Image

1 AuraiceptnanEces;45x62cms;oil,acrylicandpenciloncanvas;ShaneCullen.

Contributors

2 AliceLyons4 Maja&ReubenFowkes6 DominicStevens8 aaa,Paris10 TimStott12 djeribi13 FrankMcDonald14 RobertaBacic16 PatriciaHurl&BongiBengu

18 SarahGlennie20 Dr.JohnMulloy22 GaynorSeville24 LittoralArtsTrust26 TobyScott28 Dr.SuzanneO’Shea29 CliodhnaShaffrey30 CarolAnneConnolly32 ValerieConnor

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Introduction

VergeisacriticalplatformforexploringalternativestotheprevailingdiscourseincontemporaryvisualartsinIrelandandinternationally.

Vergesuggestsanedgethatisperhapsspatialbutequallyisabouttransition,potential,emergenceasmuchasmarginalisationandinvisibility.

VergeisapartnershipprojectcarriedoutwiththesupportoftheArtsCouncilofIreland’sLocalPartnershipScheme.TheprojectwasinitiatedandfundedbyLocalAuthorityArtsOfficersfromcountiesClare,Donegal,Galway,Leitrim,Mayo,NorthTipperary,RoscommonandSligoinassociationwiththeShiftingGroundproject(representedbytheGalway/MayoInstituteofTechnology,Dept.ofCreativeArts).

Thispublicationarosefromasinceredesireamongitsparticipantstomakeavailableanalternativetocurrentvisualartspublications.Itseekstoredressanimbalanceinthecoverageofartinitiativessitedonthemarginsofthemorecentralisedvisualartsdiscourse.Ithastakenagreatdealofworktoproduceandhasbeenovertwoyearsintheprocessandplanning.Ithasrequiredadoggedlevelofteamworkandprofessionalism.

ItisthebrainchildofFionaWoodswithoutwhosevisionandfollow-throughitwouldnothavebeenprogressedtopublicationstage.FollowingonfromanumberofsuccessfulruralartsinitiativesandtheShiftingGroundconferenceinEnnis,Co.Clare,itwasenvisagedthatVergecouldfunctionasanongoingcriticalplatformforavarietyofspeakingandviewingpositionsaroundissuesrelatedtosame.

Vergeshowcasestheartisticandwritingtalentsofadiversityofpeoplewhoincomingtogetherhavecollectivelygivenaninfinitelyvaryingvoicetotheideaofavergeoredgeofexperiencewherebalanceandcommunicationbetweendifferentsymbolicordersmightjustbecomepossible.

Vergeisanoccasionalpublication.ItisthehopeoftheManagementGroupandEditorialPanelthatmoreissueswillfollowinthefuture.Thoseissueswillbeinformedbyyou,thepublic.ItisinthiscontextthatweverymuchlookforwardtoyourresponsetoVergeandissueawelcometothisfirstedition.

Dr. Suzanne O’Shea

Head of Creative Arts, Galway Mayo Institute Technology

and Chairperson, Editorial Panel, Verge Management Group

Alterity Begins at Home—AliceLyons

Atthisyear’sVeniceBiennale,KrzysztofWodiczko’sinstallation,GuestsinthePolishPavilionworkedasasortofluminoustrap.Itbroughttheaudienceintoastonishingintimacywithanawfultruth:wefearstrangers(inWodiczko’sprojectthestrangersareimmigrants)andwemaketheminvisible—andworse—byanyandallpossiblemeans.Throughthesimpletropeofprojected“windows”behindwhichsilhouettesperformachoreographyofcustodialjobs,ourattentionwasdriventothemilkyscrimof“glass”thatdividesusfromthem.

ThePolishPavilionintheGiardiniisanimposingstructure,builttoimpress.Therearenowindowsinit,renderingitinsularbydefinition.Likely,itwasWodiczko’sconceptualomphalos;anenclosure,aperfectarchitecturalmetaphorforthepurposesofcritiquingEuropeanxenophobia,andhisinstallationphysicallyandideologicallyperforatesit.Butthemetaphordoesn’tstopthere:formanypeople,artistsandnon-artistsalike,theartworldisasinsular,incarceratingandexclusionaryastructure.

IsatinWodiczko’sinstallationforalongtimelastJune,onabreakfrommyjobasassistantcuratorforIreland’sparticipationintheBiennale,andIwatchedmyowncurrentthoughtsmingleandinsertthemselvesintohisconceptualframework.Itwassoapt.FortheVeniceBiennaleis,ifnothingelse,ameccaforart-worldinsiders,peopleonthissideofthosewindows.Sittingthereonthecarpetedfloorinthedark,Iimaginedalltheseriousartistswhoareput,orwhoputthemselves,ontheothersideofthatmilkyscrim.Alterity,asEmmanuelLevinastheorisedit,2isanotionasapplicabletotheartworldasitistoanyothercommunity.

Asithappened,nottoolongafterIfinishedtheworkontheprojectinVenice,IhadtheopportunitytovisitforthesecondtimeanartistwholivesinWarsaw.HernameisZofiaMalanowska.Youwillnothaveheardofher.Sheisnotaname,sheisnotpositioningherselfforacareer,sheisnotinvolvedinthe“discourseofcentreandmargin”,of“otherness”.Yetsheis,ipsofacto,wrappedupinallofit.

Mrs.Malanowskaisaveryoldwomannow,95yearsold.Shehaslivedthroughquiteanepochinaveryunluckyspot

onthemapofEurope,andherlifestoryisthestuffofscreenplays.Infact,wecouldneverreallyknowwhatshehaslivedthrough.Buttheimportantpointforusisthatinoneyearinhereighthdecadeoflife,Mrs.Malanowskatookupalifeinvisualart.Shebegantoembroidertinypictures,notwiththeusualthickembroiderythread,butwithflimsy,thinordinarysewingthreadandtinyneedles.Shelivesinatypical1970shousingblockinWarsaw;thus,thegreyviewoutherwindowtothesnowycourtyardwiththethinwintertreesbecameasubject.SometimesshetearsoutphotosfromGazetaWyborczaasstartingpoints.Sheworksfivehourseverydayinherstudio—thesecondbedroominherflat.Shesaidshegoestobedeachnightwithjoythinkingofthenextday’swork.Herlittlethreadpicturesrevealaremarkablequalityofbravura(tiny),inventivenessandearnestsearching.But,muchtothedetrimentofvisitorstocontemporaryartvenues,Zofia’sworkisunlikelytoappearthere:sheisold,sheisself-educated,shedoesnotspeakart-speak,allfactorsworkingagainsther.

Thatthispersonandherremarkableworkwouldgenerallybeconsideredoutsideoftheartworlddefinesthesorrylimitsofthatworld(ofwhichIincludemyself).Icouldgoonaboutageismintheartworldandtheartworldwouldprobablyreply,“WellthereisLouiseBourgeois.”ButIdonotwanttogoonthatrant(eventhoughtheartworldisageist).Perhaps,Zofiamightbepatronisedassomesortofquaintoutsiderbyacurator,butsheistoodiscerningtoallowit.Iwonderwhatlanguagewouldbeusedintheprocessofexclusionhadsheapproachedacontemporaryartcentreforanexhibition.Iwouldguessthecommunicationwouldincludethephrase,doesnotfitourprofile.Butit’sonlyaguess.

Justascommunityisacontestedtermandfortunately,isbeginningtobedeconstructedanddetachedfromitsusageassomesortofmonolithic,easilyidentifiedthing(“let’sgooutandroundupthecommunity”),thetermtheartworldissubjecttothesamesortofgrossmisconceptions.It’sbandiedaboutwithoutanyprecision,butIthinkit’sfairtopositthattheartworldmostcommonlyreferstothecommunitywhoorganiseandexhibitinbiennales,artfairsandmuseums,whoreadperiodicalssuchasFrieze,October—andVerge—whoteachinandattendartschools.Italsoreferstothegalleriesandauctionhouses—theartmarket.Andaswith

AliceLyons’spoemshaverecentlyappearedinTheIrishReviewandTygodnikPowszecheny(Kraków);aspublicartinstallationsinStaircasePoemsatTheDockinCountyLeitrimandViewfinderinCootehall,CountyRoscommon;andasfilms,themostrecentofwhich,ThePolishLanguage,isscreeningatfilmfestivalsworldwide.

Images

1 KrzysztofWodiczko,Guests,videoinstallation,2009(PolishPavilion,VeniceBiennale).PhotocourtesyoftheartistandZacheta,Warsaw.

2 ZofiaMalanowska,TwoChildren,threadonlinen,15.6x10.2cm,2009.Photocourtesyoftheartist.

3 RobinWhitmoreandEdwardThompsonworkingonWigsofFamousPeople,2009.Photocourtesyoftheartists.

Notes

1 KrzysztofWodiczko,CriticalVehicles(Cambridge,Mass:TheMITPress,1999),208.

2 EmmanuelLevinas,AlterityandTranscendence,trans.M.B.Smith(NewYork:ColumbiaUniv.Press,1999).

3 Fromaconversationwiththeartist,London,September2009.4 MarilynneRobinson,Housekeeping(London:Faber&Faber,1981),154.5 Ibid.,154.6 Wodiczko,op.cit.,208.

1 2

3anyothercommunity,theartworldhasalanguage,whichcanactasaninsidious,exclusionaryforce.ToreadmuchofthewrittenmaterialthatwassnappedupandplacedinclothbagsdistributedbythemoremintedpavilionsattheVeniceBiennaleistoencounteralanguagethatbeliesaworldlackinginfaithinitself.Itcannotrestinclarity,soithasinsteaddevelopedasystemofcodes,alingowhichallowsoneinsidertosignalhisstatustoanother.Useofthecodeisanexerciseofpower,amarkerofthose“intheknow”,thepowerbrokersofacommunity.Atitsworst,itisaformoflinguisticgoose-steppingandaninstrumentofgate-keeping.

Thelanguageoftheartworlddeservesadeepersociolinguisticanalysisthanispossiblehere,butsufficeittosaythatitishighlypopulatedbythevocabularyofcriticaltheorywithanemphasisontheauthorsandideasbasedinpost-structuralistEuropeanphilosophy.Thisisn’taproblem,perse,buttheextenttowhichthislanguagehasbeencolonisedbytheseinfluencesisnearhegemony.

Manyseriousartistsarecompletelydisengagedfromthisartworldbecausetheyhavenotlearnedtospeaktheartworld’slanguageorpitchtheirmindsinapost-structuralistslant.Sotheirproposalsandartiststatementsreadlikeaforeigntonguetotheartworld’sgatekeepingforces;thusarecreatedthestrangersofthecommunity.Hereistheobdurate,insidiousboundary.

RobinWhitmore,avisualartistwholivesinLondon,usesdrawingasameansofhelpingadultswithseverementaldisabilitiestocommunicateandasthebasisforhisroleasartdirectorforDuckie’sGayShameevents.Whitmore’sprojectsaretheepitomeofthesocially-engagedworkthatholdsswayintheartworldtoday.Yetashesayshimself,“Witheveryyear,theart

worldandIdriftfartherapart.”3Why?Morethananyreason,Ithinkitcomesdowntoanissueoflanguage:toengagewiththeartworldasdefinedhere,he’dhavetousetheargot,andhe’stoowrappedupinhisworktobebothered.

“Networkingopportunities”providedbyeventssuchasthebiennalesandartfairscreatedeeplyruttedtrackstravelledbycurators,critics,artistsalike.Theyformthesolidbondsofashelteredworld,whichconstantlyfallspreytoexclusivity,tosmallnessofvision.MarilynneRobinson,inhernovelHousekeeping,abrilliantexplorationof“otherness”writes,“Anyonewithonesolidhumanbondisthatsmug,anditisthesmugnessasmuchasthecomfortandsafetythatlonelypeoplecovetandadmire.”4Perhapsitishumannaturetocravethissmugness,thesortthatisinevidenceatinsiderartworldevents.Butonlybydirectingourselvesbothtothoseon“theperimetersofourattention”5andtothetacitandblatantactsofbordercontrolcommittedbythecommunity—languageisbutoneexclusionaryforce—canwebegintodelineatetheproblemofalteritywithintheartworld.Theartworldneedstoconstantlyquestionitspractices,identifyitsrepellentbehaviours,questionitsownlegitimacy.6

Thankgoodnessforart’swild,intractablenature,somuchsothatitwon’t—willnotever—fitintoacamp,ashelter,apolitics,adiscourse.Theartworldwillalwaysbyitsnaturebeplaguedbythedilemmaofxenophobia.Anditwillremainimpermeableandimpoverishedaslongasitblinkersitselftothedisobedient,oftenwrinkled,strangersbabblinginoddlanguagesandmakingunrecognisablegestures,turningtheirbacks—withjoyeven—atitsmargins.

www.alicelyons.com

“Thecommunitycanonlybelegitimatewhenitquestionsitsownlegitimacy.”1

—KrzysztofWodiczko

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Ecology and IdeologyIn Search of an Antidote in Contemporary Art

—Maja&ReubenFowkes

Notes

1 RadicalNature:ArtandArchitectureforaChangingPlanet1969-2009(BarbicanArtGallery:London,2009),6.

2 MajaandReubenFowkes,“PlanetaryForecast:TheRootsofSustainabilityintheRadicalArtofthe1970s,”ThirdTextvol.23,no.5(September2009),699-674.

3 FelixGuattari,TheThreeEcologies[firstpublishedinFrenchin1989](Continuum:London,2000),27and47.

4 Guattari,ThreeEcologies,35.5 SustainabilityandContemporary

Art:HardRealitiesandtheNewMateriality,symposiumheldatCentralEuropeanUniversity,Budapeston26March2009www.translocal.org/sustainability

6 MurrayBookchin,“DeathofaSmallPlanet:It’sGrowththat’sKillingUs,”TheProgressive(August1989).

Corporate,independentandundergroundarecommontermsfordistinguishingbetweentypesoffilmproductionthatareincreasinglyapplicabletodivisionswithintheworldofcontemporaryart.TheBarbican’srecentecologicalblockbusterRadicalNatureillustratessomeofthedrawbacksofthe“corporate”approach,claimingtobe“thefirstmajorexhibitiontotracethepost-warhistoryofartists’engagementwithecologyandenvironmentalism.”1Theshowprovidesaneclecticandunder-conceptualisedoverviewofworkfromthelastfortyyearsandalongwiththeinclusionofarchitecturalprojects,

whichputsthestressonfunctionality,theselectionofbignamescloselyfollowsthesharedcriteriaoftheartmarketandthemuseum,withastrongbiastowardsartistsfromtheWest.It’shardnottoreadtheexhibitionRadicalNatureasanattempttocashinonpublicconcernforecology,withthesubjectofecologicalradicalisminarttreatedmuchthesameasanyotherumbrellathemefromtourismtoeroticism.Thesameperfectedmachineryofpresentationgoesintomotion,withnoconsiderationoftheimplicationsofecologyforartinstitutions.Missinghereisthebasicinsight,which

informedthepracticeofmanyartistsfromthe1970sonwards,thatecologyisa“subversivescience”duetoitsfar-reachingramificationsforallspheresofhumansociety.2Themammothprogrammeofsideeventsfromtalkstofoodtastings,vergesonover-production,which,asFelixGuattarinoted,isfromanecologicalperspectiveequallydamagingwhetherit’samatterofmaterialorimmaterialgoods.Sustainabilityhasbecomeabuzzwordofpoliticsandcommerce,andwithitsspreadfromthefieldofenvironmentalismintosocietytherehasbeensomedilutionofitsradicalimplications.Ecologicalsustainability

isalsomentionedwithincreasingfrequencyindiscussionsofcontemporaryartandthereisaparallellackofawarenessofthehistoryofenvironmentalthought,whichinmanyaccountsbeginsandendswiththeearly60sclassicofpoetic,anti-pollutionliterature,TheSilentSpring.Ifwebeginwithanunderstandingofsustainabilityderivedfromgreencapitalism,thenthewidespreadbeliefamongstcriticaltheoriststhatsustainabilitywasinventedbybigcorporationstocreatenewmarketsforenvironmentally-friendlyproductsseemsalogicalconclusion.Unravellingtheconfusionbetweenecologicalsustainabilityandgreenwash,inotherwordsbetweenthesolutionandpartoftheproblem,requiresrevisitingtheoreticaldebateswithinthefieldofecology,inordertoopenupourunderstandingofsustainabilityanditsrelevanceforbothsocietyandcontemporaryart.

ThewritingsofFelixGuattarimayofferacounterpointtothecurrentsimplificationofourunderstandingofsustainabilityand,inhisconcernforthementalsphereofhumansubjectivities,haveparticularrelevancetotheinterestsandpotentialitiesofcontemporaryart.TheThreeEcologies,publishedin1989,anticipatedmanyoftheissuesfacingtheglobalisedworldoftoday,andlaidtheblamesquarelyatthedoorsof“IntegratedWorldCapitalism”foran“ecologicaldisequilibrium”thatthreatensthe“continuationoflifeontheplanet’ssurface”.3Guattariusefullydifferentiatesbetweenthreeecological“registers”,thenaturalenvironment,thesocialenvironment,andthelevelofmentalecology,inordertoconveytheinterrelatednessofecologicalandsocialissues.Thefirst

Images

1 ArtisttextdisplayedatPlatanGalleryBudapest,20092 JanekSimon,Calculator,20063 JanekSimon,Untitled(“littlehouse”),2006

environmentalregisterappliesinthecontextofcontemporaryarttothematerialburdenofanartworkonthenaturalworld,fromtheresourcesusedinitsproductiontopotentialdamagecausedtoecosystems,theamountofwasteproducedandthecompleximplicationsofshowing,transporting,publicisingandstoringthework,inotherwords,toallthemeasurablecomponentsthatcontributetothe“lifecycle”ofanartworkinitsrelationshiptothenaturalenvironment.Muchdiscussionbothofecologyingeneralandtherelationshipofartandenvironmentremainsonthislevel,andisassociatedwithartprojectsthataredesignedtocombatpollutionorpubliciseenvironmentalcampaigns.

ThesecondGuattariregisterdealswiththesocialdimensionandcouldreferinanartcontexttothesocialnexusaroundtheproductionanduseofthework,includingthelevelofpotentialexploitationandthequestionofwhetheranartworkempowersoralternativelyobjectifieslivingsubjects.Contemporaryartfrequentlyspeakstothesocialregister,notleastintheconcernforareflexiveawarenessoftheethicalimplicationsofartprojectsandthesocialpositionoftheartist.Whenitcomestothethirdregisterofhumansubjectivities,Guattariassertsthatinordertoconfrontcapitalism’seffectsinthe“domainofthementalecologyofeverydaylife”,societyshouldlooktotheworkingmethodsofartists.4Itisonthelevelofthethirdregisterthatarthaspotentiallythemostradicalimplicationsforecologyandthepotentialtoofferanantidotetothe“mentalpollution”thatisarguablyasimportantanecologicalfactorasthepoisoningoftheriversortheconsumptionof

carbon.ThemoresustainablepossibilitiesavailablewithintheindependentsphereofcontemporaryartcanberecognisedintheworkofCrakow-basedartistJanekSimon.Bornin1977,hefirststudiedsociologyandpsychologyattheJagiellonianUniversityinCracow,beforegravitatingtowardscontemporaryartin2001.Someofhisprojectshavedealtdirectlywiththephenomenonof“aestheticrecycling”aspracticedbycollectorsofobjectsandrubbish,suchashisshow“CracoviansLikeitClean”atWarsaw’sZachetaGalleryin2005whichwasconstructedentirelyofcans,plasticbottlesandotherdetritusandreferredtotheformsoffuturisticarchitecture,aswellasthefascinationwithglitzyconsumerpackaginginanewlycapitalistPoland.Manyotherworksdealwiththethemeofecologyonlyindirectly,whiletheaspectofsustainabilitycanbelocatedintheartist’sapproach.WhenaskedatthemostrecentSymposiumonSustainabilityandContemporaryArtabouttheimplicationsofecologyforhisownartisticpractice,Simonrepliedthathewouldnotchangeanything,asalthoughhedoesnotdealdirectlywithenvironmentalissues,theaspectofcaringfortheearthisalreadyimplicitinhiswork.5

JanekSimon’sarthasofteninvolvedapproachingtechnologicalartefactstorevealthehiddensocialsignificanceoftheseeminglyneutralworldofthemodernmachine.Heoncetrawledtheinternettoteachhimselfhowtomakeadigitalwatchathome,inordertodemystifyscientificknowledgeandtheremoteprocessesthatproducethedecorofourpost-industrialworld.HisinstallationsoftenconsistofDIYobjectsthatransackthearchiveofobsoletetechnologies,fromspaceinvaders

to90sDJcultureandthelostworldofHTMLinternet,todisarminglyanarchisticeffect.HisindependentapproachdrawsontheCentralEuropeantraditionofthesociabilityofthelatecommunistneo-avant-garde,whichcombinedadisregardforofficialideologywithindifferencetothevaluesoftheartmarket,atraditionthatmaybesymptomaticofartisticcommunitiesinanydecentredculturalcontextratherthanuniquetoEasternEurope,andthelegacyofwhichforcontemporaryartremainsstrong,evenaftertwodecadesoftransitiontoglobalcapitalism.

Sustainability,initscorporateand“greencapitalist”guise,isindangeroftakingonsomeofthenegativecharacteristicsofanideology,andinthisway,ofcontributingtotheproblemof“mentalpollution”.ThestrengthofcontemporaryartisthatitdoesnotapproachsustainabilityasanideologyandhasnosympathyforwhatMurrayBookchindescribedas“militantrecycling”,understoodastechnocraticattemptstocoercepeopleintofeelingpersonallyresponsiblefortheecologicalcrisis,ratherlocatingthefundamentalprobleminalienationfromnatureandultimatelyhierarchiesinsociety.6Anyapproachthatdiminishespeople’sfreedomtotravelortheiraccesstoculturethereforethreatenstheenrichmentof“humanpersonalityandsensitivity,”atatimewhenthecollectiveanswertoecologicalcrisislieswithinthecreativityofcommunitiesandtheliberationofhumansubjectivities.

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MajaandReubenFowkesarecontemporaryarthistoriansandcurators.TheircuratorialprojectsincludetheRevolutionTrilogy(2006-9),theSocialEastForumseminarseries(since2006),andtheannualSymposiumonSustainabilityandContemporaryArtatCentralEuropeanUniversityBudapest(since2006).TheypublishinThirdText,ArtMonthly,TimeOutBudapestandonwww.translocal.org

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DominicStevens’practicefocusesonmakingbuildingsandtheoreticalprojectsintheIrishcountryside;hehasreceivednumerousawardsandmentionsandhisworkhasbeenwidelyexhibitedandpublished.HisprojectFluidcitywasincludedaspartoftheIrishexhibitintheVeniceBiennaleofArchitecture2006,andhissecondbookRURALwaspublishedin2007.

In1999hemovedhispracticefromDublintoCo.Leitrim,wherehenowdivideshistimebetweenbuilding,architectureandlookingafterhischildren.

