riem, Germany Using art projects to catalyse
communication of their desires and
frustrations in creating new suburb
When Faith Moves Mountains
Hotel Neustadt Francis Alys NYC East
former creative entrepreneurship - renovation of
Germany abandoned apartment building for art
projects & community events
De Strip Jeanne van Heeswijk Vlaardingen, 10 yr collaboration betw artists, designers &
1. ‘Touch Sanitation’ Mierle Laderman Ukeles NYC
Netherlands local inhabitants for urban renewal
2. Re-Spect
Various http://www.communityarts.net/readingr
Public works Community interaction/involvment
3.Garbage Truck Dance
http://www.publicworksgroup.net/p oom/archivefiles/2002/09/touch_sanitati
4. Maintenance Art
ages/about_profile.html o.php
Various department for public appearances Germany
The Martha Rosler Library
http://www.department-online.de/ Martha Rosler International
various Muf UK

Social
VariousSculpture JosephStudio
Rural Beuys International
Alabama Student and Community participation in
7000 Oak trees regeneration projects

Cross-disciplinary design
Watercone stephen augustin yemen

Waterpump trevor field, ronnie stuiver south africa

 References
Poster Pocket Plants: hhp://torontoist.com/2009/07/green_sleeves.php, hhp://www.publicspace.ca/gardenerspics.htm
Learning to Love You More: hhp://www.learningtoloveyoumore.com/
Park(ing): hhp://www.rebargroup.org/projects/parking/PARK(ing)/index.html
Bus Stop Shelter: hhp://www.cfennell.org/pages/bs.html
Guerrilla SMS Projector: hhp://troika.uk.com/
Ac(vist Architecture: hhp://sites.google.com/site/ac(vistarchitecture/
Deirdre O’Mahony – X-PO: hhp://www.x-po.ie/home.html
David Drury: hhp://www.vagueterrain.net/journal13/david-drury/01, hhp://peacelinesbelfast.blogspot.com/
Mark Shepard: hhp://survival.sen(entcity.net/?p=18, hhp://www.tac(calsoundgarden.net/
Walk&Squawk: hhp://walksquawk.org/
Muf architects: hhp://www.muf.co.uk/ride.htm
The Highline NYC: hhp://www.thehighline.org/galleries/images/public-programs
‘What You Can Do with the City’ at the Canadian Centre for Architecture (see hhp://ccaac(ons.org/about)
Superuse: hhp://www.superuse.org/
City Mine(d): hhp://www.citymined.org/aboutus.php
Control magazine: www.controlmagazine.org/about.php

hhp://www.department-online.de/
hhp://www.pingpongproject.org/gallery.php
hhp://www.gijsvanvaerenbergh.com/
hhp://www.commonground.ie/Ar(st.htm
hhp://www.papercoffin.com/wri(ng/ar(cles/hirschhorn.html
hhp://www.blauwehuis.org/
hhp://www.spacehijackers.co.uk/
hhp://www.publicworksgroup.net/pages/high_house_text.html
hhp://www.what-if.info/LIFT.html
hhp://www.jeanneworks.net/