Home University of Roscommon & Leitrim—DominicStevens

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RURBAN—atelierd’architectureautogérée(aaa),Paris

Why RURBAN?

Itisperhapsforthefirsttimeinhistorythatoursocietydevelopsglobalawarenessandcallsforthenecessityofcollectiveactiontofacethechallengesofthefuture:globalwarming,depletionoffossilfuelsandothernaturalresources,economicrecession,populationgrowth,housingandemploymentcrisis,consequentialincreaseofsocialdivideandgeo-politicalconflicts,etc.

TheEarth’spopulationcurrentlyconsumestwoandahalfplanets.Thisconsumptionismainlylocatedintheurbanandsuburbanareasofthedevelopedcountries.Thereisanurgentneedforefficientnewmodelsofecologicallivingandurbanretrofitting.Whilegovernmentsandorganisationsseemtotaketoolongtoagreeandact,initiativescouldstartatlocalscale.Theyshoulddrawontheactiveinvolvementofthecitizenincreatingsolidaritynetworks,closinglocalloopsbetweenproductionandconsumption,operatingchangesinlifestyles,actingecologicallyatthelevelofeverydaylifeetc.

Theinitiativesmovinginthisdirectionareconfrontedwiththedifficultyofchanginganeconomicandsocialmodelofsocietybasedonincreasedglobalconsumption.Howtoconstructasociallyorientedeconomy,whichdoesnotdependontheglobalmarket?Howtoinitiateresilientpracticesandsustainecologicallifestyleswhileactinglocally?Howtoreactivateculturesofcollaborationandsharinginaworldthatpromotesindividualismandsegregation?

Urban cross Rural

TheRURBANstrategyproposedbyatelierd’architectureautogérée1,drawsonlocaldynamicsbetweentheurbanandtheruralandexploresalternativestothecurrentmodelsofliving,producingandconsumingincitiesandsuburbs.Whenappliedwithinsuburbanconditions,RURBANdealswiththecollapseofthemodernurbanideals(monotonousurbanfabric,obsoletetowerblocks,emptysupermarkets,realestatebankruptcy,segregation,socialandeconomicexclusion,

landpollution…)andthetransformationsimposedbythebigsocial,politicalandenvironmentalchangesofthefuture.Betweentheurbanandtherural,thesuburbanconditionvalorisesthepotentialofboth.Suchaconditionisreferredtoinpermacultureas“bordereffect”,indicatingthatthereismorelifeandwealthwhereenvironmentsmeetandoverlap.TheRURBANstrategycouldexistalsowithindenseurbancontexts,inwhichtheruralisinternalisedanddisseminatedthroughspecificpractices,economiesandlifestyles(ie.urbanagriculture,exchangesystems,self-build,waste-recycling,etc.)

Thisstrategyisbuiltuponcoordinatedactionsatdifferentscalesandcomplementaritiesbetweenfourareasofactivity:

• residential(cooperativeandecologicalhousing)• economy,(socialandlocaleconomy)• agriculture(organicurbanagriculture)• culture(localculturalproductionand

trans-localdissemination)

Theflows,networksandloopsofproduction/consumptionareformedacrosstheseareas,closingcyclesofneedandsupplyaslocallyaspossible,butalsoinasmanyandasdiversifiedwaysaspossible.

Thestrategystartsbyidentifyingmicro-localpracticesandinterstitialspacesthatcouldbeimmediatelyconnectedandactivated(ie.localknow-howandecologicalpractices,activeindividualsandorganisations,underusedspaces

andurbanleftovers,opportunitiesorgapsinrulesandregulations,etc.)Localresidentsareinvolvedinthesettingupandmanagementofthestrategy,contributingtoitssocial,environmentalandeconomicsustainability.Theprojectfosterslocalexchangesand(ruralandurban)networksandtestsmethodsofself-management,self-buildandself-production.Toovercomethecurrentcrisis,wemusttry,asFrenchphilosopherA.Gorzsays,“toproducewhatweconsumeandconsumewhatweproduce”.2

RURBANisalsoapoliticalproject,whichproposesnewpoliticalagencies,socialassemblagesandcollectivesubjectivitiesconnectingtheeverydaylifetolargerscales.

Re-Assembling

SuchapoliticalprojectstartswithwhatDeleuzeandGuattaricalledaprocessofdeterritorialisation3thatimpliesastepbystepdis-learningofallrulesandhabitsthatkeptusblockedinamodelofsocietyandlifestylethatconductedtoecologicalcatastrophe.Toslowlyescapefromthegeneralisedfootprintoftheneo-liberaleconomy,whichhasexcludedallotherformsofmaterialandsymbolicexchange,wemustdismantleonebyoneourtiestothemarketsystemandgooutofthesystemtomakepossiblethechange.Wemusttoundo,todis-assemble—des-agencer,asDeleuzeandGuattarimightsay—andleanoutoftheneo-liberallogicinordertore-assemblenewethical,environmentalandlongtermecologicalagencies.The

ConstantinPetcouandDoinaPetrescuarearchitectsandactivists.Theyhavepracticed,taught,lectured,publishedandexhibitedworkinEurope,AfricaandtheUS.In2001,theyfoundedatelierd’architectureautogérée(aaa)inParis(www.urbantactics.org).aaahaspublishedUrbanAct,ahandbookforalternativepractice(2007)andMicro-politicsofarchitecture(forthcoming2010).

radicalchangeinourworldisnotgoingtohappenthroughconfrontationwithPowerbutbysubtractingoursubjectivityfromitsdomination.AsGorznotes,“theideaofgettingholdofPowerhastobefundamentallyrevised.(...)Therevolutionisfirstlytheirreversibledestructionofsucha·[Power]device.Itrequiresacollectivepracticethatputsitoff-linebydevelopinganetworkofnewtypesofrelations”.4Hefurtherunderlinestheneedfor“socialstruggleswhichopenspacesofautonomy”toallow“thecreationofnewtypesofsocialrelations,newwaystoproduce,toassociate,toworkandconsumewhicharethepreconditionofanypoliticaltransformation”.5

Ifsuchadis-assemblagemaybeconditionedbyindividualdecisionandaction,there-assemblageisacollectiveactbasedontheconvictionofeachparticipant.TheRURBANstrategyrelieson“off-market”elementsthatcanpotentiallyleavethesystem(ie.interstitialspaces,communityassociations,marginalisedoremergingpractices,etc..)andcanbeintegratedinnewagenciesandcollectiveprocessesofre-assemblage(economic,temporal,social,ecological).

Thisre-assemblagecanproduceanewtypeofcontextbasedonwhatwecall,withaterminologyborrowedfromoururbanpractices,a“gardeningagency6.Theemergenceofanewsocialcontextimpliestheemergenceofanotherpoliticalspaceandnewpoliticsofneighborhoodexpressedthroughinformalmeetingsandmultipletemporalitiesrelatedtoseasonalstapleandstructuralfluidity.Inotherwords,RURBANisaworldbuiltfromtheoutsetonadynamicandcontinuousexchange

andstructuredbyvariablecyclesandflows.Itrequiresanothermodeofaction,moresoberandbalanced,measuredandcollectivelyrun.Illichcallsfor“arevivalofasceticpractices,tokeepaliveoursenses,inthelandsdevastatedbythe“show”,(...):cultivatingthegardenoffriendshipinthisAbsurdistanandadvancingtheartofgardeningbythestudyandpracticeoftheAskese.”6Throughsuchcollectivepractices,wecanbuildamorerelationalandcaringhumancontext.

Trans-Local

Thenewtechnologiesofcommunicationandtransportationhavecompletelychangedthescaleofouractions.Theyhavecontributed,withotherstructuralfactors(political,economic,legal)tothewidespreadeffectsofglobalisation:destructionoflocaleconomies,culturalhomogenisation,ecologicalimbalances,andthefinanciallyconditionedeconomy.Thenotionoflocalitselfcannolongerbeseparatedandconsideredinisolationfromthenotionofglobal.However,thelandscapedesignerandgardener,G.Clementthinksthat“wearegoingtomove(...)towards“adis-globalisation”phenomena,thatistosay,theconsumptionandlocalisedproductionofgoods.Thistypeofeconomywon’texcludetheglobalscale,butitwillbeorganisedatlocallevel”7.TheanthropologistA.Appadurai,proposestore-understandthedialecticbetweenthesetwonotions:“thereisthedimensionofglobalisationasanoutside,remote,fast-moving,abstractandscaryprocess,andthereistheexperienceofglobalisationasavehiclefortheexpansionoflocal

backgrounds,aspirations,expectations,possibilities-ifyoulike,theutopianside.Betweenthesetwothereisadialecticinwhichthelocalgetsproduced”.8RURBANinvolvesare-weavingofscalesandspecificissuesandtheconstructionofanewmodeoffunctioning:trans-local.

Synaptic Subject

Thearrangementofmobileandnon-contradictoryheterogeneitiesshouldallowtheemergenceofrhizome-likedynamics,which“unliketreesortheirroots,connectanypointwithanotherpointandfeatureswhichdonotnecessarilyrefertofeaturesofthesamenature”.9Thisheterogeneitywillallowfornewpatternsofcollectiveproductionanduse.TheFrenchphilosopherJ.Rancièrestressestheimportanceofcreatingpoliticalspaceforthereinventionofanewsubject:“thetrueparticipationistheinventionoftheunpredictablesubjectwhonowoccupiesthestreet,thismovementbornofnothingbutofdemocracyitself.Theguaranteeofdemocraticpermanence(...),istherenewalofactorsandformsoftheiractions,thepossibilityalwaysopenfortheemergenceofthiseclipticsubject”.10

Thepermanenceofdynamicsandexchangesproducesalong-standingpoliticalcondition,astateofdemocraticawakeningandtheappearanceofa“synapticsubject”11continuouslyreinventedandenrichedbythecyclicalinteractionswithothers.ThisisperhapsthefirstconditionofRURBAN.

References

1 atelierd’architectureautogérée(aaa)isacollectivepracticebasedinParisincludingarchitects,artists,urbanplanners,landscapedesigners,sociologists,studentsandresidents.Togetherweconductresearchintoparticipatoryurbanactions.Thispracticeallowsforthere-appropriationandreinventionofcollectivespaceinthecitythrougheverydaylifeactivities(gardening,cooking,DIYmaking,recycling,debatingetc.).Theaimistocreateanetworkofself-managedplacesbyencouragingresidentstogainaccesstotheirneighbourhoodandtoappropriateandtransformtemporaryavailableandunder-usedspaces.Itisanapproachthatvalorisesaflexibleandreversibleuseofspace,andaimstopreserveurban“biodiversity”byprovidingforawiderangeoflifestylesandlivingpracticestocoexist.Thestartingpointwastherealisationofatemporarygarden,madeoutofrecycledmaterialsonaderelictsitelocatedinLaChapelleareaintheNorthofParis.Thisgarden,calledECObox,hasbeenprogressivelyextendedintoaplatformforurbancreativity,curatedbytheaaamembers,residentsandexternalcollaborators,catalysingactivitiesatthelevelofthewholeneighbourhood.Theplatformhasmovedthreetimesuntilnowinthearea,takingdifferentformsindifferentlocationsandinvolvingnewusers.aaahasinitiatedalsotheECOintersticeat56RueSt,Blaisewhichconsistsofthetransformationofaformerpassagewayinaculturalandecologicalspacemanagedbyresidentsofthearea.Theintersticeincludesagreenroofedofficepoweredbysolarpanels,composttoilets,rainwatercollection,cultivationplots,seedcatchersandawildbirds’corridor.aaa’srecentprojectECOroofatLeCentinParisproposestheparticipativetransformationofaterraceroofintoaproductiveroof,involvingwatercollection,foodgrowingandenergyproductiontogetherwithsocialandculturalspacesforartistsandculturalworkers.

2 AndréGorz,inManifesteUtopia,2008,Parangonedition,p.13

3 GillesDeleuze,FelixGuattari,Capitalismeetschizophrénie2,MillePlateaux,1980,LesÉditionsdeMinuit,p17e.s.

4 AndréGorz,Adieuxauproletariat.Audelàdusocialisme,1980,Galiléeedition,p.88

5 ibid,p.1656 ConstantinPetcou,Doina

Petrescu,“Actingspace”,inUrbanAct,aaa/PEPRAVedition,2007,p.323

7 IvanIllich,Lapertedessens,Fayardedition,2004,p.7Illich’stermAskesealludestheGreek:áskēsis,meaning“exercise”or“training”.

8 GillesClément,Toujourslavieinvente.Réflexionsd’unécologistehumaniste,L’Aubeedition,2008,p.47

9 GillesClément,Toujourslavieinvente.Réflexionsd’unécologistehumaniste,L’Aubeedition,2008,p.47

10 G.Deleuze,F.Guattari,o.c.p.3111 JacquesRancière,Auxbordsdu

politique,Lafabriqueedition,1998,p.82

12 cf.ConstantinPetcouetDoinaPetrescu,“Actingspace”,inUrbanAct,aaa/PEPRAVedition,2007,p.324Thesynapsis(inGreeksyn=together;haptein=touching;so“connexion”)isthepairingoftwohomologouschromosomesthatoccursduringthecellulardivision.Itconversesapotentialactionintoasignal.(wikipedia.org)

“TheEarthisnotapresentfromourparents.Weonlyborrowitfromourchildren.”—Indianproverb

Images

1/2 Ecobox(aaa,2002/2009)3 Relationsandprocessesgenerated

bythespatialconfigurationsandmobiledevicesofECObox(2002-2005)

10verge

— February2010

MyexperienceofteachingonthenewlyaccreditedBAinVisualArts(BAVA)runbyDublinInstituteofTechnology(DIT)hasintroducedmetosignificantproblemsandpossibilitiesinremotelearningandartseducationingeneral,soIamgladtohavetheopportunitytoaddresssomeofthesebrieflyinwhatfollows.

TheBAVAisafour-yearmodularhonoursdegreeprogrammethathasbeendevelopedonSherkinIsland,WestCork,overthepasttenyears,onthebasisofapartnershipbetweentheSchoolofArt,Design&PrintingatDIT,WestCorkArtsCentreandSherkinIslandDevelopmentSociety.ThecoursegrewoutoftheearlierArt&CultureProgramme(2000-2003),which,accordingtoBernadetteBurns,CourseCo-ordinatorfortheBAVA,respondedtoadesireamongtheislandersforaformalartcourseandsomeofthebenefitsthatthiswouldbring,andprovidedanopportunityforDITtodevelopabroadlyapplicablemodelofremotelearning.1

Itseemstomethat“remote”hasadoublesensehere,referringtonon-directlearningachievedbytechnologicalmeans(virtualclassrooms,emailexchanges,pre-recordedlectures)andtodirectlearningintheremoteenvironmentofSherkinIsland.Itdoesnotindicatemarginality.Themoderndichotomybetweenacosmopolitanurbancentreandapara-modernruralperipherydoesnotfitmyexperienceofremotelearningthroughtheBAVA,despitethepersistentvitalityoftheruralimagined,inIrelandaselsewhere,aspastoralretreat.Thatthisdichotomyisunfittingbringsintodisputethedemandsoflifelonglearning(LLL)asimplementedaccordingtothedirectivesoftheEUandIrishGovernment,whichconceiveofLLLasagiftfromthecosmopolitancentretothoseotherwiseleftoutsideanexpandinglearningsociety.Suchdirectivesfindsupportinanarrativeofunfinishedcosmopolitanism,whichrecountsequalityasagoaltobeachieved,adestinationtobearrivedatratherthan,followingRancière,“apointofdeparture,asuppositiontobemaintainedinallcircumstances”.2The

problemwiththisnarrativeisthat,howeverbenign,beginningfrominequalitytowardsafutureequality,itreinstatesinequalityateachofthepedagogicaloperationssanctionedbyit.Thesuppositionofequalityisdifficulttomaintain,andIdonotpresumetomaintainitmyselfinallcircumstances,ifinany.Butthetaskofdevelopingapedagogicalnarrativethatdepartsfromthissuppositionis,perhaps,madeeasiergiventhepeculiaritiesofartseducation,especiallywhenthislatterisfacilitatedbymeansofremotelearning.ThisisthethoughtIwanttopursue.

Inthefirstsense,remotelearningemployspracticesthat,althoughforthemostparttheycontinuetoimaginethearchitectureofthevirtualclassroomasanexpandedversionofthenon-virtual,withallofthelatter’shierarchiesandasymmetriesintact,makeuseofmediathataredistributedandnon-hierarchicalinstructure.Bymereforceofhabit,ourperformanceofartseducation,tutorsandstudentsboth,remainsboundtoincreasinglyredundantprojectsanddirectives,inheritedfromotherpedagogicalarchitectures,ifweareunabletoimaginethepossibilitiesofdistributedknowledgeperformanceandtoadaptourpracticesaccordingly.Artseducationalsorequiresagreatdealofrelativelyunstructuredconversationandnegotiation,aspeerandtutor-studentrelationshipsaresustainedcentrallyandatlength.Forthisreason,IhavehadtotraveltoSherkinonanumberofoccasionstomeetwithstudents.Iamwelcomedthere,warmly,asaguest.Ienteraclassroom,remoteinthesecondsense,thatmystatusaslecturerdoesnotplaceautomaticallyinmypossession,oratleastoverwhichmycommandislessened,forpossessionisnotsimplyterritorial.Professionalprotocolrequiresmetocarrymystatuswithmeandtoperformastheonesupposedtoknowregardlessofthechangedsituation.

Yettodosoistooverlookthepossibilityofequalitybetweenguests,BAVAstudentsincluded,inasituationinwhich

performerandaudienceofknowledgeareequallydisplaced,remote,andequallydependentuponthehospitalityofahost.Towhatextentsuchasituationmightundothehierarchicaldistributionofthecapacitytoteachandthecapacitytolearn,uponwhichtheschoolhasbeenorganisedforsolong,Idonotknow.ButasDerridaasks,haveweevenbeguntothinkthepeculiarmixtureofhierarchyandanarchythatmighttakeholdthere?3

Thiswouldbeanotherdifficulttask,certainly,butthealternativeistocontinuewiththosepracticesthroughwhichweperformasthoughwecanalreadyimaginewhatweandothersknowandneedtoknow.TherecentgovernmentalandinstitutionalrestructuringofLLLcorrelateswiththisalternative.AsstatedbyProfessorBrianNorton,DITPresident:“TheBAinVisualArt’sstructureseeks,throughitsfoundationincollaborationandthroughthestrategicuseofbothliveandvirtualcontact,tosupportandmaintaintheemergenceofaworthwhilelearningcommunityinthecontextoflifelonglearning”.4TheneedforsuchacontextrespondstoanumberofdemandsatnationalandEUlevelforthedevelopmentofadultlearningandacquisitionofkeycompetencestoincreaseemployabilityandmobilityinthelabourmarketandtofostersocialinclusion.5LLListodevelopcompetitivenessinthegloballabourmarketbydevelopingaskilled,competentworkforceadaptabletothedemandsoftheknowledgeeconomy.Suchaprojectiswell-establishedinIreland,followingtheDESwhitepaperoneducation,LearningforLife,of2000,whichgivessomeindicationoftheorientationof“worthwhile”inthequoteabove.6

Post-Bolognaconvergenceineducationsystemscouplestheindividualdevelopmentofhumancapitalthrougheducationwithincreasedsocialinclusion.Leavingasidesuchcontradictions,thiscouplingmakesitverydifficulttoargueagainstthedemandsmadeofLLLinthiscontext,asitseems

tomakeoneagainstdevelopment,againsteducationeven,andforsocialexclusionandlocalobscurantism.7Thisreductiveoppositionistobestronglyresisted.AsIhavetriedtoindicate,remotelearningsuggestspossibleremotenessfromthenarrativeofcosmopolitaneducation,atleastasitiscurrentlyoriented;butthisisnotanargumentforirrationalismwithregardstoart,asthoughitcouldnotbetaught,norisitsimplyfortheexclusionofends-orientedreasonfromschoolinginthearts.Theformerissimplytheothersideofwhatitopposes,whereasthelattertendstoreinstateallthehistoricalprivilegesofthoseabletolearnattheirleisure.Itis,rather,ontheonehand,torecogniseothercosmopolitanculturalhistories,whichplaceareassuchasWestCorkcentrally,butthen,ontheotherhand,nottosettleforasimplereversalofimportanceandtotakethisobservationofcontingencyinthestorieswetellourselvesasanargumentforthedaringandresponsibilitytoplacethehighestworthuponthesuppositionofequalityasthepointatwhichwebegintolearn.Asartsprofessionalsandlecturers,thismightrequireustoadmittoourselvesthosemomentsofimprovisedperformancewhenwepretendtoknowwhatwedonotknowandtoimaginewhatelsetheseperformancesmightdoforallconcernedbesidesreinstatereputationsandtheproperdistributionofknowledge,andperhapsthemoredisappointingconsequenceofpassingontostudentsournumerousperformanceanxieties.

MyexperienceofteachingontheBAVAhastaughtmethatfocussedanddisciplinedasthestudentsare,andalthoughmanyifnotallwouldunderstandthemselvestobelifelonglearners,theirreasonsforlearningareincompatiblewiththeperpetualtrainingofemployableandenterprisingindividualsthathascometoreplaceschooldiscipline.Moreover,thepositingofasubjectconstantlylearningsuggeststheredundancyofeducationalinstitutionsascreditors,evaluatorsandmanagersofthislearning.Onewonderswhetherornotemployeesoftheentrepreneurialuniversity,inwhichIincludemyself,yethaveearstolistentowhatandhowthissubjectmightknow.

TimStottisResearchScholarattheGraduateSchoolofCreativeArts&Media,Dublin,andlecturesincontemporaryartandvisualcultureattheNationalCollegeofArt&Design.In2008-9,healsolecturedontheBAinVisualArtsrunbyDublinInstituteofTechnology.

MhairiSutherlandisavisualartistbasedintheNorthWestofIreland.CurrentlyundertakingaPhDattheDublinInstituteofTechnology,shealsoattendstheGraduateSchoolofArtsandMedia(Gradcam)Dublin.Researchinterestsandartisticconcernsexplorequestionsofvisibilityandinvisibilitywithinthelandscape,particularlyinrelationtoformsofmilitaryintervention,throughphotography,drawingandsite-specificpractices.

“ Some Thoughts on Remote Learning” —TimStott

Notes

1 DITNewsroom,“IslandersgraduatefromuniqueDITArtandCultureCourse”,2004www.dit.ie/news/archive2004/islandersgraduateditartandcultureprogramme[accessed13August2009]

2 JacquesRancière,TheIgnorantSchoolmaster:FiveLessonsinIntellectualEmancipation,trans.byKristinRoss,(Stanford:StanfordUniversityPress,1991),p.138.On“unfinishedcosmopolitanism”,seeThomasS.Popkewitz,UlfOlsson,andKennethPetersson,“TheLearningSociety,theUnfinishedCosmopolitan,andGoverningEducation,PublicHealth,andCrimePreventionattheBeginningoftheTwenty-FirstCentury”,EducationalPhilosophyandTheory,38(2006),431-449.

3 JacquesDerrida,“ThePrincipleofReason:TheUniversityintheEyesofitsPupils”,Diacritics,13(1983),3-20,p.19.

4 BrianNorton,“WhereWeNowStand—anEducationalContext”,BAVASherkinIslandcatalogue,(Skibbereen:WestCorkArtsCentre,2009)http://update.dit.ie/23-02-09/docs/dit%20catalogue.pdf[accessed13August2009]

5 EuropeanCommission,“ModernisingEducationandTraining:AVitalContributiontoProsperityandSocialCohesioninEurope”,OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion,C79(2006)http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/c_079/c_07920060401en00010019.pdf>[accessed17August2009]

6 DepartmentofEducationandScience,LearningforLife:WhitePaperonAdultEducation,(Dublin:StationeryOffice,2000),p.29.

7 ThispointismadebyKirstenForkertin“ArtistasExecutive,ExecutiveasArtist”,Variant,35(2009),22-24.

1 2

NeutralJoSlade

—

JoSlade,poet&painter,livesandworksinLimerick.Sheistheauthoroffourbooksofpoetry,includingaFrench/Englishcollection,CertainOctobers,whichwaspublishedinFrance&

grantaidedbytheCentreduLivre,ParisFrance.Herfourthcollection,CityofBridges,waspublishedbySalmonPoetry,CliffsofMoher,Irelandin2005.In2003shewasnominated

forthePrixEvelynEncelotEcriturePrize,Paris.HerworkhasbeentranslatedintoFrench,Russian,Spanish,Romanian&Slovenian.ShehasbeenWriter-in-ResidenceforLimerickCountyCouncilandin2006shewasWriter-in-Residence,(Winter2007)attheCentreCulturelIrlandais,Paris.Achapbook,“TheArtist’sRoom”willbepublishedMay2010,

byPighogPress,BrightonUK.ShehasexhibitedherpaintingsinIreland&France.

—

“Insignificanciesacquiregreatimportance.”LouiseBourgeois

—

Outofawhitenessshecame,hershadowmeldedtoaformaverticalpalenessinawinterstorm.She’ dgrownfromthelightofapage,fromthemarginsofsomethinghe’ dmade.

Inherdefencehedrewawhiteline,asignificanceshecouldeaseinto.

Thepainterconstruedaslightshade,aghostfaceedgedwithabraidandcoaxedherforward—hewascurious.Hegaveheraname—madeherrhyme.

Clarawasindistinct,undefined.Shewasblinding,whitefromtheoutsidein,pureastitanium.Thatnightshewaswokenbyscreams,deepinhissleepshe’ dfollowedhisdreamtothecentre.

LittleJohnNeeisawriterandperformer,basedinTuam,Co.Galway.Hisshowsinclude“TheDerryBoat”,“RuralElectric”,“TheMental”and“DeadRoosterBlues”.Heis

currentlywritingaplaybasedonthelifeofthe19thcenturyIrishclownJohnnyPattersonforBarabbasTheatreCo.

—

I’mstandingontheedgeofabognotfarfromTuam,wearingaporkpiehat,aHawaiianshirt,peglegherringbonetrousers,andleopardskinbrothelcreepers;Istickoutlikeasorethumb

andyetIbelong.Icomehereregulartoplayukuleleforanoldpiebaldmare,shemostlyignoresmeasshepicksstrayhay

fromthemuddyfloorofthesorrypatchoftinyfieldwhereshelives.TodayI’vecometointerrogatethenotionof“rural”

inonehundredwords.O,ifonlyIwasallowedahundredandtwentyfive!

ChristianaZ.Peppardstudiestheascriptionofvaluetofreshwater.InitiallyformedbythearidlandscapesofcentralCaliforniaandtheplainsofColorado,sheisnowadoctoral

candidateintheDepartmentofReligiousStudiesatYaleUniversityandScholarinResidenceattheCathedralof

St.JohntheDivineinNewYorkCity,wheresheliveswithherspouseand2-year-olddaughter.

—

RURAListwoconsonantsfromurban.Sometimestheyshareanunderlife:

Infrastructureoritsconstantmotions.(Water,roads,desire.)

Circulationwasoncearevolutionaryconcept.Nowitiseverywhere,thesedulouslanguageofeconomicexchange.

Liquidassetsambleerratically,centrifugally,centripetally.Fetishisedthingsdrifttowardsthebuyer.Willthiscenterhold?

ConsiderHeisenberg’sparable:foranymovingbody,locationandvelocityforeverreelinunconsummatedtryst.

Itmightlooklikethis:

Californiafarmers’fields,Irrigatedforacentury,soddenlytauntedaridity—butnowrefusehydration,receiveremuneration,therebyquenchthecity.

Itisslipperysecurity,thisrelentlessequivocationofthirst.

BryonieReidisaresearcherandwriterwithanundergraduatedegreeinfineart,apostgraduatedegree

inculturalmemoryandaPhDentitled“LabouringTowardstheSpacetoBelong:ImaginingPlaceinNorthernIreland”.Shepractisesasaculturalgeographerwithspecialinterest

intherepresentationofplaceinvisualartandhaspublishedinnationalandinternationalculturalgeographyjournals,

CIRCAandotherartpublications.

—

AlthoughIcomefromarelativelyurbanisedandindustrialisedpartofIreland,duringsummersspentbarefootinDonegal

Idevelopedaromanticandasocialattachmenttotheisland’sapparentlytimelessruralwest.Ilaterrealisedthattheselandscapes

areshapedmateriallyandimaginativelybypolitics,economicsandculture,andthatcriticalawarenessoftheruraladmitsofcomplexity,fluidityandconnectednessaswellashomogeneity,stasisandperipherality.IlivenowinLeitrim,andabstract

academicapproachestotheruralbowbeforetheneedtoestablishsocietalconnectionstolandscapeandgainlived

understandingsofwhatthisruralmightmean.

JoeO’Byrneisawriteranddirectorforboththeatreandfilm.Amonghisownplaystobeproducedare“EnSuite”(AbbeyTheatre),“TheArticle”(AltesSchauspielhaus,Stuttgart).Theatreshowshehasdirectedinclude“FrankPigSaysHello”

byPatrickMcCabe,andtheadaptationof“TheWomanWhoWalkedIntoDoors”byRoddyDoyle.Infilm,hewrotethescreenplayoftheJohnMcGahern’s“Korea”,directedbyCathalBlackandwroteanddirectedthefeaturefilm“Pete’sMeteor”.

—

Oncetherewerepotatofields,imposingtheirpattern:drills,headlands,ditches.Nowtherearerooves,gardens,wastebins,roads,roundabouts,shoppingcentres.Imaginedasthecrowonceflew,thecrow,noloveroflawns,nowbanished.Thetractortoo.

Thelavaofdevelopment,ofexpansion,ofhopefulgrowth,alwaysonthemove.Butwhereisthecentre?WhereIsitandwritethis,therearenowconcretefoundations,butImustdigdownintime,inspacetoseethemovementoftheedge.Tofindthecentre.

Forthecentremustalwaysbefoundagain,thatmuchiscertain.Andisitnotalwaysontheedge?

A Born Again PastoralistCathalO’Searcaigh

—

CathalO’Searcaighisawriter&poet.

—

I’mwritingthisonaSundayeveningasasoftvelvetyduskhugsthehills.I’mmoreintunewiththislovelytwilightof

blackbird,larkandcuckoothanIamwiththecacophonyofacityanditsstammeringorchestraofbasstubatraffic.

InthisopenspaceIhaveafreedomtolook,listenanddream.InthisruralamplitudeIgivemysoultomysenses.

DrawingwaterfromthewellaweewhileagoIwatchedthesuncreepacrossthehills.

LikereturningcowsIheardthebrownbogslowcontentedlyinthedeclininglight.BeingofthesehillsIwantnothingmorethantoholdthislandscapeinmyarms,strokeitsruddycheeks

ofheather,smellthegorseinitshair,kissitseveningeyes.

Iliketothinkofmyselfasacitizenofthegreenconstituencyofthewild.

WhateverabouttherulinggovernmentinDublinIhavemyveryownthrillingassemblyinthegarden;myDailofwarblers,mySenateofgrasshoppers,whosegovernanceisclearandlucid;

agreensupremacyofsong.

MarcusThrushAurelius,myemperorofdawnanddusk,holdsswayinthehedgerow,delightingmewithhis

well-tunedtruths.Hereeverythingisratifiedbysong.

Now,earthandskymergeandblend.Soon,Iwillhearthestarschirpinglikecricketsintheleafieldsofthesky.

AmillenniumagoaChinesepoetremarked,“athousandyearsmaybebeyondmebutIcanturnthismomentintoaneternity.”

Likemyselfthatpoetwasruralandrustic.NodoubtaboutitI’mabornagainPastoralistandproudofit.

LookatthatFuchsia!

“You’rethetalkoftheGarden.Youwithyourpurpleknickersinfullviewofthefern

—thatrigidbishopwiththecrozier.”

Images

1MhairiSutherland‘Limitsofvisibility1(latitude)’2MhairiSutherlandLimitsofvisibility2(longitude)

12verge

— February2010

13verge

— February2010

Images

1 djeribi,ruralcinema.2 djeribi,knockvicar.3 djeribi,protestsong.

IliveinAnnaghmaconway,atownlandinsouthLeitrim(population17),intheparishofCloone(population327).WhereIbuiltahouseofstraw-balesandtimberwithmythenpartner,andwhereIremainedtofarm4.8acresofratherdemandingsoil,ishome,asitishometoanassortmentofcreatures,minusculeandlarge,ofwhomIoftenhavelittleknowledgebutendeavournottoharm.SomeIhavegivenlifeto,someIhavebroughtorluredhereandarenowundermycare(today’sliveregister:36,includinghumans).AsIamclosertomyselfwiththislife,thisnarrowstripoflandthatIsogratefullyownisthecentreofmyworld,theplaceIdonotwishtoeverdepartfromformorethanacoupleofweeksatatime,theplacewhereIburiedmymother’sashesandwhereImayinturnbeburied.Thisisthesoilthatteachesmetheworktobedone,whichIhavechosenasmywork.

ThereisalsotheworkImadeup:hoardingdiscardedjunkuntilIinventanotherlifeforit,makingobjects,books,bread,buildingaworldformychildrentogrowupin.Thelowdensityofpeoplearoundmeansthatitiseasierforone’sworldviewtoflourishwithoutbeinginconstantobviousclashwithotherhumanbeings”.Wetrytofollowthecuesofnaturethatweareabletodecipher:wefeeltoleratedandevenoftenhelpedinreturn.

Ourneighbourswelcomeduswarmlybecausewewerenewpeoplewheresomanyhadleftordied;theyquicklygaveustheirapprovalbecauseweseemedtoworkhard.Weentertainthemwithouralienways,andthefactthatweseemtosurvivehappilyourratherradicalchoicesblowinawelcomewindoffreedomforthosewhoneedit.

MyveryfirsthomewasarentedParisianflattwelveorthirteenfloorsabovestreetlevel,theParcMontsouriswithitshills,lakesandcollectionofwater-birdswasmybackgarden.MyearliestmemoryisoftheAutumn,fallenleavesunderfootinacitypark,someunthreateningorganisednature.At20Iau-pairedinastreetborderingtheLuxembourggardens,Icouldkickmoreleaves,hangoutwithfriendsandfeelthatIbelongedinaJean-LucGodardfilm.Thiswouldnotsufficeforever,inthecountryIwritemyownlifescript.

AsachildImadethings,IknewIwasgoingtowrite,and,owingperhapstomyBerberancestry,IfeltthatIshouldbeafarmer.Icouldalwaysseemyselfasanoldwomaninthecountry.

BeforeIevenenvisagedhavingchildrenIknewIwouldlikelookingafterthings,plants,animals,andeatinggreenstuffandfruit.Isoonrealised,however,thatitwasunwisetopublicisefarmingasachoiceoffuturecareer:itseemedtodisplayatotallackofambition.Ialmostdismisseditasachildishconceitmyself.LikeeverybodyelseinmyfamilyIwas

goodatmaths,theformofintelligencethatisvaluedintheFrenchschoolsystem.Iwasgoingplaces,Ilivedinaprivilegedneighbourhood,thedirectorofmyLycéehadstoodbeforemyclassandcalledus“thefutureéliteofthenation”.

AlthoughhehadmadeitintothemostprestigiousFrenchengineeringschool,myfatherandhisvowelscamefromaruralnowhere,theFrancheComté,abeautifulregionthatbordersSwitzerlandontheeast.WespentafewChristmasesandsometimeeverysummerinArcetSenans,alongamalgamationoftwovillages(population1364).Inmygrandmother’sbackgardenIategooseberries,blackberries,raspberries,mirabelles,hazelnuts,sheservedlettuce,soups,somechervilontop.Althoughwedidnotparticularlygeton—shehadbeenaschoolmistressandhadreturnedourchildhoodletterscorrectedinredbiro—Igotalotfromher,notleaststronghoardinggenes.Shelovedcountrylifebutshewasnopeasant,shemaynothaveunderstoodmyfarmingplans.

Imappeditoutformyselfaswecalleduptoaneighbourofherswhohadalovelyflowergarden.(WasthisMadameRoussel,madefamousinthefamilythroughherdeliciousapple-cakerecipe,regrettablylostsince?)Asunnyday,thetablewassetoutside,wehadsomethingtodrink,asliceofcake,andIaskedthenameoftheplantsIliked.Mostmenofthatgenerationhaddiedinthewar,thiswasafeminineworldoffreedom.Iplottedmyownfuturefreedom,myruralidyllwithmyself,theimportantthingsinlife,growingthings,sharingcakeandtea,andtheongoingconversation.

Mymothercamefromadistantnowhere,asea-frontvillageinsouthTunisiacarbuncledbythediscoveryofoilinthebay.Uprootedattheageoftwentyintroubledtimes,theworldsheleftdisappeared,heryouthwassuddenlyblankedout,shehadnomemoriestosharewithus.Mymaternalgrandmotherwasallweneededtoimaginethepast,theexcessivelove,thecultoffood,thetrustinliterature.TunisiabarelyexistedasarealplaceuntilIwentthereattheageof32,mymother’sonlyreturnvisitafter42years.TunisiawasaFrenchprotectorate,Frenchwasoneofthelanguagesmymotherspoke,thelanguageoftherulingclassesandofschool.Pariswasthecapitalfromthestartbutwhenshearrivedthereshewasanimmigrant.

Fashionablyforthe1970s,wemovedtothesuburbsofParis.Upwardlymobile,wesettledinadormitoryaffluentlittletownnewlyabsorbedintosuburbia,closertomyfather’soffice.Myfathershoutedathome,spoketonooneandspenthisidletimeinthenearbywoodjoggingorhuntingmushrooms.Mymothershrivelledmiserablyinthestiflinghomogenouslifeofournewly-builtapartmentcomplexwherespaciousroomswithlargewindowsofferedlittleretreatfromthespectacleofotherpeople’sperfectlymanicuredhouseholds.WeneverbelongedbutmybrotherandIlearnedalotfromthestudyofchildren

borninwealthyfamilies.WhenIwas17myparentsfinallydivorced,weescaped,motherandchildrenpilingupintoatinyflatinParis,closertolife,tothecentreofallculturalactivities.Withastudentcard,until23,Imadethemostofit,freeaccesstoculturalstimuliandverycheapdinnersinuniversitycanteens.Youcandoitall,butyouhavejusttheonebody,sothefeelingthatyouareconstantlymissingsomethingpervades.Ibuiltalotinmyheadthere,IamstilldigestingwhatIbulimicallyingested.WhenIholidayincitiesnow,Iextracteverydropofstimulationfromthevisit,butoncehome,Ihavethespaceandtimetodomyownwork.

ThatIwouldleaveParistoliveinthedepthofsouthLeitrim,pasttheinitialamazement,mademyneighboursproud.Thetruthisalittledifferent,orisit?BeforechoosingIrelandIharbouredvagueplanstomoveoutofParis,IplannedtotaketheTGVtoNantes,IwalkedaroundVendômeforacoupleofdays.IwouldhavebeenathomeintheFrancheComté.MovingtoDublinin1990waslikemovingtoavillagebeforeIfollowedmynose.

WhenIlivedincitiesIcouldnotacceptthatmymoodwouldbedullerongreydays,Iammorehumblenow.IevenresentwhenIamnotabletoallowtherhythmofmylifetofullyespousethechangingratioofdaylighttodarknessalongtheyear.Becauseallworkhereisself-designedandthereisnoschool,wedoquitewellinthisregard.ThefarmingthatIhad

plannedwaspicture-bookmaterial,thepoultry,thekitchengarden,sittingwiththegoats,Heidi-style,ongreengrassyhills.Ruralworkhadmeanwhilebeen“modernised”:thecheap-oilbleephadbeenusedbysuit-wearinggraduatestoreinventfarming,bluntlydivorcingitfromthecommonsenseoftheland,somyideaseemedoutdatedandnaïve.Stubbornlystickingtomyvisiongotustotheotherside,weproducealotofourfoodhere,includingmeatandcheese.Todaykitchenandcommunitygardensarespringingupeverywhere.

ThemodelofartpracticeoftenlabelledasOutsiderArtstrikesmeasonewithacloserrelationshiptodailylife,bornoftheunavoidabilityofthedesiretomakestuff.TheworkoftheFacteurChevalforinstanceisausefulblueprinttotryonforsize:IcanusetheparceloflandIownasasiteforinterventions,withouthavingtowaitforapublicartcommission.Thisalsoallowsmeafruitfulconversationwithmyneighbourabouthisfondnessforhubcapsandregistrationplates.ThatItakemyselfandmypracticemoreseriously—thatIcallitart,thatIamabletodressitwithconceptualintentandfollowthrough—doesnotstopmefrombeinginasharedworldwithhim,hierarchisationIdeclarenotvalid.HisinterestinwhatIdoisprecious,asanartistIstillhavetostrivetobeagoodneighbour.AndwithlowsubsistencecostsImostlyplaytherealworldonmyownterms.

“Follow me so!”—djeribi

djeribi,bornParis,1967,emigratedDublin,1990andontoLeitrim,2000,hasbeenrunningmermaidturbulence,apublishingprojectsince1993,herinclusivepolymorphicpracticealsoincludeswriting,visualarts(artistsbooks,objects,films,installations),food(sourdoughbread,pâtisseries,edibleartperformances)andfarmingwithhertwochildrenandLukaszJurgowiak,abasket-maker.Workcurrentlyinprogress:ProtestSong(publicart),LocalHands(film),theruralcinemaproject,theinstituteoflifewonderful.

Unbuilding Ireland—FrankMcDonald

GodbewiththedayswhenlitterwasabigproblemintheIrishcountryside,asaresultofindiscriminate“fly-tipping”inditchesandhedgerows.Andwhilethisanti-socialphenomenonhasnotbeenentirelyeliminated,ruralIrelandisnowdebasedbythestructurallitterofhousesbuilteverywhere—particularlyduringtheeconomicboom. 

In2001,FergalMacCabe,aformerpresidentoftheIrishPlanningInstitute,warnedthatruralhousingwas“spirallingoutofcontrol”.Penning anarticleintheinstitute’sjournal,Pleanáil,entitled“HowWeWreckedRuralIreland”,hewrote:“Goupanyruralroadandyouwillfindnestsofbungalowsallovertheplace.Itisnowoutofhandandmanyplanningauthorities,itseemstome,havethrowninthetowel”. 

DonegalandKerrywere“beyondredemption”whileKildarewas“headingthatway”—andMeathtoo,hemighthaveadded.Atlocallevel,notonlywereplanningpermissionsfreelyavailable,butsomecountycouncillors“regarditastheiraggressivedutytoseethatasmanyone-offhousesaspossibleareprovidedinthecountryside,regardlessofanylonger-termconsequences”.

InhishomecountyofOffaly,MacCabenotedthattheonce-unspoiled13-mileroutefromTullamoretoCroghanHillwasnowlinedwith“uniformlyawful”bungalowswhilethesitesinbetweenthemwere“festoonedwithnotices”seekingpermissiontobuildmore.“ThefewfarmhousesIrememberedwerenowabandonedanddecayedand,ironically,theonlyunspoiltpartofthewholeroutewhere

nohousinghadoccurredwaswhereyoumighthaveexpectedit—inthelittlevillageofKilclonfertwithitschurchandschool”. Althoughnearlyeverycountydevelopmentplanhad“piouspolicies”restrictingruralhousingtofarmers’childrenorotherswithaneedtoliveinruralareas,MacCabesaidwas“asplainasapikestaffthattheamountofruralhousingbuiltbearsnorelationshiptothatpolicy”. Whatwashappening,hesuggested,wasthatplanningauthoritieswereturningablindeye.Everybodyknowsthatthepermissiongrantedtothelocalwillbesoldontoanon-localandnobodyobjectsbecausetheymightwanttodoitthemselvesnextweek”.

MacCabefeltcompelledtospeakoutaftertherevelation,inApril2001,that36%ofthetotaloutputofnewhomesconsistedofone-offhousesinthecountryside.Andsinceoutputatthetimewasrunningat50,000annually,whatthismeantwasthat18,000newhomeswerebeingshovelledintothecountrysideeveryyear—equivalentinstraightforwardnumericaltermstosixtimestheannualoutputofone-offsinthewholeofBritain,amuchlargerislandwithapopulationofmore60million. 

Atthesametime,aplanningpaperpublishedbytheDepartmentinAugust2001,inthecontextofpreparingtheNationalSpatialStrategy,concededthatvirtuallyallofIreland’ssmallvillagesweresufferingsignificantpopulationdeclineasthecountrysidearoundthemissuburbanised,atrenditdescribedas“worrying”.Anyonetravellingaroundthecountrycanseethisforthemselves—derelict

sites,boarded-uphousesandunoccupiedfloorsabovetheremainingshops. Basedonofficialestimates,thehousingbuiltinruralareasduring2000aloneconsumed2,700hectares(6,480acres)ofagriculturallandandresultedinthelossofanestimated540kilometres(337miles)ofnaturalhedgerowstocreatenewroadsideboundariesandbettersightlinesformotorists.Italsoadded18,000septictankstothenationaltotal,estimatedataroundhalf-a-million.Thisraisedfearsfortheprotectionofgroundwatersources,especiallyinmorevulnerableareaswherethedevelopmentpressuresarealsostrongest. 

“Thisissueisoneofthemorepressingonesrelatingtodispersedruralsettlement,particularlyasitaffectsoneofthebasicrequirementsoflife—theavailabilityofcleanwater”,theDepartment’spapersaid.Indeed,thepollutionofwatercoursesbyleachatefrom

septictanksandagriculturallandwasthemainreasonwhyGalway’swatersupplywascontaminatedin2007bycryptosporidium;thecity’sresidentsandbusinesseshadtorelyonemergencysuppliesfrommunicipalwatertankers,doinguntolddamagetothelocaltourismindustry. 

TheDepartmentoftheEnvironment’s2001paperbrandedurban-generatedruralhousingas”generallyunsustainable”becauseoftheenergyitconsumes,thetrafficitgeneratesandthepressureitputsonwatersupplies.That’swhyitsaidthere“mustbeapresumptionagainst”suchhousinginruralareasforavarietyofreasons,including“theneedtopreserveoutstandinglandscapes”.

Unlesshousinginruralareaswasassociatedwiththeneedsoftheruralcommunity,then“theenergyneedsandlandscape,transportationandenvironmentalimpactsofdispersedsettlementpatternsrenderthesecontrarytotheprinciplesofsustainabledevelopment”.TheGovernment’sSustainableDevelopmentStrategy,formulatedin1997,alsoflaggedthenegativeimpactonthefabricoftownsandvillagesofpermittingunlimiteddevelopmentinthecountryside—andthispointwastakenupbytheDepartment’spaper,whichwarnedthatsmallvillageswerebeingturnedinto“doughnuts”.Thoughtheirphysicalformmightremainintact,figuresshowedthatthe448villageswithlessthan1,000inpopulationhadlostoutbecauseoftheconcentrationofnewresidentialdevelopmentintheirhinterlandovertheprevious15to20years. 

Afterall,asthepapernoted,ruralhousingispredominantlycar-dependent,withconsequentialincreasesingreenhousegasemissions,aswellasgeneratingmorepressureonruralroadsandmoredemandforparkingintowns;itstransportimpactwas,therefore,“asignificantandlong-termissue”.Indeed,themostdangerousroadsinIrelandtodayareminorcountyroadspepperedwithhousesbuiltbypeoplewhothoughta“ruralenvronment”wouldbesaferfortheirkids;withnofootpathsforprotection,anyparentwheelingababy-buggyalongthesenarrowroadswouldberiskinglifeandlimb.

ButthetrendwhichtheDepartment’splannersfoundsoworryingin2001intensified

overthefollowingyears,withtheproportionofone-offsrisingfrom36%ofhousingoutputnationallyin2000to43%in2003,whenanewrecordof68,819newhomeswerebuilt.Inruralcounties,ofcourse,theproportionofone-offswouldbemuchhigher,accountingfor65%ofallhousinginMayo,68%inWexfordandsome70%inGalway.Andonaverage,85%ofallplanningapplicationsforone-offhousesaregrantedandonlyatinyminority—lessthan2%—areappealedbyAnTaisce. YettheIrishRuralDwellersAssociationcontinuedtochampionthe“righttobuild”,lobbyingcouncillorstoadoptanevenmoreliberalapproachanddroptheremainingcontrols“imported”fromBritainthatwere—accordingtoitsfounder,JimConnolly—“anathematotheIrishpsycheandtheIrishwayoflife”.Inhisviewoftheworld,an“elitistestablishment”was“conspiringtothwartpeople’srightsandchoices...tobuildahome,tosellasiteorotherwisedeveloptheirproperty”.

ButtheIRDApledgedthatpeoplewouldnotbe“herdedlikeanimalsintotownsandvillages.”Sadly,politiciansbothlocallyandnationallypaidattentiontothistypeofdrivel.Insteadofholdingthelineagainstsuburbansprawlinruralareas,manyofthemactivelyencouragedit—notleastbecausefarmerswantedtomakemoneyfromthesaleofhalf-acresitesalongtheroadfrontagesoftheirproperties.Andwhenwholefarmscameupforsale,nearlyeveryadvertisementwouldhighlightsuchnon-agriculturalfeaturesasan“extensiveroadfrontage”and/oreasyaccesstonationalprimaryroutesamongtheirsellingpoints.Oreven,morebluntly,“buildingpotential”.WasitforthisthatMichaelDavittfought?Surelynot. 

However,despitealltheevidenceofanindulgentplanningregime,theimpressionwasputaboutthattherewassomesortof“ban”onbuildingone-offhousesin

thecountryside.Thisisclearlynonsense,becauseyoucanfindthemanywhere.Andthey’renolongerjustbungalows;duringtheCelticTigerperiod,palatialtwo-storeyhouses—dubbed“McMansions”byTonyLowes,founderofFriendsoftheIrishEnvironment—becamealltherage,manywithfiveorsixbedroomsandasmanybathrooms. 

Intimidationdrivenbygreedalsobecamerifeinthestruggleoverthefutureofthecountryside.AccordingtoAnTaisce,peopleinruralareaswhoraisedtheirheadsabovetheparapetriskedbeingintimidatedbylandowners,developersandtheiragents,includingcountycouncillors. 

Nobodywouldarguewiththerightoffarmerstoprovidesitesforsonsanddaughterstakingoverthefamilyfarm,butastheIrishTimessaidinaneditorial,“mostofwhatisbuilt,includingincreasinglyostentatiousmansions,hasnothingtodowithmeetinggenuineruralhousingneeds.NeitherhavetheholidayhomesdottedallovercountiesDonegal,GalwayandKerry,tonamebutthree.”Andmanyofthehousesbuiltinrecentyears,oftenwiththebenefitoftaxincentives,areeerilyemptynow;accordingtothe2006Census,nearly30percentofhousesinCo.Leitrimwerevacant. NowonderAthlone-bornarchitectAlanMeenowtalksabouttheneedto“unbuild”Ireland,toundosomeofthedamagewehavedonetoourlandscapes—bothurbanandrural.“Theonlywaywecanestablisharealvalueforanyplotinthecountryistoassessthemunderfivecriteria—location,use,density,performanceandquality.ThatappliestohousesonahillinCo.MayoasmuchasemptyapartmentblocksinSandyford.Weneedtogoarounderasinghousesinthecountrysideandaddmoreinthevillages,doitoptimisticallyandappropriately,andjustgetonwithit.”Ireland’sexhibitionatthe2006VeniceBiennale,FromSub-UrbantoSuper-Rural,alsotookaradicallook

Images

1 DevelopmentinKillenard,Co.Laois;Photograph;CyrilByrne,IrishTimes.

2 McMansioninCo.Cork;Photograph;PaulKeogh.

FrankMcDonaldistheEnvironmentEditorofTheIrishTimesandWriterinResidencewiththeAcademyofUrbanism.Hehasreceivedanumberofawardsandpublishedanumberofbooks,including,mostrecently,TheBuilders,jointlywithKathySheridan,(PenguinBooks,2008).

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“Ontheirmostbasiclevel,theseworkssimplybearwitnesstothefactofwar...thelivesandmotivesoftheartistsarediversebutwartextilesofferthechancetosharetheirstorieswithothers.”—ZeitlinCookeetal.page6

Arpilleras(pronounced“ar-pee-air-ahs”)arethree-dimensionalappliquédtextilesofLatinAmerica.ArpillerasareinthetraditionofanoldregionalpictorialappliquétechniquefromIslaNegraonthecoastofChile,wherebyragswereusedtocreatefigureswhichwerethenembroideredonlargepiecesofcloth.Initiallyhessianorburlap,arpillerasinSpanish,wasusedasbacking,andthiswordbecamethenameofthework,nowconsideredtobeacontemporarycraft.Afterthemilitarycoupin1973,whichlaunchedthePinochetregime,thewomenparticipantsoftheAssociationofRelativesoftheDisappearedbegantomakearpilleras.Theyusedscrapsofmaterialsfromtheirownclothesorcollectedanddonatedbythechurches.Sometimesthewomenevenusedtheclothesoftheirdisappearedlovedones.Thehandiworktellstheirstoriesandwasalsoasourceofmuchneededincome.Chileanwomen

foundrefugeintheVicariateofSolidarityorganisedbytheCatholicChurch.Indarkbasementsandothersecretmeetingroomsinchurches,non-governmentorganisations(NGOs)andothersafeplaces,mothers,wives,lovers,friends,daughtersandsistersbegantodesignandsewtogetherinordertotelltheircommontalesoftorture,ofpainandlove,andsavethemfromoblivion.PartofthechurchandanetworkofsupporterssmuggledarpillerasoutofChileandsotheworld—andtheoneswholistened—cametoknowmoreabouttheoppressive,unjustandbloodylifeunderthedictatorship.SupportersoutsideofChilesoldandboughtthearpillerasasawaytohelpthewomenandtheirfamiliesintheirstruggleforsurvival.Inthearpillerasareelementssuchasphotos,namesofthemissingandwordsandphrasessuchas“¿Dóndeestán?”(Wherearethey?).Nooneseemedtorecognisethepowerarpillerascouldhaveinshowinganddenouncingwhatwasreallyhappening,whichwasotherwisedeniedbythegovernment,assewingismostlyseenasinconsequential“women’swork”.AsArielZeitlinquotesinWeavingsofWar(page11):“Wartextilesarelargelydisregardedbymodernmilitaryauthoritiesbecauseoftheir

Arpilleras — Tapestries of Resistance —RobertaBacic

RobertaBacicisaChileanresearcherinhumanrightsandcuratorofArpillerasandQuilts’exhibitions,currentlylivinginNorthernIreland.

References

1 MarjorieAgosin,1996,TapestriesofHope,ThreadsofLove:ThearpilleramovementinChile,UniversityofNewMexiCo.Press2 MarjorieAgosin,2008,TapestriesofHope,ThreadsofLove:ThearpilleramovementinChile,RowmanandLittlefield(secondedition)3 ElizabethJelin,2003,StateRepressionandtheStrugglesforMemory,LatinAmericanBureau,London4 JamesE.Young,ArielZeitlinCookeandOlgaGonzález,2005inWeavingsofWar,FabricsofMemory,anexhibitioncatalogueeditedby

ArielZeitlinandMarshaMacDowell,MichiganStateUniversitywww.cain.ulst.ac.uk/quilts

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feminineconnotationsandcanthereforebearelativelysafeforumfordangerousorprovocativeideas“.Theimagesofthearpillerasremindusofnaïveandprimitiveartandlikeotherprimitivearttheychallengetheconventionsandperspectivesoftheviewer.Soviewersmayhavetoadjusttheirassumptions.Byacceptingthemaker’sframeofreference,aviewercanfindnewmeanings.Thesemeaningsareuniversaleventhoughproducedoutofaverylocalreality.Ithasbeenaprofoundexperiencetobringthesearpillerastoexhibitionsinotherpartsoftheworldandseehowthemessagesinthecraftworkspeaktopeoplefromverydifferentbackgrounds.Somewomenhavebeensotouched,movedandmotivatedthattheyhavemadetheirownarpillerasorquilts,whichexpresstheirpersonalandsocio-politicalsituations.

“Thisprocessinvolvestheconstructionofamemoryofthelivedpastbutnotatotalimmersioninthatpast.”—Jelin,2003:72)

Oneofthemostfascinatingaspectsofthearpillerasisthewaytheyoperateonmanydifferentlevels.Inmanythereisasurfacepictureoflivelyandplacidcommunitylifebutcloserexaminationrevealsthewaythepoliticsandthesocialorderintrude.Inthisexamplethegroundismadewiththewoolenmaterialofthetrousersofthemaker’sdisappearedrelativeandthecheckedcottonmaterialofthesameman’sshirthasbeenusedtomakethestreetwherethepeoplearewalking.Theytakescrapswhicharepersonallydeeplymeaningfulforthemakerbutatfirstglanceinsignificant.Readingatestimonyorcaption,however,transformssuchscrapsintoadepictionofrealitytowhichtheviewercanrelate.Inarecentworkshop

anexpolicewomanfromNorthernIrelandsaid:“IfIhadlivedinChileatthetimethishappened,Iwouldhavebeeninthispolicecar”. 

“WhilemakingmyarpillerasIforgetallmygrudgesbecausewhenIgettoputtinginthesunandtheflowers,it’slikeImyselfamlivinginthesceneoffullcolor.Iowntheworld!Imaketheskyreallyblueandthestreetsfulloftrees,justthewayIwantit”.—Agosín,1996:7

Thequotefromthearpilleristacapturesperfectlyhersenseofwhatsheisdoingandherperspective.Sheisdescribingherrealityandherhopes.Inthisexampletheoutsideworldisnotshown,asifitdoesn’texist.Inothersitintrudesintothearpillerista’sworldbutclearlyasanexternalandunwelcomedisturbanceandinterference.Thearpilleristabringstheviewerintoherworldandwebegintoseetheworldfromherperspective.Thecentrebecomestheperipheryanditsconcernsanintrusion.Thecentremayhavemorepowerandcanshapethediscoursemostofthetimebutforamomentthroughthearpilleraweseehowmarginaltheconcernsofthecentrearetopeopleintheirowncommunities.

“Toassertthatmemoryinvolves“ labor”istoincorporateitintotheactivitythatgeneratesandtransformsthesocialworld”.—Jelin,2003:5

WhenthearpilleristasmakethearpillerasintheshantytownsofChileorPeru,theyarenotthinkingofhowtheywillbereceivedintherestoftheworld.Createdinthepoorestsuburbs

andruralcommunitiesofChileandPeru,thewomenwhomadethemmayhaveonlyahazyideaofthewiderworld.Theyhavenoideaofhowthearpilleraswillbereceivedyettheysendthemouthopefully.Sometimesamakersewedalittlepocketonthebacktellingalittleaboutthemselvesandinvitingcommentsback—bloggingwithoutacomputer!Theyaresuchdirectexpressionsofthemakerthatpeoplehavebeenabletoconnecttothemandbeinspiredbythemwherevertheyareshown.

“ForthepublichearingsoftheTRC(TruthCommissionofPeru),Kuyanakuymadeagiganticten-by-ten-footcuadro(arpillera)withanarrativespanningthreehistoricalperiods:thepeaceful,joyfullifeintheAndesandnowlosttopoliticalviolence;themayhemofthecivilwar;andthewomen’spresentlivesinLimaasinternalrefugeesstillcopingwiththedeathanddisappearanceoflovedonesnearlytwentyyearslater”.—González,2005:74

ThehugearpilleraAyerHoyisthecollectiveeffortofagroupofdisplacedQuechuawomenwhowereforcedtoresettleintheslumsofLima.ThewomendecidedtotakepartinthehearingsoftheTruthCommissionthatwassetupbythegovernment.Theydidn’twanttheirtestimonyconfinedtothehearing.Theyfeltthatwhathadhappenedtothemwasnotsomethingprivate,butofpublicconcerninthatitwasaconsequenceofthepoliticalrealityoftheircountry,so,theyusedtheirarpilleratospeakforthem.ThephotoshowsthemdisplayingthearpillerainfrontoftheCourtbuildingafterthehearing.Thesewomenwhohadlosttheirmenandhomelandandhadtostartanewlifefromscratch,stoodwithdignityasliving

testimonyofthelifedepictedintheirhandiwork.

“Thoughthestitchesofthesecuadrosspeakofscars,andthescrapsevoketornlivesofwomen...,thearpilleristas’artistryandartfulnessinputtingthesescrapstogetheralsosuggesttheircreativeeffortstoreconstructtheirlives.”—González,2005:70

“Throughscrapstornfromremnantsofclothinganddiscardedobjectsunvaluedbythenewconsumerism,thesewomenmanagedtoexpressforbiddenscenes;torture,clandestineprisons,andhungerinthetownships.Forthearpilleristas,thepoliticaleventsofthecountryandtheirdailylivesbecameinseparable”.—Agosín,2008:54

Thewomenwhomadethearpillerasatfirsthadnosensethattheyhadanyinfluenceoutsidetheirowncommunitiesandsometimesevenintheirowncommunities.Theyjoinedgroupsforsupportatatimewhentheoutsideworldhadtakenawaythecoreoftheirworld—theirrightsandtheirlovedones.Theybeganmakingthearpillerasasameanstoexpressthemselvesandasawaytomakesomemoney.Mutualsupportandself-expressionwereempoweringexperiencestohelpthemagainfindtheircoreandstrength.Thearpilleristascontinuetobeavocalexpressionofthechallengestheircommunitiesfaceandthefailuresofgovernmentsandotherstomeetthosechallenges.Forthemdailylifeandpoliticalparticipationareawholeandtheyquestionus—doweconnectourdailylifetopoliticalissuesinourowncommunityandaroundtheworldordowejustpassbyontheothersideoftheroad,ignoringthecontributionwecouldmake?

atwherewearegoingtoliveinthe comingdecades.CuratedbyFKLArchitects,itlookedaheadoverthenext25yearsat“ournationalpre-occupationwithlivingonthelandbeyondthecity’shold”andputforwardnotionssuchasseasideholidayvillagesthatwouldonlybevisiblewhenoccupied,floatingcitiescompletewithshoppingandleisureamenitiesandahigh-speedrailwaylinesthatwouldhalvecommutingtimeacrossthecountry.

ShaneO’Toole,Ireland’scommissionerforthe2006Biennale,wrotethat“moreandmorepeoplearefeelingincreasinglystretchedastheyattempttojugglethedemandsofworkplaceandhomeandseekabalancebetweentheirstandardoflivingandtheirqualityoflife.FKL’sexhibitionposesseriouschallengesforIreland’spolicymakersandhighlightsthevitalimportanceofextendingournationalplanninghorizonfromthelifetimeofasinglegovernmentto25or50yearsfromnow.Ifwedon’tdoit,anddoitnow,wewillsquanderthebenefitsoftheCelticTigereraandfailourchildrenandgrandchildrenmiserably.”PaulKelly,ofFKLArchitects,whohadthetaskofco-ordinatingeightotherpracticesinpresentingIreland’sentry,rejectedanysuggestionthatideassuchas“sinkable”holidayhomesorarailbridgelinkingRosslarewithFishguardwereflightsoffancy—thoughtheyclearlyare.AsoneobserversaidofthearchitectsinvolvedinFromSub-UrbantoSuper-Rural,“theymadeuptheirversionofwhattheproblemwas,andthenimposed theirUtopianmodelsonit”.However,theydidtakenoteofthefactthatourlandscapeshavebeendevouredbyhousesthathad“moretoiletsthanpeopleinthem”,asFKLpartnerGaryLysaghtputit.

“ThesprawlsurroundingIreland’surbancentresisdrivenbyanobsessionwiththecarandaninnatedesiretoliveontheland.Amono-functionalorganism,sub-urbansprawlhasbecomeauniversalsolutiontohousingthroughouttheisland.Acceptingourcurrentrealityofroad-basedinfrastructureandthewidespreaddesiretoliveinlow-densityhousing,thechallengefacingIrelandishowtoevolvenewlivingconditionsthatareaninversionofthefundamentallynegativeparadigmofless-than-urbantoanessentiallypositiveoneofmore-than-rural.”LysaghtmaintainedthatIrelandneededtofindawayforwardbetweentheentrenchedpositionsof“buildnothinganywhere”or“buildwhateveryoulikewhereveryoulike”.Theonlywayofbuildingsustainably,hesaid,wastomakeeveryhouseself-sufficient,withzerocarbondioxideemissions.Thebasicproblem,asFKL’sMichelleFagansawit,isthatIrishpeople“don’tlikecommunalliving—thebiggerthedistancebetweenyouandyourneighbourthebetter.Butwe’remuchmorespatiallyawarenowandpeoplebuildinghousesareinterestedindesign—they’vechangedfromflockwallpaperandcorduroycouchestoHabitat.”

Butthevisionofacountryside“brightwithcosyhomesteads”,inEamondeValera’soldphrase,haslonghadaresonanceinIreland.Ofcourse,Devcouldneverhaveimaginedthatsomanywouldbemansionsorholidayhomesbuiltbythe(formerly)newrich.Now,therecessionwillgiveustimetoreflectonwhetherwereallywantsuchalaxplanningregimeinruralareas,turningIrelandintoalandwheretownsneverendandcountrysideneverbegins.

Images

1 PazJusticiaLibertad/PeaceJusticeFreedom,Chileanarpillera,Anonym,Late70’s,courtesyAlbaSanfeliu,Spain.PhotographbyColinPeck©RobertaBacic.

2 AyerHoy/YesterdayToday,Peruvianarpillera,MadebyAsociaciónKuyanakuy,2002,courtesyGabyFranger’sprivatecollection/ Germany. Photograph&©Gaby Franger.

3 AyerHoy/YesterdayToday,Peruvianarpillera,detailphotographbyColinPeck©RobertaBacic.

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The Hourglass Project — A Woman’s Vision—TwoPerspectives

Images

1 BongiBenguandLynnLinnemeierworkingtogetheronBlackMagicWomanI,2001AtlantaGA,USA

2 BongiBenguandLynnLinnemeier,BlackMagicWomanI,20013 BongiBengu,Vukani,Silk-screenprint,1999

PatriciaHurlwasborninDublin.ShehasexhibitedinIreland,Spain,SouthAfricaandtheU.S.Herworkisinterdisciplinarywithaparticularinterestincollaborativepractice.SheisamemberofVisualArtistsIrelandandGroundUpArtistsCollective.SheworksandlivesinCo.Tipperary.

BongiBenguwasborninEshowe,KwaZuluNatal,grewupinexile,inGeneva,SwitzerlandandstudiedinHighSchoolinSwitzerlandandlaterWaterfordKamhlabainSwaziland.ShegraduatedwithaBachelorofArtsdegreeMountVernonCollege,inWashingtonDC,andanMastersDegreeinFineArtsfromTheUniversityofCapeTown.Shehassinceparticipatedinnumerousinternationalresidenciesandworkshops.

TheCavershamPresswasestablishedbytheartistandprintmakerMalcolmChristianandhiswifeRosin1985.HousedinanoldWesleyanMethodistChapelitissituatedinruralKwaZulu—Natalprovince,SouthAfrica.ThePressoffersartiststhefacilitiesofaprofessionalprintmakingstudiofortheproductionoflimitededitionartists’books.In1993theCavershamPressEducationalTrustwasdevelopedonanon-profitbasisintoofferincreasedaccessibilityforartistsoutsideoftheoftenrestrictedformaleducationalstructures.TheHourglassProject:AWoman’sVisionwasthefirstofaseriesofongoingresidenciessetupbyCavershamPress,in1999.

Patricia Hurl

Irish artist

IwasoneoftwoIrishparticipantswhotookpartinthefirstprogrammeofTheHourglassProject-AWoman’sVision.ThereweresixteenofusintotalwiththeotherscomingfromZ.A.,theUSAandZimbabwe.

WeweretogetherinSouthAfricaatanhistoricalmomentwhenThaboMbekiwaselectedassuccessortoNelsonMandela.Politicswasontheagendaeveryeveningwhileweateourcommunallyprepareddinner.ThoseofusnotfromAfricaweretryingtounderstandthepoliticalhistoryofthiscomplexcountry.Thelocaltownshipwasaglaringcontrasttothecentrewithitsbeautifulchapel,pristinecottagesandimmaculatelycaredforgardens.ThemajorityofBlackSouthAfricanswere

stillextremelypoorandAidswaswidespread.IwillneverforgetthedayIwasbroughttoalocalwealthywhitefarmer,ostensiblytoredirectlostmail.Theplacewasbarricadedlikeafortress,guardedarmedmenwithguns.Weweredirectedinthroughanelectronicgateanddroveaboutfourmilestotheenormousfarmhouse.Apparentlythisfarmerownedmanyhundredsofacresofprimeland.

IsawsomeparallelswithourowncolonialhistoryinIrelandgivingmeafeelingofkinshipwiththelocalpeopleinthetownships.Ofcoursethiswasdifficulttoarticulate,giventheroaringsoftheburgeoningCelticTigereconomyathome.

Whatstruckmemostforcefullywasthevarietyofartformswhichclearlyplacedeachartistgeographically.TheAfricanaestheticisrootedinastrongculturaltraditionwithrichboldcoloursandvibrantpatterning.Theworkgenerallyreferencedpersonalhistoriesandstory-telling,whichthoseofusfromthewesterntraditionenvied.

Inthefinalanalysis,itwasnotsomuchtheartthatimpingedonme,butthefriendshipsImadeandthebroadeningofmylimitedperspectivesonart,andindeed,life.

Bongi Bengu

South African artist

SouthAfrica’sisolationfromparticipatingintheactivitiesoftheworldiswelldocumentedandthereasonswellarticulatedover

theyears.Howeverwiththechangethatcameaboutin1994,theinternationalfraternityhaswelcomedSouthAfricaandhasgivenSouthAfricaanopportunitytosetitsownprogrammeforre-engagementintheinternationalarena.

AsapracticingartistIhaveidentifiedadireneedforthegenerationofideasanddialogueintheAfricancontinentandabroad.Iamoftheopinionthatsuchadialoguewillencourageartiststodevelopartpracticeinaworldofculturaldiversity.Thispracticewillcontributetowardapracticalandeffectivedevelopmentofthecultureofourowncommunities.

TakingpartintheHourglassProjectatCavershamPresswastrulyaninspiringandempoweringexperience.Setinthequietremote,ruralKwaZulu-Natal,Cavershamisanidealplaceforartistsfromdifferentpartsoftheglobetocometogethertoengageinmeaningfuldialoguebutalsotocreateworkinarelaxedatmospherefarawayfromthehasslebustleofcitylife.MalcolmChristian,aseasonedmaster-printerrunsthecentre.Havingtheopportunitytomeet,interactandworkwithotherartistsfromallovertheworldbroadenedmyscopeasanartist.FromthefirstdaywhenImetLynnLinnemeier,webeganhavingadialogueaboutartandmoreimportantlyaboutbeingblackfemaleartists.

WediscussedthatmostblackemergingyoungfemaleartistsinSouthAfricaareunderexposed.TheirartispoorlypromotedbyinstitutionsinSouthAfricaandthevalueoftheartistandtheworkofartisbyandlargedegraded.Firstlyvisibilityandexposure—theyarerarelyinvitedtoparticipateinmajor

exhibitionsthatwillultimatelyexposetheirworktothebroadermarket.Secondly,thereislackofcollectionandpreservation—fewartcollectorsfocusonfemaleartist’sworkandpreservetheminplacessuchasmuseums.Thirdly,thereislackofsponsorshipthatwillenabletheartiststogrowtheircraft.

Asaresultofourdiscussionwerealisedthatwomenfromdifferentwalksoflifeandvaryingbackgroundsstillsharemanysimilarities.Wesharethesamestruggleagainstoppression.Butinorderforustomoveforwardweneedtoremainpositiveandwhenweworktogether,wecanempowerourselvesmoreeffectively.ThesilkscreenIproduced,“Vukani”(meaningWakeuporRiseup,inZulu)isapositivemessagetoallwomentowakeupandseizetheopportunitiesaroundthem.Thebutterflysymbolisesregeneration,movement,andfreedom.Thebirdsalsorepresentflight,freedom.

Withinayearaftertheworkshop,IreceivedaninvitationfromLynntocometoAtlanta,USandtakepartinacollaborativeprojectwithher.Aspartofthiscollaboration,weproducedasilkscreenprint,”BlackMagicWomenno.I,aworkthatpaidtributetotwoblackwomenpioneers,LilianNgoyifromSouthAfricaandFanieHamerfromTheUS.Intheworkthetwoengageindialogue,inbetweenthematreesymbolisingstrengthandhope.

NexttoLilianNgoyi,herfamouswords:“Wedon’twantmenwhowearskirtsundertheirtrousers,iftheydon’twanttoact,letuswomenexchangeskirtswiththem”.

AndnexttoFanieHamer,herwords:”I’msickandtiredofbeingsickandtired”.

ReynoldstownRevitalisationCorporationsponsoredourcollaborativeproject.ReynoldstownRevitalisationCorporationisrunbytheneighborhoodcommunitybutalsoemploystheneighbourhoodresidentsandvolunteers.Itisconcernedwith“holisticneighbourhoodrevitalisation”—itsmorethanjusteconomicdevelopmentorhousing,it’smoreaboutmakinganeighbourhoodsafeanddecent.

Aspartofourexchangeprogrammewewererequiredtoshareourexperienceandexpertisewiththelocalcommunity.Weconductedworkshopswithwomenlivinginthecommunity,teachingthemaboutarttechniquessuchcollagebutalsohighlightingthesimilaritiesbetweenthecivilrightsmovementandthestruggleforapartheidinSouthAfrica.

Finallywehada“SouthAfricaDay”,IcookedtypicalSouthAfricanmeal,otherfellowSouthAfricanswhowereinAtlantasharedsong,poetryanddance.

WhenIreflectbacknow,itisexactlytenyearsagosinceIparticipatedinTheHourglassprojectandtheworkshoplaidtheseedsforwhereIamnow.Iamcurrentlycuratinganexhibition“InnovativeWomen”.Tenartistshavecometogethertocreatetheexhibition“InnovativeWomen”;atreatiseontheabilityofblackfemaleartiststoproducequalitymodernartacrossdifferentmedia.WithsuccessfulopeningsatConstitutionalHill,Johannesburg,JeannetteUniteStudio

inCapeTownandKizoGalleryinDurban,theexhibitionisnowsettotravelinternationally.

Theline-upofartistsisasdiverseastheirworkandthewomen,fromallcornersofthecountry;eachbringsauniquedimensiontotheexhibition.TheexhibitionwillincludeworksofthelikeofNandiphaMntambo,IngridMasondo,ErnestineWhite,DineoBopabe,ZaneleMuholi,NontobekoNtombela,UshaSeejarim,SenzeniMarasela,LeratoShadiandBongiBenguondisplayandtheartists’workisunique,innovativeandcuttingedgeandfeaturesvariousmediumsfromvideo,installation,photography,print-makingandperformanceart.

Theaimofwomenartistsexhibitingtogethercollectivelyisnotonlytoshowcasetheirworkbutalsotoemphasisetheabundanceoftalentedartiststhatourcountryhastooffer.Theworkondisplaywillnotonlyshowcasetheuniqueandindividualtalentofeachoftheartistsbutalsoenableartiststomaketheirmarklocallyaswellasabroad.

Lookingback,sincethetimesofLilianNgoyiandFanieHamerwomenhavemadeconsiderableprogress.Butthestrugglecarrieson…

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Thelaunchin2004ofthePerCentforArtScheme1,artcommissionslinkedtopubliclyfundedcapitalprojects,inthetimeofaconstructionboomhasmeantaproliferationofpublicartinIrelandandarapidgrowthinambitionandsophisticationamongsttheprojectsrealised.Publicartisatermweusewithconfidenceandhascometobeunderstoodtodescribeadistinctapproachtomakingart.Withcloserexaminationoftheusage

ofthetermhoweveranditbecomesclearthatthereisalotofconfusionaboutwhatpublicartreallymeansandmostspecificallywhattherelationshipisbetweenthePublicandtheArt.

Inthesimplestterms“publicart”hasbeentakentomeanworkthatiscreatedoutsidethenormalartsinfrastructure(theatre,gallery,concerthall),siteddirectlyinthe“publicrealm”.Historicallythishas

referredtoaphysicalsiteorlocationbutincreasinglythismeanswithinaparticularcontextorcommunitythatisoutsidetheartworld;thesuggestionbeingthattheartworkcanbeexperiencedwithoutboundaries,reachingaudienceswhomaynototherwiseencounterartbutwillbenefitfromit.Takingthisdefinitionliterallytheflipsideisthatworkmadewithinanartsinstitutionisthereverse,“private”and

availabletothefewwhomanagetomakeitintotheinstitutionalframework.Analternativereadingthatbethatthedifferenceisoneofchoiceandanintentionofbenefit.

ThesculpturetrailinDevil’sGleninCountyWicklowcomprisesanumberofspeciallycommissionedpiecesplacedalongthemostpopulartrailandmadeindirectresponsetothelandscape.Theintentionbehindtheproject

isclearlytousearttoenhancethevisitors”experienceandtoleadthemtowardsagreaterengagementwiththelandscape.AsaregularvisitortoDevil’sGlenIfindmyselfincreasinglyirritatedbythelackofchoicetheprojectgivesme.Theinitialprojectmayhavestartedwithwellmeaningintentionsofusingarttoenhancetheexperienceofthelandscape—butanyscrutinyofthisshowsittobeultimatelyflawed.Itisa

tallordertoimproveontheexperienceofoneofWicklow’smoststrikinglandscapesandtheinevitabledisintegrationofmanyoftheworksresultsinarathertattysideshowtothemainattraction.PersonallygiventhechoiceIwouldratheranuninterruptedviewofthelandscape,whichiswhyIgotoDevil’sGlen,andifIwanttoseeanexhibitionofformalistsculptureIwillmakethechoicetogotoagallery.

Thisisasimplistic,didacticexamplewhichreferstothe“thisisinterestingandyoushouldlookatit”modelofpublicart(asdescribedbyAdamSutherland,DirectorofGrizedaleArts),largelydemonstratedthroughtheplacingofphysicalobjectsinpublicplaces.CritiqueofthisapproachisbynowwelladvancedandthedominanttrendinpublicartinIrelandandinternationallyistowardsworkbasedaroundideasofcollectivity,collaboration,engagementandparticipation.Thisshiftisgenerallyagreedtobeapositivedevelopmentthatmovestowardsamoremeaningful,democraticartformthatismoretruly“public”.However,itcouldbearguedthatthatissuesofchoiceandbenefithavebecomemorecomplexandarestilllargelyunresolved.

Allartistsarealike.Theydreamofdoingsomethingthat’smoresocial,morecollaborative,andmorerealthanart.

—Dan Graham

AsDanGraham’sstatementarticulates,artistswanttomakeworkthatisinsomewayusefulandpublicartisincreasinglyseenasthemosteffectivechannelforthistobeachieved.InIrelandthePerCentforArtSchemehas

broughtartintoanumberofmajorregenerationprojectswhichaddressthephysicalandsocialinfrastructureofdisadvantagedcommunities.Theseprovideaplatformforambitiouspublicartprogrammes,mostnotablyBreakingGroundinBallymun,thatareinformedbythejustificationofartasacatalystforsocialchange,somethingthatcancreateasenseofinclusion,prideintheenvironmentandcounter-actsocialdifficulties.ToquoteBreakingGround’smissionstatement:“toexpandandenrichthelivesofcommunitiesthroughexperienceswithcontemporaryart”.

TherecanbenodoubtthatBallymunhasbeenofenormousbenefittothecommunityofartistsworkinginIreland,creatingexcitingopportunitiesforwellresourcedambitiouscommissions,andthisoutcomeshouldnotbeunderestimated.HoweverthebenefittotheBallymuncommunityishardertoevaluate.Alargeproportionofthe“BreakingGround”projectswereparticipatoryandinvitedlocalresidentsintowhatisconsideredabeneficialinvolvementintheartisticprocess.Whilemanyofthosedirectlyinvolvedinprojectsnodoubtfounditastimulating

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1 DorothyCross,GhostShip,1999,Scotsmans’Bay,DunLaoghaire,Co.Dublin.

2 MarcusCoates,ShamanicperformanceforSevenSamurai,2006,Toge,Japan.GrizedaleArtsProject.

3 Artists’ricelabeldesigns,forSevenSamurai,2006,Toge,Japan.GrizedaleArtsProject.

4 SeamusNolan,HotelBallymun,2007,commissionedaspartofBreakingGround.

SarahGlenniemovedtoIrelandin1995toworkasCuratorattheIrishMuseumofModernArtwhereshecuratedthemajorpublicartprojectGHOSTSHIPbyDorothyCross.In2001shemovedtoTheHenryMooreFoundationContemporaryProjectswherehercuratedprojectsincludedPaulMcCarthyatTateModern,andStopoverattheVeniceBiennale2003.Sheco-curatedRomanticDetachmentatP.S.1/MoMAandin2005amajornewfilmcommissionbyTacitaDeanforCorkCapitalofCulture2005.ShewastheCommissionerofIreland’sparticipationatthe51stVeniceBiennale2005andwasArtisticDirectoroftheModelArtsandNilandGalleryfrom2005—2008.In2008shebecameDirectoroftheIrishFilmInstitute.

What do we really need from Public Art? —SarahGlennie

References

1 In1997,followingthepublicationofPublicArtResearchProject—SteeringGroupReporttoGovernment(PARTReport).theGovernmentofIrelandapprovedtherevisionandextensionofexistingschemesofartisticembellishmenttoallGovernmentDepartmentswithconstructionbudgets.SincethattimetheSchemehasbeenimplementedinvaryingdegreesbyGovernmentDepartmentsandpublicbodies.In2004,thePerCentforArtsSchemewaslaunchedalongwiththePerCentforArtguidelinesdrawnupbyanInter-DepartmentalPublicArtCoordinationGroup,withtheassistanceofaPanelofPublicArtExpertAdvisors.

andthoughtprovokingexperience,thismodelofparticipationcanbecomereductiveastheprocessandconsequentlythe“benefit”isdefinedbytheartistsratherthantheparticipants.Moreoftenthannotparticipationequatestoinvolvementinaworkshop,orprovidingcontentfortheartisttomakeworkinresponseto,withlimitedconsiderationofamoreeffectivecontributionthatartistscouldmakeinthegivencontext.Putsimply,amoveonfromthe“thisisinterestingandyoushouldlookatit”to“thisisgoodforyouandyouwillenjoy”.

WhilePerCentforArtensuresthatpublicartcommissionsareembeddedinlargeregenerationprojectssuchasBallymun,itisnotalwaysevidentthattheregenerationcompaniesviewpublicartasameanstoarticulateambitions,strategicthinkinganddecisionmakingamongstthecommunityaboutthechangestakingplacearoundthem.AtonepublicdiscussionIattended,theregenerationcompany’spositionseemedtobethatinvolvementinoneofthepublicartprojectsshouldservetoquietenanyoftheresidents’dissatisfactionwiththeregenerationprocess,ratherthanprovideaplatform

forconcernsandissuestoberaised.

OneofBreakingGround’smostvisibleprojects.SeamusNolan’sHotelBallymun,createdashiftingperspectiveontheseissuesofparticipation,audienceandcommunity.From31stofMarchtothe27thofApril2007thetopflooroftheClarkeTower,oneofthelastremainingtowerblocksinBallymun,openeditsdoorstothepublicintheformofauniqueshortstayhotel.TheprojectcelebratedthelandmarksofBallymum,thetowerblocks,thedestructionofwhichwasatthecoreoftheregenerationprogramme.Bydefinitionthehotelwasnotintendedtocaterforlocalresidents,thepotentialparticipantswerethewiderIrishcommunitywhohadformanyyearsviewedthenotorioustowerswithamixtureofromanticism(thinkof“IntotheWest”)andfear,butrarelywithfirst-handexperience.Designerfurniture,recycledfromthefurnitureleftinthetowerblockcreatedachic,contemporaryinteriorthatmirroredthereclaimingof60’surbanarchitecturethathastakenplaceinothercitiessuchasBerlinandLondon,andwhichcouldhavebeenanalternativefutureforthetowers.With

thesocialproblemswhichmadehabitationinthetowersunbearableremovedthehotelwasasafeplaceinwhichthetowers’fantasticspace,lightandviewscouldbeappreciated.Localresidentsplayedapartinthepreparationandrunningofthehotel,andvariouscommunitygroupswereinvolvedintheaccompanyingprogrammeoftalksandeventsalongsideawiderangeofartistsandmusicians.HotelBallymunhowever,wasnotacollaborativeproject,itwasconceivedandcuratedbySeamusNolan,andanyoutsideinvolvementwasinvitedintotheframeworkhecreated.HotelBallymunfacedaccusationsofexploitationofthelocalcommunity,ofcreatingasocialzoooutofpeople’shomesandofnotprovidinganyrealbenefitforthecommunityinwhichitwasbased.AresponsibilitytotheBallymuncommunitywasintegraltotheprojecthowever-theincomefromguests’donationsandsaleofthecommissionedfurniturecreatedafundforlocalartsbursariesbringingarareeconomicdimensionintotherelationshipbetweenthecommissionedartistandcommissioningcontext.

Anorganisationthathasconsistentlyrefusedtoworkwithinanyparadigmwithout

forensicallyexaminingandquestioningitistheaforementionedGrizedaleArts,basedinCumbriaintheUK.Theirmostrecentprojectshavebeendefinedbytheirstatedaimofmakingworkthatisreallyusefulandofbenefit,butcruciallyabenefitthatisdefinedbytheparticipantsnottheartist.Theartistthereforebecomesanemployee,afacilitatorchargedwithaddressingtheparticularneedsofthecommunityinwhichthecommissionisbased.ArecentexampleistheSevenSamuraiprojectinJapanthataroseoutofaninvitationfromtheEchigo-TsumariTriennale.GrizedaleArtsaskedtheTriennaleorganiserstofindacommunitythatneededhelpandcouldarticulatethatasaspecificrequest.Thecommunitythatcameforwardwasasmallagriculturalvillageof60olderpeoplewhowereconcernedbythegrowingnumberoftouriststotheirvillageandwantedtofindawaytoproperlycommunicatetheidentityofthevillagetothevisitors.Theywerealsoworriedbytheageprofileofthevillageandwantedtoensurethattheirculturecontinuedwithfuturegenerations.Sevenartistsundertooktoanswerthevillagers’requestandworkedinthevillageforamonth.Theworktheymade

whiletherewasdirectlyconcernedwithfindingpracticalsolutionstotheseproblems,includingagroupprojectwhichrebrandedandcreatedanonlineshopforthevillage’smainproduct,rice.Itisaprojectthatcanonlybeexperiencedbyrecollectionasitwasabsolutelyaboutthecontext,namelythesocialandeconomicproblemsofthevillageandthepeopleinit.Forthoseofuswhowerenotthereitisdifficulttoevaluateandunlikemanyotherpublicartprojectstheresultingworkdoesnothaveanafterlifeinawiderartscontextsoitishardtogainanyrealsenseoftheworkproduced.Itistheintentionbehindtheprojectthoughthatisimportantandrelevantinanydiscussionofpublicart.Theartists’commissionsweredefinedbythecommunity’sagendaandtheirinvestmentintheprojectensuredthatthecollaborationwasmeaningfulwithtangibleresults.Theresultingworkwouldchallengemanycommonlyheldexpectationsofart,butatitscoreisanambitiontomakeartthatistrulyinformedbythepublic.Doweneedpublicarttobeinformedbythepublicforittohaveameaningfulimpactandrelevance?In1999theNissanArtProject,organisedbytheIrishMuseumofModernArt,wastakenasalandmark

momentinthedevelopmentofpublicartinIreland.TheprojectwasGHOSTSHIPbyDorothyCrossandconsistedofadecommissionedlightshipmooredinDublinBayforathreeweekperiod.TheshipwaspaintedinphosphorescentpaintandintermittentlylitwithUVlightswhich“charged”thepainttoglowwithitsownlight.Theresultwasthattheshipappearedanddisappearedonthehorizonasa“ghostly”apparitionoverthecourseoftheevening.Thepiecewasentirelyinformedbytheartist’spersonalresponsetoDublinBayasasiteofhistoryandchildhoodmemoryofthenowdefunctlightshipsthatusedtoinhabitIreland’scoastline.

In1999thetemporalityofsuchanambitiousstatementwasheraldedasasignificantcontributiontothedebatesaboutwhatpublicartcouldandshouldbe.Acontemporaryperspectivehowevercouldthrowintosharperfocusalackofcollaboration,directengagementwiththepublicintheconceptionoftheworkandanaccusationofspectacleoveratrueengagementwiththecontext.Inmanywaysthiswasaclearexampleofa“thisisinterestingandyoushouldlookatit”project,anartist’svision,conceivedinthestudiobutpresentedtothe

publicofagivencontextasaworkabouttheirenvironment.However,thisreadingwouldmissthetruestrengthofGHOSTSHIPasaproject—itspoetry,ambiguityandthepotentialitheldforwonderanddiscoveryamongsttheaudiencewhichensureditsimpactwassignificantandtheproject,eitherthroughdirectexperienceorimaginedfromdescriptions,hasbecomeembeddedinacollectivememoryofthatsectionofDublinBay.GHOSTSHIPwasaworkofartthatgenuinelyengagedawideaudience,amuchlargeraudiencethanaworkinagallerycouldeverreach,incontrasttotheSevenSamurai,itcannotbesaidtobeinformedbythepublicbutitwaswithoutdoubtforthepublic.Projectssuchasthisshouldnotbeoverlookedwithinacurrentfocusondefiningtherelationshipbetweenartandpublic.GHOSTSHIPisnotmemorableforthecontributionitmadetodebatesabouttheroleandfunctionofpublicart—itismemorableasanintelligent,wellconceivedworkofartthatshiftedperceptions,inspiredandsuggestedanalternativetothelimitationsofdailyexperience.Isthisultimatelywhatweneedfrompublicart?

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fromcolonisationbythe“socialsystem”(theexternalworldofinstitutionsandrelationshipsbasedontheinstrumentalneedsoftheelite).5Muchofthetheoryof“dialogic”arthasbeenbasedonanexpansionoftheroleofartist,nowseenascreating“idealspeechacts”whichmediatebetweentheintimatelife-worldandthepublicsphere.ThisisreflectedinJimVaughan’sproposalfor“ThisTime,ThisPlace”,whichwastoproduceabodyofworkthatwould“challengestereotypicalideasaboutlifeonanisland”andaddress“themoredaytodayrealityforthepeoplefromtheislands”.6Therearethreeimmediateproblemshere:Howdoesanyoneknowwhattheexperienceofeverydayrealityisforanyoneelse—nevermindtheentire136peoplelivingonClareIsland?Evenifyoucouldhaveknowledgeofsomeoneelse’slife-world,whatgivesyoutherighttorepresentit?Whilerepresentationiswelltheorisedindocumentaryphotographyandfilm-making,itrarelyfeatureinIrishPublicArtdebates.Further,bybringingaspectsofotherpeople’slives

intothepublicdomainaspartofthe“artsprovision”oftheLocalAuthority,areartistsfacilitatingthecolonisationofthelife-worldbythe“socialsystem”?Thismaybereflectedinthefailuretoprovideanyformalfollow-uptofindoutifpeopleonClareIslandwerehappywiththefinalrepresentationoftheir“everydayreality”,afailurethatrevealsthatmuchPublicArtisnottrulydialogic,butsimplyarepresentation,animage,ofdialogue—akindof“Staterealism”.7

ManyoftheargumentsmadeonbehalfofPublicArtarebasedonaninsistenceonthesingularityofpublicspace;forexample,intheGeneralNationalGuidelinesforthePublicArtPerCentforArtScheme,issuedbytheDepartmentofArts,SportandTourismin2004,“PublicArtcreatesadialoguewithapeople,atime,aplace”.8Thisimmediatelyconnectstoissuesof“identity”,“citizenship”and“community”,andabodyofevidencethatthe“publicsphere”isinfactmultipleandfragmented.ChantalMouffe,amongothers,

hasdevelopedamodelof“agonisticdemocracy”thatseekstotakeintoaccounttherealitiesofpeople’smultipleandshiftingidentitiesinpluralisticsocieties,andinsiststhat“publicspacesarealwaysplural”andthat“agonisticconfrontations”happenacrossmanyspaces.9Thecurrenthegemonicpowerhascontroloverthearticulationofthesespaces,meaningthatanyattemptto“createadifferentformofarticulationamongpublicspaces”maybeseenasdissent.10

Thisagonisticpluralismaimstotackletheproblemofthe“constitutiveoutside”,howeveryidentityisbasedondifferentiatingthe“us”from“them”.Thisdifferentiationandexclusionhasledtotheliberalpoliticsofrecognition,fundamentaltothebureaucratic“racialstate”,constantlycreatingcategoriesofpeoplewithinthesociety(e.g.“non-nationals”)—withdifferingentitlementstoservices.11Because“identitiesareconstitutedinpartbysocialconceptionsandtreatmentas,intherealmofidentitythereisnobright

linebetweenrecognitionandimposition”.12TheStateinsistsonasingle“publicsphere”,whichisactuallyitsownsphereofgovernance.“Others”becomeminorities,problematisingtheirrighttocommunityandidentity.Do“we”grantminority“communities”externalrights—can“they”speakwithacollectivevoicetothemajority,andwhorepresents“them”?Also,musttheinternallivesofcommunitiesmirrorpublicnormsofequality,nondiscrimination,dueprocess,etc.?Ifyes,doesthisinviteStateinstitutions“tocolonisesociallifeinthenameofprogressivepublicideals”?13Ifno,doweruntheriskofthe“MedusaSyndrome”,where“actsofrecognitionandthecivilapparatusofsuchrecognition[…]ossifytheidentitiesthataretheirobject”?(Appiah,p.110)

PublicArtisprovidedasaservicebytheauthorities—butforwhatpurpose?Thisleadsusintothemurkywatersof“moraleducation”,thenotionofaconcernforhowpeoplemightbe,ratherthanhowtheyare,

andtheprovisionof“moralgoods”—suchas“art”.Throughits“dialoguewithapeople,atime,aplace”,isPublicArtpartofthe“civilapparatusofrecognition”,thefixingofcommunityintoafrozenstare?Thisreflectstheunbridgeabletopographicaldifferencesbetweenart(anditsfriends)ontheonehand,andtheaudience,anotherstrangelysingularbeing,ontheother.Theaudiencelivesintheprofaneworldofaimsandneeds;artontheotherhandformsaspecialkingdombeyondtheprofane.Atitsbordersendtherightsoftheaudiencetomakedemandsormoreprecisely:therightsaretransferreddirectlytoart,whichitselfmakesdemandsontheaudience.14

Appiah’s“MedusaSyndrome”isseeninthetendency,extremelystronginIrishpolitics,ofreifying“community”assomekindoffixedobject.Thiselidesthedifferencesbetween“representative”communityorganisations,basedonterritory,and“community-based”organisations,sharinga“commoninterest”,

furthercomplicatedbythedistinctionsbetweentop-downandbottom-up“communityaction”.15IrishPublicArt,duetotheinsistenceonthe“representativecommunityofplace”model,anditsadministrationthroughLocalAuthorities,isgenerallytop-downandreliantoncommunity“elites”.Inthe“ThisTime,ThisPlace”projecttwopeoplefromClareIslandCommunityDevelopmentCompanycommitteevolunteeredtoactas“communityrepresentatives”onthecommissioningpanel—asystemwhichmaybefairinacommunityof136people,buthasthepotentialtobecomeelitistifappliedinalargercommunity.Forexample,inJuly2007anewsculpture,TempleoftheTidesbyTravisPrice,waserected,replacinganexistingsculptureoftheChildrenofLírandapicnicareainBelmullet16.Localconcernwasreportedinthemedia,bothatthelackofcommunityconsultation,andtheremovalofpartofafaminewallwhichwasincorporatedinto

thesculpture.Inresponse,MrPeterHynes(DirectorofServiceswithMayoCountyCouncil)said,“WehaddiscussionswiththeTidyTownscommitteeandtherewasanagreementtorelocatetheChildrenofLírandpicnicarea.Theprevioussculpturewillberelocatedalongthepromenadeandwillbepartoftheoveralldevelopmentofthequayarea.”17CantheTidyTownsCommitteeortheCommunityDevelopmentOfficerreallybe“representative”ofthecommunity?

Ratherthanengagingin“recognitionas”,Iwouldsuggestthatcriticalartisticpracticesshouldconstructagonisticspacesthatreflectthecomplexmicrolandscapes

of“community”.Thesearefluidanddynamicaffectivesystemsinwhicheachperson’swell-beingiscontingentontheirrelationshiptoandtheactivitiesofthoseotherpeoplewithinthenetwork.Therefore“community”isapropertythatarisesfromtheactiveinteractionandtheconsistentbehaviourofpeople,notfromsomenotionofafixedstate(“theCommunity”).Bycontrast,withitsinsistenceonthesingularityofthepublicspaceanditsreificationof“community”,PublicArtinIrelandcanbesaidtobepartoftheState’s“civilisingmission”-turningsomepeopleintogoodcitizens,whilereinforcingtheexclusionofOthers,andthusdefiningwho“we”are.

JohnMulloyworkedfornearly25yearsasacommunityartistinawidevarietyofsettings.Increasingdiscomfortwiththenegativeimpactsofstatepolicyonmarginalisedgroupsledhimtoresearcha2006PhDthesisattheNCADon“communityarts”.Hiscurrentresearchfocusisonarts-basedcommunitydevelopment,andhelecturesintheHistoryofArtandCriticalTheoryintheGalway-MayoInstituteofTechnology.

Anything — as long as it’s not a sculpture!1

—Dr.JohnMulloy

References

1 WiththankstoJimVaughan,BethMoranandAineRyanfortheirhelpinthepreparationofthispiece.2 ThispublicmeetingwasconvenedbyMayoCountyCouncilArtsOfficetoprovideafullpresentationonpublicart—internationally,nationallyandlocally,topresentinformationonallartformsandoptionsavailable

totheislanders.3 FundingunderthePerCentforArtsSchememoneyisring-fencedtoensurethatthemoneyisspentonthecommissioningofpublicartandisnotre-allocatedforotherpurposes.Formoredetailsonthepierproject,

seetheDept.ofCommunity.RuralandGaeltachtAffairsPressRelease,“€12millionInishturkandClareIslandPiersOfficiallyopened”(30.06.06)www.pobail.ie/en/PressReleases/2006/June/htmltext,7069,en.html[accessed20thApril2009].

4 SeeMarilynTaylor,“CommunityParticipationintheRealWorld:OpportunitiesandPitfallsinNewGovernanceSpaces”,UrbanStudiesJournal,44,2(February2007),297—317.5 JurgenHabermas,TheTheoryofCommunicativeAction,2vols,trans.byThomasMcCarthy(Cambridge:PolityPress,1984(1981));SeealsoHabermas,“Life-forms,moralityandthetaskofthephilosopher”inAutonomy

andSolidarity—InterviewswithJurgenHabermas,ed.byPeterDews(London:Verso,1987).6 “LaunchofArtworksonMayoIslands”,WesternPeople(Wednesday,June27,2007);seealsowww.jimvaughanphotography.com/projects.asp?ID=8andwww.thistimethisplace.com7 Thewebsiteassociatedwiththeprojectremainsactive,perhapsafollow-upofakind.8 DepartmentofArts,SportandTourism,GeneralNationalGuidelinesforthePublicArtPerCentforArtScheme(Dublin,2004).9 ChantalMouffe,“WhichPublicSpaceforCriticalArtpractices?”inCorkCaucusonart,possibilityanddemocracy(Frankfurt:Revolver,2006),p.162.10 Ibid.11 SeeDavidTheoGoldberg,TheRacialState(Oxford:Blackwell,2002);

EtienneBalibar,We,ThePeopleofEurope?ReflectionsonTransnationalCitizenship,trans.byJamesSwenson(Princeton:PrincetonUniversityPress,2004);KwameAnthonyAppiah,TheEthicsofIdentity(Princeton:PrincetonUniversityPress,2005);andRonitLentin,“Anti-racistresponsestotheracialisationofIrishness:Disavowedmulticulturalismanditsdiscontents”inRacismandAnti-racisminIreland,ed.byRonitLentinandRobbieMcVeigh,(Belfast:BeyondthePale,2002).

12 KwameAnthonyAppiah,TheEthicsofIdentity(Princeton:PrincetonUniversityPress,2005),p.110.13 NancyL.RosenblumandRobertC.Post,CivilSocietyandGovernment(Princeton:PrincetonUniversityPress,2001),quotedinAppiah,p.291,n.17.14 ChristianDemand,“InflatedPhrases”,Signandsight(28thMay2008)www.signandsight.com/features/1703.html[accessed20thApril2009].15 SeeZygmuntBauman,Community:SeekingSafetyinanInsecureWorld(Cambridge:Polity,2001)andMarilynTaylor,PublicPolicyintheCommunity(London:Palgrave,2003).FortheIrishcontext,seeTonyVarley,

“MorePowertothePeople?ThePoliticsofCommunityActioninLateTwentiethCenturyIreland”,inSocialpolicyinIreland:Principles,PracticeandProblems,ed.bySeanHealyandBrigidReynolds(Dublin:OakTreePress,1998),andHilaryToveyandPerryShare,ASociologyofIreland,2ndedn(Dublin:Gill&Macmillan,2003).

16 ThiswasnotaPerCentforArtProject,andwasnothandledbyMayoCountyCouncilArtsOffice.17 PeterHynes,quotedinAntonMcNulty,“UneaseoverreplacementofChildrenofLírsculpture”,MayoNews(Tuesday31stJuly2007).

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1 Untitled,JimVaughan,2006,C-Typeprint,1.2mx1.2m,courtesyoftheartist.2 Title:TempleoftheTides;Artist:TravisPriceandstudents;Date:2007;Medium:stone,glass,stainlesssteelandconcrete;Dimensions:approx250sq.ftfloorarea;Photo:courtesyTravisPriceandPeterHynes.

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“Anything—aslongasit’snotasculpture!”wastheconclusionofapublicmeetingheldonClareIslandin2006todiscussaPublicArtproposal2.ThiswasaPerCentforArtsproject(cappedat€60,000)arisingoutofthe€9.5millionextensiontoClareIsland’spier.3Asmuchasanything,therewasfrustrationthatthemoneycouldonlybespenton“art”,ratherthanonotherprojects,especiallyanalternativeenergy

supply.Thisconflictofinterestbetweentheislanders’needsandtheofficialrestrictionsonhowmoneyistobespentcutstothecoreofthepoliticsof“audiencereception”of“publicartworks”inruralplaces.Thisisthefocusofthispiece,andattheoutsetIwanttoemphasisethatIamnotmakinganyaestheticjudgmentwhatsoeveronanyartworksmentioned.Rather,Iwanttousetheideaof“PublicArt”asabasisforexploring

thecontestedterrainofthe“publicspace/sphere”,“moraleducation”and“community”.Aspartofthis,anargumentwillbemadethatthroughitsinsistenceonthesingularityofthepublicspaceanditsreificationofthenotionofcommunity,PublicArtinIrelandispartoftheState’songoingcreationofidentity,aprocessthathappensthroughrecognitionandexclusion.TheprojectonClareIslandhasbeenchosenasitcould

beseenasanidealexampleofaunitary“community”,adefinedpublicspace,andbecausetheartist,JimVaughan,soughttoengagewiththeislandersinthemakingofthework.

AftertheColdWar,governmentsbeganusingthetoolsofpartnershipandfundingtocontrolopposition,inamovefromgovernmenttogovernance.4Theartworldrespondedtothisnewpolitics

bygeneratingalanguageofdialogue,participationandcommunity,largelybasedonJurgenHabermas’theoryof“communicativeaction”.TheHabermasianpublicsphereisanintermediatespaceof“communicativeaction”inwhichstatepoliciesandcivil,politicalandsocialrightscanbenegotiatedamongcitizensinanequitable,rationaldialogue,protectingthe“life-world”(theeveryday,immediate,privatesphere)

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Public Art — a local authority perspective—GaynorSeville

Images

1 Magicalmysterybustour.2 FrontofinvitationformagicalmysterytouraspartofSalfordPublicArtproject.

ImovedtoIrelandfromEnglandandcametoworkfortheArtsOfficeinCo.Mayoin2006.OneofmyfirstexperiencesofPublicArtinCo.MayowasatthelaunchoftheartworksontheIslandsofInishturkandClare.HavingworkedasaPublicArtDevelopmentOfficerformanyyearspriortomovingtoIreland,Iwasespeciallykeentoseehowtheartworkshadbeencommissioned,andwhatprocessesofengagementtheArtsOfficeandtheartisthadundertakenwiththecommunities.

ThejourneytotheIslandswasanexperienceinitself,anditmustbeoverwhelmingforanyartisttoconsiderhowtoworkwith,orcompetewith,suchdramaticscenery.IwasimpressedbytheEamonnO’DohertysculptureatInishturk.Itisverytraditional,highquality,beautifullypositioned,sensitivetoitssurroundings,andseemedverypopularwiththeresidents.

OnarrivalatthecommunitycentreonClareIslandwhereJimVaughan’s“ThisTime,ThisPlace”wastobeofficiallylaunched,Iwastakenabackbythehugetableslaidoutacrossthefulllengthofthelargehalltoaccommodate,literally,allofthepeoplewholiveontheisland,whohadallturnedupfortheevent.Ienjoyedseeingthechildrenleafingthroughthebooksondisplay,proudlypointingoutphotographstheyhadtaken,orwerein.Again,Iwasstruckbythehighqualityoftheartwork,theexquisitelyboundbooksandstrikingaccompanyingexhibitionoflargephotographs,whichnowformpartofthecounty’sartcollection.Iexperienceditasagoodexampleofsuccessfulcommunityinvolvement,acontemporaryandappropriatecommission,aqualityprocessandoutcome.

Theadministrationandplanningbehindthescenesofanypublicartschemecanbeimmense,andwhenmanagedwell,inthiscasebythelocalauthorityartoffice,itcandirectlyaffecttheartwork’ssuccess.Theadministrationdoesnotstoponcethebriefhasbeenwritten,selectionproceduresputinplaceandcontractsissued.Thecommissionerwillassistwithintroductions,promotingthescheme,lookingafterthebudget,

liaisingwithothercouncildepartmentssuchasplanning,architects,roadsetc.andelectedmembers,arrangingevents,thelistgoeson.

AschemeImanagedinSalfordwithartistsMichaelTrainorandLiamCurtinbeganbysendinginvitestoeverysinglehouseintheareainvitingthemtocometoatalkaboutpublicartwheretheartistsintroducedthemselvesandpresentedimagesofprojectsfromaroundtheworld.Theinviteconsistedofasuperimposedgardengnomeontothechosensiteandthequestion“This?”Therewasexcellentattendanceatthetalk.

Thiswasfollowedupbyaninvitationtocomeonamagicalmysterytour,whereafullcoachoflocalpeopleweretakenaroundNorthWestEnglandtovisitexamplesofpublicart,fillinginquestionnairesonthewayratingeachpieceonitsscale,materials,aesthetics,sitingetc.Thisprocessprovedtherewasnoclearwinningformulaforauniversallylikedartwork.Aswellasbeingalearningprocessforsomeofthecommunity,italsohighlightedfortheartistswhatthekeyconcernsandinterestswereofthegroup,andtheyendeavouredtoverycreativelyincorporatethisintotheirdesign.

Asculpturalworkwasproducedwhichalsohadatimecapsuleunderneath,tobeopenedbyafuturecommunityin100years.Localpeoplewereinvitedtocontributeletterssenttothefuture,withcreativewritingworkshopsavailable.Schoolchildrencreateddesignsandmodelsoftheirideaofwhattheareawouldlooklikein100yearsandalocalyouthgroupworkedwiththelocalmuseumcuratortofindoutaboutobjectsfrom100yearsagoandcuratedtheirownexhibitionofmodernartefactswhichisheldintheundergroundvault.

Aswellastheongoingadministrationtasksinvolvedindeliveringaprojectlikethis,thereareother,sometimesunexpected,rolesthecommissionermusttakeon.Inthiscaseitwasnecessarytofieldunrelatedquestionsfromtheinitial

openmeetingaudienceregardingconcernsaboutotherissues,suchastreeremovalorproblemswithroads.

Thereweremanydifficultiesbetweenthefundersofthisparticularartwork(governmentregenerationfunds,NewDealforCommunities)andthevisionoftheartistsandtheprojectmanagers(thelocalauthorityArtsOffice).Theartistsfeltasenseofunease,distrustandcensorshipfromthefunders,whowereinexperiencedinworkingwithartists.Theyseemedworriedabouthowthecommunitywouldrespond,andhowthiswouldreflectonthem.Asthelocalauthorityprojectmanager,itwasadifficultjobtokeepresolvingtheirdifferences.Itdidraisemanyinterestingquestionsaboutwhytheworkhadbeenfunded,andwhatthefundersoriginallyhopedorassumedtheartworkwoulddo.

Theartistsveryquicklyhadagreatrapportwithandrespectforandfromthecommunity.Theywereclearlyabletodeliverforthecommunitysomethingthatwasobviouslymissingfromtherestofthegovernmentregenerationinitiative,anditwasgreatlywelcomed.Interestinglytheartistsdidnotfeelcompromisedintheirabilitytohaveartisticfreedomovertheendresult,whilststillenablingtheregenerationinitiativetoticktheirboxes,whichseemedtoconcentratehighlyonnumbersofpeopleinvolved,butnotthequalityofthatinvolvement.

JobdescriptionsforArtsOfficersandPublicArtCo-ordinatorswouldusuallyaskforathirdleveldegreeinArtoranArtsrelatedsubject,alongwithextensiveexperienceofworkingwithintheartssectoratseniorlevels.Asaresultmanyhaveacreativebackgroundthemselves,whichcanprovecrucialfortheinevitablecreativeexchangeofideasbetweenthecommissionerandtheartistregardingthecurationandrealisationoftheproject.

MayoCountyCouncilpledgestobeasinclusiveandaccessibleaspossibleandtopromotethehighestqualityserviceforthepeoplewholiveandworkinthecounty.TheArtsOffice,as

commissioner,mustbemindfulofthisandaddressconcernsaboutlongtermvalueaswellasensuringthattheartistfeelsfreetofullyexpressthemselvesartisticallywithoutunnecessarycompromise.Thiscanbeadifficultbalance.Longtermvaluecanbeassimpleasensuringapermanentphysicalartworkhasarealisticmaintenanceplaninplace.Accesstoinformationabouttheartworkandtheartistneedstobemadeavailableforthosewhowantit.Opportunitiesformeaningfulparticipationthroughouttheprocessneedtobeconsideredatanearlystageandexploited.

Theartistworkingonaparticularschemedoesnotalwayshavetobedirectlyinvolvedinallofthisongoingwork,therecanbeunrealisticexpectationsputonartiststobegreatpublicspeakers,workshopfacilitators,websitedesigners,eventmanagers,aswellcreatingtheartwork.LiamandMichael’sprojectforexampleengagedmanyotherprofessionalsduringthescheme,workshopfacilitators,youthworkers,engineers,eventsteams,marketingexpertiseandadditionallabourforinstallation.

Therecanbenosetrulesforanypublicartschemeregardingthecommunityandhow,orindeedif,theyshouldbeinvolved.Therecanbedifferencesbetweenruralandurbancontexts.TheAnishKapoorsculpture“CloudGate’inChicagowouldhaveadifferentkindofaudienceandprocessincomparisontoasmallbudgetcommunitycommissioninasmallvillageinthewestofIreland.Theagendasofthecommissioningbodieswouldhavesimilaritiesinthatbothwouldwantthehighestqualityinartisticoutcomeandsomethingthatthepublicwouldwanttoengagewithinapositiveway.

Accessingcommunitiesandaudiencesinurbanandruralsettingscomewiththeirowndifficultiesandbenefits.Inlargetownsandcitiesthereisaninstantaudienceeveryday,residents,workers,commuters,touristsetc.Inruralvillagesitislikelytobeonlytheimmediateresidentswhoengagewiththefinal

GaynorSevilleisafineartgraduatewhoseearlycareerasanartsworkerincommunitysettings,artgallerymanagementandasavisitinguniversitylecturerledhertoworkinlocalauthorityartsadministration.ForthelasttenyearsshehasworkedinIrelandandEnglandasaPublicArtOfficerandPrincipalArtsDevelopmentOfficerforSalfordCityCouncilandinhercurrentroleasPublicArtCoordinatorforMayoCountyCouncil.

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work.Despitethis,itcanbeeasytogetpeopletogetherinaruralsetting,mostpeoplewillknoweachotherandtherewillbegoodnetworks.However,thisisnotalwaysthecase.Newestatesthathavesprungupregularlyoverthepastfewyearshavehadpercentforartbudgetsallocatedandithasprovedinsomecasesdifficulttoevengetoneresidenttooffertobeonaselectionpanelfortheartworkasthe“community”assuchhasyettobeformed.

Imakenoassumptionswhenplanningtocontactanycommunitygroup,orindividualregardingapublicartscheme.Anycommunityisagroupofpeoplewithsomethingincommon,usuallygeographical,butcertainlynoteverythingincommon.Everyprojectidea,artist,location,group,potentialaudienceisdifferent,andtheiropinionandexperienceofartisdifferent.Usualmeansofengagingwithpeopleincludeopenmeetings,presentations,exhibitions,tours,websites,blogs,pressreleasesandparishnotes.WherepossibleIamkeentoencourageinvolvementintheselectionprocess,whereappropriatethecreationoftheartwork,inlearningopportunitiesthatmayarise,andultimatelyasanaudiencemember.Forsomeanyengagementmaytaketime,oftenwiththeartworklongafterithasbeencompleted.Itisdifficulttomeasureandevaluate.Thekeyistoaskthecommunitywhattheythink,nottellthemwhattothink.Theuseofpublicartshouldencouragethatcommunication,promptquestionsaboutuseofspace,allocationofpublicmoney,decisionmakingprocesses,andexperienceofhighqualityartwork.Oftencertainindividualswillbefirmaboutwhattheydoordon’twant,howeverasCaoimhínMacGiollaLéithstatesinthePerCentforArtNationalGuidelines“thepubliccannotexpressadesireforthatwhichithasnotyetexperienced”.

Toensurethatartistsdonotlosethisfreedomandthattheirartisticvisionisprotected,thecommissionerhastohaveaveryclearandopenbriefandthecommunityneedstobewellinformedabouttheprocess,andgivenrealisticexpectations.

Ourdailylivesareregularlyrepresentedinwayswehavenocontrolover,throughmedia,newspapers,soapoperas,localgossipetc.Architectureandtownplanningcanseemimposeduponus,withlittleopportunitytohaveanydirectinvolvementorcommunicationwiththecreatorsordecisionmakers.

Wearesurroundedbycomplexvisualinformationinthepublicrealm,naturalandmanmade.OutsideofmyofficewindowIseeapetrolstation,rooftops,apyloncoveredinsatellitedishesandinthedistanceCroaghPatrick.Competingwithallofthiscouldseemanimpossibletask.PublicArtcanstopusinourtracksandshockus,surpriseus,makeusslowdown,thinkaboutwhereweare,holdamirroruptowhoweare,giveusprideinwhereweliveorwork,makeussmile,makeuscross,makeuscommunicate.

Itcanbecontrolledbythepeopletheartworkhasbeencreatedfor,throughprocessesofengagement,bethatintheselectionprocedureortheartisticprocessandthroughtheirpersonalinterpretationoftheartisticoutcome.Ifthepublicchoosenottogetinvolved,evenasanaudiencememberwhodislikestheartwork,thereissimplynoart,justanotherobject,pieceofstreetfurniture,orunnoticedevent.

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Images—CaseStudyOne

1 ChrisDrury:“WoolChamber”.InstallationusingSwaledalewoolfleecesanddrystonewalling,inButtlesBarn,MarshawFarm,nearAbbeystead,ForestofBowland,Lancashirephoto:DonMcPhee,TheGuardian.

2 ArtBarnsProject,artistToroAdeniranKane,installationinWateryGateFarmbarn,ForestofBowland.

3 ToroAdeniran-KaneperforminginWateryGateFarmbarn,Chipping,Lancashire,infrontofherinstallation:“BetterLifeforRuralWomen”,atraditionalNigerianmuralusingcowdungandcowrieshells.

Images—CaseStudyTwo

1 DarkDays,exhibitionposter.

ReformoftheEUCommonAgriculturalPolicy(EAFRD,2007-2013)andotherenvironmental,social,andeconomicpressuresnowactingonthecountrysidearebringingaboutradicalchangeinruralcommunitieseverywhere.FarmersarealsorequiredtoengagemorefullywithEUpolicydirectivespromotingsocialinclusion,publichealth,renewableenergy,biodiversity,safefood,andenvironmentalsustainability. EUagriculturepolicydocuments(EAGGF)alsocitetheneedforafundamentalculturalchangewithinfarmingandruralcommunitiesgenerally.Allofwhichpointtotheurgentneedforsomenewculturalandcriticalnarrativescapableofinformingandengagingwiderpublicdebateaboutthefutureofagriculture,foodandruraldevelopment,andinsupportofotheroverarchingstrategiesforglobaleconomicandenvironmentalsustainability.Theseinturnpresentartistsandculturalpolicymakers(urbanandrural)withsomecompellingnewintellectual,ethicalandaestheticchallenges,whichtheycannotaffordtoignore.

Articulating the cultural arguments for sustainable food

and agriculture

Overthepasttenyears,EULEADER funded ruralcommunity-leddevelopmentprogrammeshavesupportedhundredsofinnovativearts,mediaandculturalprojectsinruralareasthroughoutEurope,includinganinterestingrangeofcuratorialandexperimentalruralartprojectsinfarmingandurbancontexts.Yetlittleofthisworkhaseverbeenproperlydocumented,orgivenanycriticalexposureinthemainstreamartworld.Elsewhere,Dutch,ItalianandGermangovernmentagricultureandruralagenciesarepromotingvariousnewpublicart,crafts,architectureanddesignprojectsinsupportofregionalsustainableagriculture,foodandcreativeruraleconomyinitiatives.Yet,manyruralcommunitiesstillremaineconomicallydisadvantagedandsociallymarginalised,andfeelthattheirculturalaspirationsandconsiderablecreativeeconomicpotentialscontinuetoignoredbyurbanorientatedartscouncilsandculturalpolicymakers. 

Rural leaders propose a cultural strategy for

agricultural change

Inresponsetotheseconcerns,aRuralCulturalForumwasrecentlyestablishedinEnglandtoseekgreaterculturalentitlementandequityinartsandculturalfundingforfarmingandruralcommunities.Citingasaprecedentthemajorgovernmentartsandculturalfundingawardedtourbancommunitiesandpost-industrialeconomicregenerationprojectsduringthe1980sand’90s,theyarenowdemandinganequivalentlevelofartsandculturalinvestmentforruralregenerationandfarmdiversificationinitiatives.Theyarealsokeentoworkwithprofessionalartists,curators,writers,filmmakersandphotographerstodocumentthesocial,environmental,healthandeconomicconsequencesofCAPinruralareas,andplantosetupanationalruralculturalcentreandgallerytoshowthiswork,aswellaspromotingotherexperimentalartandagricultureprojectsandexhibitions.TheseincludeproposalsforaseriesofinternationalRuralBiennalesandsymposiaaimedatfurtherconnectingupart,agricultureandenvironmentalsustainabilityagendasandpolicydiscoursesinnewandimaginativeways.TheyarealsoworkingwiththeDepartmentsforCulture(DCMS)andRuralAffairs(DEFRA)toformulateanationalculturalstrategyforagriculturalchange.Clearly,artistshavemuchtolearnfromsuchproactiveandimaginativeruralcommunity-ledartsandculturalpolicyinterventions.

The rural as a new site for advanced social, cultural and

environmental discourse

Also,understandingsomethingoftheaestheticandculturalimplicationsofcurrentagricultureandruraldevelopmentpolicyshouldenableartistsandpolicymakerstotacklesomeofthemoreintractableruralsocial,environmentalandeconomicproblems,i.e.byinitiallyre-framingthemasnewcreativeandculturaltasks.Forexample,someartistsareworkingwithruralleadersoncreativewaysofcombatingracismin

ruralareas,andalsointacklingtheeffectsofruralsocialandeconomicexclusionduetotheerosionofpublicservicesandlackofaffordablehousinginruralareas.Publicconcernsaboutindustrialfarmingandrelatedfarmanimalwelfareissues,includingGMOs,animalcloningandbio-technology,revealotherinterestingnewethicalandaestheticdimensionswithinagriculturepolicy,whicharealsoculturallyinformedandarticulated.  

Artistsandfilmmakershavealsobeendocumentingtherecentspateoffarmanimalpandemicsandagriculturaldisasters;BSE,FMD,BovineTB,andSwineFlu,whichagainunderlinestheimportanceofgeneratingvitalnewculturalandethicalnarrativesforsociety,governingfuturehuman-animalandhuman-environmentrelationships;i.e.makingtheculturalargumentsforamorehumaneandenvironmentallysustainableagriculture.Thesenewethicalandaestheticdiscoursesalsoimplyacriticalre-alignmentoftherural,asanewsiteofengagementforotherimportantoverarchingnationaleconomic,culturalandenvironmentalpolicydiscourses.Allofwhich,Iwanttoargue,constitutelegitimateandabsolutelycompellingnewarenasformainstreamculturalpolicy,curatorshipandcriticalartpractice.

New post-agricultural rural landscapes, settlements and

creative economies

Theimpactofclimatechangeandglobalwarmingisalsoinducingradicalnewfarmingandruraleconomicpracticesandotherexotic(sub-topical)ecosystemsinruralareas,which,alongwiththe“abandonment”ofcertainmarginalruralandhillfarmingsectors,aregivingrisetoneworun-anticipated“post-agricultural” culturallandscapes.Theseincludeinterestingnewruraldesign,socio-economic,architecturalandhumansettlementformationsinthecountryside. And,inreturnforcontinuingstatesubsidy,farmersarenowalsorequiredtoprovideurbanconsumerswitharangeofnon-agriculturalpublicgoodsandservices,whichincludenewcreativeruraleconomyandrelatedartistic,creativeandculturalprojects.Giventhesenewcreativeandintellectualchallenges,artistsandculturalpolicymakerswillnowneedtoadoptamorestrategicandcriticalengagementwithagricultureandruralpolicyinitiatives,includingdevelopmentofnewartpracticesandculturalnarrativescapableofinformingandshapingfuturepolicyprioritiesforsustainableagriculture,foodandruraldevelopment.

Beyond the rural — overarching arts and cultural strategies

for environmental sustainability

SomeartistsandcuratorsinIreland,andinotherpartsoftheEU,havealreadyanticipatedthesedevelopmentsandarecurrentlyexperimentingwitharangeofnewmedia,criticalartpracticesandcuratorialstrategiesthatmightbebettersuitedtotheseparticularagendas.Althoughinitiallyfocusedonruralandagriculturalissues,thisworkalsoacknowledgesresponsibilityforhelpingtoshapethenewfutureculturaldiscoursesforenvironmentalandeconomicsustainability.However,muchofthepioneeringworkinthisdirectionstillremainsundocumented,under-resourcedandlackingthebasictheoreticalunderpinningsrequiredforitsfuturedevelopment. Inefforttostimulatefurtherdebateonthesetopics,Iwanttoconcludewithsomebriefobservationsandsuggestions. 

1 Documentinganemergentnewruralartsandmediagenre

RecentresearchworkthroughcontactsinEurope,andintheUSAandAustraliaindicatethattherearehundredsofbest-practicesexamplesofnewruralartsandmediaprojectscurrentlyavailableforfurtherstudyandevaluation.Thesevariouslyemploynewmediaandothercreativeandexperimentalstrategiestoaddresssomeofthemoredifficultissuesandunderlyingstructuralproblemscurrentlyconnectedwithagriculturereformandruraldevelopment

policy.Ledinthemainbyindependentartistswho,althoughtheymakeuseofexistingartsfundingresourcesandsystemsandinstitutions,donotappeartobethatinterestedinseekingvalidationforthisworkwithintheartworld. However,ifthegenreistohaveanyprofessionalcredibilityanddevelopacoherentstrategyitwillneedtobeproperlydocumentedandclassified,andalsosubjectedtomorerigorousprocessesoftheoreticalanalysisandintellectualinquiry.

2 Establishingthemainpracticecharacteristicsofthe

newruralarts

Newruralartspractitionersseemtopursuelong-termpartnershipworkwithhostfarmingandruralcommunities,andinaddressingnewcreativesolutionstoawiderangeofcoreruralsocial,healthandeconomicproblems.Theyarealsointerestedindevelopingcriticalandcuratorialinterventionsintoagricultureandruraldevelopmentpolicy,aspartofapromotinganewruralculturalstrategy. Therealsoappeartobeseveralothersub-genresandpracticespecialisationsnowemerginginthefield,includingpractitionerswhofocusmainlyonagriculture,art-as-cultivation,livestockissues,andrelatedartfarmprojects;i.e.artandagriculture.  NewRuralArtsisproposedasaninterimtermforan,asyet,unformedandpotentiallyproblematicarenaofpractice,whichalsoaimstoengagewithandbeinclusiveofasawiderangeofurbanartpracticesandothercritical/culturaldiscoursesaspossible.Moreresearch*needsthereforebetobeundertakenintermsofformalisingacriticalgenealogyforthiswork,andinmappingitssalientpracticecharacteristicsandinternationaldistribution.  *Theseareoutlinedinmoredetailin“TheNewRuralArts”strategyreport2004, whichisavailableat:www.littoral.org.uk/HTML01/pro_rural_arts.htm

3 Constraintsandchallengesfacingthenewareaofpractice

Someoftheconstraintscurrentlyholdingbackdevelopmentofthenewruralartsaresummarisedasfollows:(i)lackofastrategicframeworkcapableofadvancingnewthinkinganddialoguerequiredtoconnectupcurrentcultural,arts,ruraldevelopmentandenvironmentalsustainabilitypolicydiscourses;(ii)theabsenceofanysignificantpractitionerinputorinternationalagreementondevelopmentofanewruralartsresearch/theoreticaltraditionandrelatedpedagogicalprogrammes;(iii)dominanceofurbanprioritiesandvaluesguidingmainstreamartsandculturalfundingpolicy,andtheconsequentmarginalisationoftheruralasanareaofculturalunderdevelopment;(iv)lackofconfidenceonthepartofsomeruralandagriculturecommunitiesinengagingtheirfullcreativepotential,andalsoinworkingstrategicallywithurbanartistsandtheculturesector;and(v)anunwillingnessonthepartofsomeestablishedartsorganisationsandculturalpolicymakerstocriticallyengagewiththenewruraldevelopment,agricultureandenvironmentalsustainabilityagendas,whicharenowrecognisedaskeyfutureareasfornationalpolicydiscourse.

4 ProposedEUforumandconferencefornewruralarts

practitionersandresearchers

Totryandaddresssomeoftheseissuesandquestionsinmoredetail,aseriesofEU-wideforumsareplanned,includinganinauguralNewRuralArtsconference,whichisproposedforlaterin2010.Thisaimstobringtogetherinterestedresearchers,curatorsandpractitioners,alongwithinvitedfarmingandruralcommunityleaders,todiscussfutureprojectsdevelopment,andrelatedresearchandpedagogyinitiativesinthefield.

Formoreinformationpleasecontact:

Ian Hunter

LITTORAL Arts

e littoral@btopenworld.comt 0044(0)706827961

LITTORALisanon-profit-makingartstrustwhichfocusesonpromotingartpracticeandculturalstrategiesasaresponsetosocialandenvironmentalchange.Thetrustorganisesconferences,exhibitions,artscommissionsandprojects,publicationsandresearchpapersthatproposecreativesolutionstoreal-lifeproblems.LITTORALpreferstoworkonprojectswhichfalloutsidetheremitoftheartworld,andarestructuredthroughlongtermpartnershipsanddialoguewithcommunitygroups,tradeunions,schools,culturallydiverseorganisations,andfarmingandruralcommunities.

www.littoral.org.uk

TheArtBarnsprogrammewasLittoral’sfirstattempttoframeanartsprogrammeintendedtopersuadefarmersandtheruralcommunitythattheartscouldbeenlistedtoaidthemmaketheircasetotheurbanpublicandalsotoopenupanewfieldofpracticeforartists,invitingthemtostepoutofthegalleriesandintotheworldofreallifeproblem-solving.

TheoutbreakofvJCD,anditslinkingtoBSE(MadCowDisease)hadalertedthepublictothefactthatallwasnotwellinruralEngland.Ofcourse,therearealwaysproblemsinfarming,butthingsweregettingeverworse,andbecominglargerthancouldbedealtwithbythefarmersontheirown.Itwastimetobringculturebacktoagriculture.SupportedbyaLotterygrant,LittoralinvitedinternationalartiststoworkwithfarmersintheForestofBowland,Lancashire,tocreateinstallationsintheirdisusedbarns.TheprecedentwasKurtSchwitters’unfinishedMerzBarninstallationinCumbria,butwhereSchwitterswasworkingtocreateart.InArtBarnseachartistwasaskedtoengageinextendeddialoguewithafarmerandtoidentifya“problem”totacklethroughthework.Theprogrammeasawholewouldthenserveasameansofluringtheart-lovingpublicoutofthecities,helpingthemtoreevaluatetheirpreconceptionsaboutfarming.

ArtistsfromtheUK,Ireland,Canada,AustraliaandNewZealandparticipatedintheproject.OnthedayoftheopeningofArtBarns,TheGuardiancarriedafullpagefeatureontheproject,focusedonthefarmingaspects,whichwasanundoubtedaidtotheacceptanceoftheprojectinagriculturalcircles.Thiswasaccentuatedwhen,aweeklatertheprojectwascoveredinTheFarmersGuardian,theBBC4programmeFarmingTodayandashortGranadaTVfeature.

ArtBarnshadbothshort-termandlong-termoutcomes.Thewool-basedprojects,intendedtodrawattentiontothefactthatthepriceofwoolhadfallensolowthatfarmerswereburningthefleecesintheirfields,provedinfluential,andLittoralfollowedupwithtwoLEADER-fundedprogrammesinCumbriacreating“value-added”wool-basedproductsandaHerdwickwoolexhibitionatManchesterAirportin2002.

ToroKane’sbarninteriorwasaccompaniedbyaseriesofperformances,andLittoralfollowedupbypromotingfarmvisitsfornewlyimmigrantSomaliwomenandtheirchildren,whilstTorodevelopedaprojecttohelpfarmerJohnHartleymarkethismilkandmeattoinnercityManchesterfamilies.Asdatookupthechallenge,andsomepilotprojectswererunmarketingAfricanrecipesintheirLeverhulmestore.LittoralisnowplanningArtBarnsII,asculpturetrailinbarnsacrossCumbriaandtheNorthEast,in2012.AsatasterweareseekingfundingforFashionBarns,fashionshowsinfarmbarnsintheLangdalevalley,scheduledfor2011,focusingonclothingandfurnishingsusingHerdwickandSwaledalewool.

Whenin2001Foot-andMouthdiseasehitBritain’sfarmsLittoralsetupaseriesofcommissions,“TheDocumentsofFMD”,forartists,photographers,poetsandwriters,withawebsiteandahelpline,supportedbyArtsCouncilEngland.

Thesubjectwas(andremains)apainfuloneforsociety,andforsomeyearsitprovedimpossibletofindavenueforanexhibition,butonthefiveyearanniversaryoftheoutbreak,in2006,LittoralorganisedaconferenceinManchesterTownHallaccompaniedbyanexhibitionattheManchesterMetropolitanUniversitygallery.Variousseminarshavealsobeenrun,andthelongtermambitionistosetupanationalcentreasarepositoryforthephotographicrecords,notjustofFMD,butofBritishagriculturalheritage.

Themechanismforachievingthiswill,wehope,beTheRuralCulturalForum,amembershiporganisationLittoralhelpedtosetupin2004toenableruralandfarmingorganisationstolobbyatnationallevelforanewpolicyofculturalentitlementforruralcommunities.

Beyond the rural: Rethinking critical art practice in the context of EU agriculture reform and rural development policy

—LittoralArtsTrust

CaseStudyOneLittoral:Artbarns,1999(AfterKurtSchwitters)

CaseStudyTwoLittoral:TheDocumentsofFMD,2001

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“WhenIgrowupIwanttobeaProductionController”.Thesearenottheusualcareeraspirationsofafiveyearold.Neither,itseems,dotheyexpressmuchinterestinbecomingCostAccountants,ProjectManagersorAssemblyTechnicians.Whythen,dowefindourselvesinthesesortsofjobs?Itcertainlywasn’tpartofmyplan;IdistinctlyrememberwantingtobeacrocodilehavingseenaproductionofPeterPanwhenIwas6.AlittlewhilebackIwentintooneofmylocalschools,amodernextensionplonkedawkwardlynexttoatraditionaltwo-roomschoolhouse.Itwasunremarkableineverywayexceptforthededicationoftheteachersandsheerfunthestudentsseemedtobehaving.LetloosebymyselfforabitIaskedtheyoungestclasswhetheranyofthemwereartists;immediatelyeverysingleoneofthemshottheirhandsup,strainingtoberecognised,keentodemonstratetheirskill.LaterthenextdayIwaswithagroupofleavingcert.studentsandaskedthesamequestion.Afteraratherembarrassedpauseandafewsniffs,onepersonvolunteeredthattheymighthavepaintedsomethingonce,alongtimeago.

Old World

Thisseemssad.Whereisitthatwelostthatabilitytoplaceimaginationattheforefrontofourlives?Of

coursetheanswerissimple.Wearetheoutputofanincrediblyefficientsystemthatisnowhorriblyoutofdate.Imaginethegrowingindustrialeconomiesofthe19thCentury.Theyneededworkers,peoplewhowerehighlyeducatedandverygoodatdoingafewthingsreallywell,whocouldchurnoutidenticalproductsthatweresoldtoconsumerswithlimitedchoice.Specialisationwaskeyinordertoachieveeconomiesofscaleandtheeducationsystemresponded,notsurprisingly,bydevelopingthespecialistswhowouldworkwellinanindustrialeconomy.

Somuchforeconomichistory101;butthisisnotjustanidlethought,itisaneconomicallycriticalonebecauselasttimeIlooked,wewereapost-industrialeconomy.Inapost-industrialeconomy,theskillsthatareneededtomakemoneyandremaincompetitiveareverydifferentfromthoseneededtoreplicateaproductwithaminimumnumberofflaws.

Competitive advantage?

Theproblemismoreacutethaneventhissketchyappraisalsuggests.IfonemakesanunemotionalappraisaloftheIrisheconomyitishardtoseewherewehaveanyformofcompetitiveadvantagethatcanbetradedontheworldstageasanindustrialeconomy.Forastart,weknowthatwecan

nolongercompeteonprice.EvenifweweretoachieveextraordinarysavingsandimplementhugeproductivitygainswewouldstillonlybeclosetotheEUaverageforlabourcosts.Butfrankly,whowantstocompeteonprice?Aracetothebottomwithonlyonewinnerdoesn’tseemlikeacompetitionIwanttoenter.

Hardertoconceptualisebutnolessimportantisthatwecannotcompeteonqualityeither.Thisdoesnotmeanthatqualityisn’timportant,itjustmeansthatitisa“given”,itisexpected;whateconomistswouldcallahygienefactor.Canyourememberbuyinganythingrecentlythatwasnotofhighquality?IremembermydadbuyingaHillmanHunterin1972;ithadavinylroofthatpeeled,window-windersthatbrokeandseatsthatmystill-in-short-trouserslegsstuckto.Thefaintestsniffofdampanditrefusedtostart.TodayIcanbuyacarthatwillgoforaquarterofamillionmileswithsomefuel,abitofwaterandacoupleofoilchanges.Qualityisnolongerameanstodifferentiateourselves:everyoneisdoingit.

Finally,wecannotcompeteonthebasisoftechnologyalone.Inahighlynetworkedworld,anytechnologicaladvantagethatyouorImayhaveiserodedprettyquicklyasthatideaisseized,analysed,deconstructedandreplicatedinadozendifferentfacilitiesaroundtheworld.Anoldcolleaguewhonowrunsa

bedmanufacturingcompanyknowsthathecanplacehisnewrangesinstoressuchasBrownThomasandHabitat,buthealsoknowsthatwithinmonthshiscreationswillbereplacedbystartlinglysimilarproductsatconsiderablylowerpricemadeelsewhere.

“Ah,”Ihearyousay,“butwhataboutintellectualpropertyprotection?”.Wellpatentsarebrilliantthingsincertainsectorssuchaspharmaceuticalsandmedicaldevicesbuttheyarenexttouselesswhenitcomestotherealworldofthesmallandmediumsizedcompany.Mybed-makingfriendhasgivenupcontestingcompaniesthatcopyhisproducts,heknowsthatitissimplynotworthhistimeandemotionalenergywhichwouldbebetterspentcreatinganewline.

New World

Eventsevaporatebutpatternspersist,andthepatternthatsitsabovethesechangingeventsisdisarminglysimplebutveryprofound:thepaceofchangethatweareexperiencingisincreasingexponentiallybutwearestilllearningatthesamespeed,infacttherateofchangenowexceedsourabilitytolearn.Icallthisthe“NewWorld”,aworldinwhicholdworldvaluesandwaysofdoingthingsareatbestirrelevantandatworst,destructive.Doesitreallymakesensethatcompaniescontinuetomake

threeyearplansandannualbudgetswhenweknowthattheywillbeoutofdateinthreemonths?Doesitmakesensethatweorganiseourcompaniesashierarchieswhenweknowthatthebestideasareunlikelytocomefromthetop?Doesitmakesensethatwegroundallmodelsofaparticularplaneifitdevelopsafaultyetblithelysupportbankstorebuildthemselveswhenweknowthattheynolongerofferuswhatweneed?

Idon’tmeantodepress;infact,Ithinkthepictureisprettyrosy.Wejustneedtolookhardattheskillsthatarereallygoingtoberequiredinthis“NewWorld”andprepareforit.ThereareagroupofpeoplewhoarereallywellpreparedfortheNewWorld.Theyarehappywithchange,theyrelishthechallengeofhavingtocontinuallycomeupwithnewsolutionsandnewwaysofdoingthings,theyarecontentwithambiguityandgreyness.Whoarethey?Childrenofcourse.Butassumingthatwearestillalittleuncomfortableaboutforcingthemtoworkbeforetheir16thbirthdayIsuggestweturntopeoplewhoworkinthecreativeindustries.

NowIamnotthefirstpersontosuggestthisbyalongchalk.Theroleofcreativityinamoderneconomyhasbeentrumpetedforages.Theproblemseemstobehowcanoneturnrhetoricintosubstance?Howcanwetakethequalitiesofthecreativeindividualandturnthemintorealeconomicvalue?Thisisnotaboutgeneratingmoresmallcreativebusinessesthatsellonlytoalimitedindigenouspopulation.Thisisaboutleveragingoneofthemostimportantskillswehaveasanationandapplyingitacrosstheeconomy.

Design and innovation

Designhasalonghistoryofsittingatthecuspbetweencreativityandbusiness.Itiscertainlyoneofthemorecommercialartisticdisciplines

butrecentlyisbeingseeninanewlightandonethatsuggestsadirectionforthecreativeindustriesasawhole.

Therearecertainqualitiesofthedesignerthatmakesthemverygoodatdealingwiththenewworld,atgeneratinganddevelopingnewideas,atrespondingtotheemergingneedsofpeople,inshortatINNOVATING.

Seanisawiry,humorousmanwithatasteforgoodshirtsandlongruns.HeoperatesasmallconsultancyofferinginnovationservicestocompaniesintheWestandNorthwest.Hetellsmethatifhehearsonemoreexhortationtoinnovatefromagenciesandwell-meaningsupportbodies,hewillpullhisownteethout.Butthisdoesnotmeanthathethinksitisabadidea,hejustsaysthey“don’tknowwheretobegin”,inshort,“ifitweresosimple,everyonewouldbedoingit”.

Seanmakessomeconsistentobservationsabouttheclientsthatheworkswithwhoaretryingtoinnovate.Histhreeobstaclesseemprettyuniversaltome.Hisfirstthoughtisthathisclientsdon’tfeelthattheyknowwhattheircustomersreallywant.Ohtheyknowwhattheysaytheywant;thatiseasy,youjustaskthem.Buthisclientsaresmartandknowthattoinnovateyouneedtogetundertheskinandfindoutwhatreallymotivatespeopletobuythings.

Hissecondthoughtisthatthethingthatseemstostopinnovationprojectsbeingsuccessfulispeople.Creatinginnovationofanykindisallaboutchangeand,byandlarge,wehumansarenotgreatatacceptingandadaptingtochange.Timeandagain,heseesreallygreatideasfailingbecausechangehasnotbeencommunicatedinternallyorexternally.Sean’sthirdobservationisthatallofhisclientswanttoreducerisk,particularlyincurrentcircumstances.Anaturaldesire,butitdoesn’treallymixwiththeneedtoinnovate.

Nowtheinterestingthingtomeisthatifoneweretopasstheseobstaclestoadesigner,youwouldseetheireyeslightup,theirheartbeatquickenandthementalpencilbeingsharpened.Forthesearepreciselythekindofchallengesthatdelighttheircreativeminds.

Understandingwhatpeoplereallywantisattheheartofdesignresearch.Insteadofaskingpeoplewhattheywant,designersobservepeople,particularlyextremeusers,thatis,thosepeoplewhoeitherloveorhateaproductorservice.Theseobservationsleadtoinsightsabouthowaproductorservicecouldbeimproved.Now,Iuseourdishwasheralot,Iloadandemptyituptothreetimesaday,butIamnotanextremeuser.My2yearoldsonishowever,anditisonlybyobservationthatonecouldcapturethefactthathelikessittingontheopendoorwhenIamloadingandunloadingit.Theinsightisthatthehingesonmydishwasherneedtobestrongenoughtosupporta9kgchild,notsomethingthatwouldcomeoutofafocusgroupIwouldsuggest.

Haveyoueversatdownandlookedforwardtoreadingthatinch-thickreportrecommendinganewstrategicdirectionforthecompany(orcountryforthatmatter)?No,neitherhaveI.Andtheproblemisthatmostpeople,ifgivenachoice,don’teither.Seanwouldsaythismakesitveryhardtocommunicatechangeandwin-overpeoplewithinanorganisation.Theproblemisthatthisisacomplexworldandanychangeis,bynature,complex.Usingblackandwhitesymbolsonapieceofwhitepaperoftenjustdoesnotcaptureandcommunicatetherichcomplexityofanewconcept.Whatdesignersareverygoodatdoingisvisualisingthatcomplexitywhichmakesiteasiertocommunicateandabsorb.Tellmehonestly,whatstirsagreatersenseofnationalidentity,readingtheconstitutionorseeingan

imageofdeValera,watchingtheIrishSixNationsvictoryorencounteringNewGrangeasthesunrises?Wearesimplyhard-wiredtorespondmoreeasilytoimagesthantowords.

Sean’sfinalobservationaboutriskalsoplaystothestrengthofthedesignerbecausetheyhaveasecretweapon:theywanttogetthingswrong.Thatistosay,theywanttogetthingswrongintheshorttermbecausetheyknowthatifyoucangetsomethingwrongquickly,beforeithasgoneintoproduction,itisgoingtobe

alotbetter(andalotcheapertoputright)thanifyougetitwronglater.Thisisallaboutprototypingsomethingquicklyandroughlysothatonecanfailsoonerinordertosucceedfaster.Thistoleranceofriskandabilitytoacceptandrelishfailureisindirectcontrasttomanycompanieswhereitisveryhardfortheculturetoacceptpeoplegettingthingswrong.

NowIamnotarguingthatthecreativemindofferstheperfectsolutiontoourcollectiveeconomicwoes.WhatIamsuggestingisthat,ifappliedastutely,thecreativemindhasarichtoolboxoftechniquesthatcanbeappliedtoveryrealbusinesschallenges.Theabilitytorespondtoanever-changingworldandtocompeteasapost-industrialsocietydependsonourabilitytoinnovateeffectively.Luckilythereisonegroupofpeoplewhoarealreadywellequippedtomakethathappen.

Ifyouwanttoreadmoreabouthowthishappensinreality,gototheCentreforDesignInnovationwebsiteanddownload“InnovationbyDesign”www.designinnovation.ie/how.htmlThisgroupofexcellentcasestudieswasdrawn-upbymytalentedex-colleaguesandshowshowdesignersinfluencedagroupofsmallbusinessesintheNorthwestofIreland.

© Toby Scott

September 2009

ThecommissionedartworkforthiscoverisbasedonastampdesignedbyartistRichardKingintheearly1940’s.KinghadtrainedatandsubsequentlymanagedthestudioofHarryClarkefollowinghisearlyanduntimelydeath.KingwasborninCo.Mayoin1909andhisworkwhilesteepedinNationalistandRepublicanmythologyprovidesavisualparalleltotheemergenceofthenewState.Ichosethisparticularimageoftheploughmanbecauseitexemplifiestherhetoricalandaffirmativequalitiesofsocialist-realismwhichbecamethestockintradeofrevolutionaryartintheEuropeofthe30’sand40’s.Itisthebalefulpowerandappealtotheintellectofthisiconwhichpositionsitintherealmofretro-avantgardism.Thisiconographybearsfurtherexamination.

Why should “Creativity” sit next to “Competitiveness” in an Irish dictionary?—TobyScott

Auraicept na nEces—ShaneCullen

TobyScottthinksthatbusinessschoolstalknonsenseandsohasestablishedanewonecalledPentacletoteachorganisationsabouttheNewWorldandhowtosurviveinit.Youcancontacthimattoby.scott@pentacle.ieorvisitthewebsiteatwww.pentacle.ie

BorninLongfordin1957ShaneCullenisavisualartistwithaconsiderableinternationalreputation.HismajorworkshavebeenexhibitedthroughoutIrelandandGreatBritainandhehasalsoexhibitedinFrance,Italy,Hungary,Poland,theUSAandCanada.In1995herepresentedIrelandattheVeniceBiennale.In1998hewasawardedtheprestigiousPS1fellowshipattheMuseumofModernArtinNewYorkandin2004hewastheIrishrepresentativeattheinauguralLodzBiennaleinPoland.Amongsthisbestknownworksare“FragmensSurLesinstitutionsRepublicainesIV”(nowownedbyIMMA)documentingthe1981hungerstrikebyRepublicanprisonersinNorthernIrelandand“TheAgreement”avastsculpturalworkbasedonacompletetranscriptionoftheGoodFridayAgreement.Someofhismostpoignantpieceshavebeensituatedinthepublicdomain.MostrecentlyhehasbeencommissionedbytheInstituteofIrelandinEuropetocreateapublicsculpturecommemoratingtheearliestexpressionsofprintedtextsintheIrishlanguage.ThiswillbelocatedinthehistoriccontextoftheIrishCollegeinLouvain,Belgium.

Image

1 AuraiceptnanEces;45x62cms;oil,acrylicandpenciloncanvas;ShaneCullen.

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SuzanneO’SheaisHeadofCreativeArtsatGalwayMayoInstituteofTechnology.Since1990,Shehaspublishedpoetry,artcriticismandcatalogueessays.ShecompletedherdoctorateinFineArtTheoryatUniversityofUlsterin1997forwhichshereceivedaVice-Chancellor’sResearchAward.

X-POcanbeseenasasuccessfulpublicartprojectinitiatedbyalocalartistandnowinvolvingawholecommunity.Itaimstogivetimeandspacetoremembercorecommunityvalues.Thequestionofjustwhodefines“corecommunityvalues”may,perhaps,beputtoonesideinthisinstance,astheastuteandinclusivethinkingbehindX-POistheveryoppositetothatbehindruralrationalisation,bothinIrelandandelsewhere,wherequestionsofwhodefinesthediscursiveformationsthatcomprisenotionsof“public”aresecondarytothecorporatecallofprivatisation.

ThestatedaimofX-POistoreviveinaninclusiveandconsultativeway“thekindofincidentalsocialspace”formerlyrepresentedbytheruralpostoffice.NotjustinIrelandbutworldwide,such

spacesaredisappearinglargelyduetotherationalisationoflocalservicesinanincreasinglyglobaleconomy.Itistruetosaythatruralpostofficesremainattheheartofthousandsofsmallcommunitiescontinuingtofunctionasvitalmeeting,resourceandinformationcentersespeciallyfortheaged,infirmandlong-termunemployed.

InCanadaforexamplewhereruralpostofficesgivethefederalgovernmentatangiblepresenceinremotestcorners,TheNationalUnionofPublicandGeneralEmployees(NUPGE)supportstheretentionofruralpostalsurvivalbecauseinaveryrealsense,thesesmallandfar-flungpostofficesholdCanadiancommunitiestogether.

ThedecommissionedKilnaboy

postofficeinCo.Clarehas,overthepasttwoyears,seenunprecedentedartisticandcommunityactivity.DrivenbytheconsiderableenergyoflocalartistDeirdreO’Mahony,X-POhasdrawnmanypeoplein,curioustoseewhatitsredeploymentasacreativespaceisallabout.TheinauguralX-POexhibitionwasatributetoalocalcharacter,formerPostmasterMattieRynne.Furtherexhibitions,talksandpresentationsfollowed,dealingwiththemessuchaschangingfarmlifeandchangingruralandsocialcircumstances.Allhavebeendocumentedandarchived.X-POinvitescomparisonswith,forexample,TheWeyValleypublicartprojectinSurrey,England.AsinSurrey,localinterestgroupstookownershipoftheinitialideaofarchivingacommunalhistory,givingX-POastrong

educativeandintegrativeimpetus.X-POhasbeenusedasameetingplaceandabaseforHealthandBeautyandSetDancingsessionsforthelocalcommunity.ThelocalbranchofMacraNaFeirmehasevenheldmeetingsthere.X-POhasbeensupportedbyTheArtsCouncilandhashadvisitorsfromAmericanUniversitiesandTheBurrenCollegeofArtinBallyvaughan.The“TeamX-POManagementandCo-ordinationGroup”hasnowbeensetup.O’MahonyenvisagesteamscomprisingcommunitymembersoverseeingdifferentaspectsofX-POintothefuture.

Thefunctionoftheprojectasamemorykeeperisnowentirelyinthehandsofthosewhomakethememories—asitshouldbe.

Images

1 DeirdreO’Mahony,WalldrawingofMattieRynne,originalpostmaster,2007,XPO,Co.Clare

Existing PublicsThe X-PO Public Art Project in rural Co. Clare

—Dr.SuzanneO’Shea

In1936theDutchanthropologistJohnHuizingawasamongstthefirsttoexploretheprimacyofplay,itsroleonsocialrelationsandonthenormalisationofsubjects,inhisbookHomoLudens(theplayingman).Huizinga’sobjectivewasnottodefinetheplaceofplayinculturebutrathertoascertainhowfarcultureitselfbearsthecharacterofplayandthusdemonstratedhowculturearisesintheformofplay.1Hisradicalthesispositionsplayatthefundamentalrootofhumanlife,permeatingallculturesfromtheverybeginning.Playisattherootofpoetry,music—evenjurisprudenceandwar.Itisatthecoreofdynamicexistence(biology)andsurvivalstrategies(evolution).2However,whenhecomestodefinetheactivitiesofplayHuizingastartstonarrowthingsdownandforhimanactivityisonlyplayifitisfullyabsorbing,includeselementsofuncertainty,involvesasenseofillusionorexaggerationanditexistsoutsideofordinarylifeandonlyforitsownsake.

Thusitseemsthatattheheartofplaythereisaparadoxoratleastadefinitetensionbetweenthemechanismsofcontrol(rulesandrituals)andbelongingand,thedegreetowhichfreedom,flexibilityandunboundednessisintegral.Ontheonehand,thereisarelaxationorsuspensionofnormsand,ontheother,thereisadherencetoplay’scodesandrules.Theactionofplayisthuspresentedasoperatingwithinaframe—aframethatallowsforthisshiftfromrealitytoaspecificplaytime/space,butonethatmightappearfromtheoutside(realworld)asbeingclosedinonitself,wheretheplayersareconsciousofthefactthattheplayisnotrealandwillnotaffecttheirlivesoutsidetheplay.Assuchournotionofplayisnarrowlypresentedaslyingoutsideof“ordinarylife”andthereforelackingthenecessaryfluidityto“movethingson”,to

takeleapsacrossitsboundaries.Tohelpourunderstandingofplaywemightfocus,asSusannaMillarhassuggestedinherbookPsychologyofPlay,ontheplayfulnessinplay.WhatiscentraltoplayfulnesswritesMillaristhesenseofthrowingoffconstraint.3Theseconstraintsmightbephysical,emotional,socialorintellectualandwhenwethrowoffconstraintswearefreetomove.IncontinuingasearchintothedefinitionofplayGwenGordonsuggeststhatwhileplaydetachesitselffromthemessage,experiencesorobjectsoftheircontextoforigin,creatinganewframethatallowsforgreaterfreedom,interactivityandcreativepossibility,4itisplayfulnessthatistheattitudethatallowsthisshiftbybracketingexperienceandsteppingoutsideoftheinterpretiveframe.Inthiswayboundariesbecomefluid,defensesdissolveandmovementbecomesspontaneousandexpandedtosupportimprovisationandthecreationofnewpossibilitiestoemerge.

InHaraldTurek’sandTrionaRyan’scurationofSwitch(acuratedprogrammeofvideoworks)intwotownsinTipperaryNorth(NenaghandRoscrea),theiropeninvitationtoartistsonthethemeofplayfulnesspresentedadoubleoccasiontowitnessplayfulnessinoperation.Firstly,whentheypressplayandtenvideoworkssimultaneouslystartbeamingoutofemptyshopwindowstocreateatemporarytransformationofmagicalillusionanobviousshiftinexaggerationofthenormiseffectivelyachieved.Thatotherworldsareindeedpossibleandmightresoundastinyglimpsesintoabsurd,wittyandpoignantscenarios,stagedandframedbyartists,allowsforanunexpecteddistractionintoanalternativeficticiousarena.Butherenoboundarieshavebeenlaid,noentranceroutesorexitsdetermined.Thetownisanopenspace,alooseframeto

beplayedwith,toseizeandrestage.Thelocal,thepasserby,thetouristandcommuterwhomightbecaughtoff-guardinencounteringthevideoprojections,isnotthetraditionalself-regulatedcitizenofmodernexhibitionspaceswhoincrossingboundariessuspendsdisbelieve.InsteadTurek’sandRyan’splayfulcuratorialstrategiessuceeedinenablingaco-existencebetween“everydayandordinary”streetlifeoftownsandandtheirreconstitution(atnight)asspacesofplay.Itwouldseemthereforethattheviewersherearemorelikeplayers,participatinginfreeandinteractivemovementbetweentheperceivedboundariesofrealityandtheunreallarge-scalestagedvideoprojectionsthatchoreographtheirspace.Bythrowingoffconstraintsandsteppingoutsideofthemanipulativeinterpretiveframesoftheususalwaysweexperienceart,thecurators’playfulinterventionscreateanoccasionforenteringintoanunpredictableandunexpectedilllusionwhere(re)actionsarespontaneousanddefencesmaydissolve.

Andintheirchosenthemeofplayfulnesstheirstrategieshavethisdoubleeffectinpresentingvideoscenesoftrickery,menace,humour,intimacyandsurprise,where“thethrowingoffofconstraint”,whichMillarspeaksabout,isconsistentlyevident.Takeforexample,SanttuKoivu’smovingvideoofanoldwomanwhopeeksfrombehindabouquetofdandelionsandstartsagameofhideandseek—achild’sgamere-enactedbythisfullyabsorbedelderplayer.Herkeymoveis,asHansGeorgGadamarmightsuggest,intheleapingoutoftheconventionalframeoftheselfandthussoeffectivelyputsplayfulnessintoplay.

Cliodhna Shaffrey

7th December 2009

CliodhnaShaffreyisacuratorwhosepracticeincludesexhibitions,artsresearch,writingandpublicartcommissioning.SheiscurrentlyundertakingaresidencyinWicklowCountyCouncilworkingwithelevenartistsandtwocuratorsandisco-editorofPublicart.ie(withSarahSearson)—thefirston-lineresourceforpublicartinIreland.

Putting playfulness to play—CliodhnaShaffrey

References

1 JohanJuizinga,HomoLudens,Foreword,BeaconPress,Boston,1955.

2 Theattributesofplay—determinedbyadaptationvariability,sloppiness,broadpotential,quirkiness,unpredictabilityandaboveallmassiveredundancyarekeystodetermentsfoundinbiologicalevolution.Findingplaytobeitselfquirky,redundantandflexiblesuggestsitmayhaveasimilarbiologicalbase.ForfurtherreferenceseeBrianSutton-SmithAmbiguityofPlay,1997,pp.221,HarvardUniversityPress,2001.

3 SusannaMillar,PsychologyofPlay,pp.21.Penguin,1968.

4 GwenGordon,WhatisPlay,Insearchofadefinition,pp.4inDavidKuschner(ed).FromChildrentoRedHattars,DiverseimagesandissuesofPlay.UniversityPressofAmerica,2009.

Image

1 Iris,2008,SanttuKoivu,shownaspartofSwitch,Nenagh,Co.Tipperary.

1

1

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Materials of Mass Construction—CarolAnneConnolly

CarolAnneConnolly’spracticehasbeenbasedaroundconductinginterstitialartprojectsthatengagewiththepublicanditsrelationtothebuiltenvironment.Herinterestswithinthisframeworkaretoexplorehowartcanbeusedasadiversetooltohighlightsocio-politicalsituationsandthewaysinwhichtheartisticprocessanditsrealisationcaninstigatechange.Sheworkedinbothurbanandruralenvironments,engagedinprojectsthatmainlyconcludewithtemporarypublicartinstallations,workshopsoreventswhichaimtomergecreativeandpracticalsolutionstokeyissues.

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Editorial Panel

Dr.SuzanneO’Shea(chair),JohnCunningham,TherryRudin,FionaWoods.

Vergeprojectco-ordinatedbyFionaWoods.ThankstoallofthecontributorstoVergeandtoMonicaCorcoranoftheArtsCouncil.

Disclaimer

Theviewsexpressedinthispublicationarethoseoftheindividualcontributorsandnotnecessarilytheviewsof,orendorsedby,theeditorialpanelorthepartnersofVergeLocalPartnershipScheme.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedinanyformwithoutthewrittenpermissionofthepublisher.

Feedbackandcommentstovergepanel@gmail.com

Design

LanguageCommunicationswww.language.ie

ValerieConnorhaspublishedcriticismaboutcontemporaryartwithCirca,ThirdTextandContemporarymagazine,aswellaswritingandcommissioningcuratorialtextsforgalleryandsite-specificprojects.ShehascuratedartistsprojectsinIrelandandabroad,advisesonvisualartspolicyandlecturesonphotographyatDIT.

This record of TRADE:artistsinconversationreflectsonsomeoftheideasthatweremostprominentacrossthetwodays.

Nooneusedthetermpraxis,andtherhetoricofprocesswasallbutabsent,butondayoneofTRADEkeynotespeakersemphasisedpracticeasanactivityshapedbypurposeandrequiringexposuretopersonalandprofessionalriskforthewriter,curatorandartistalike.Theeventtookonaphantasmagoricqualityasspeakersconjuredupimagesofwalking,buildingsinruin,picturesquedecay,timetravelandbi-location,primitivebroadcastingandthedisembodiedvoice,thefutureasseenonTV,invisibleandundergrounddanger,ferriswheel,ghosttrain,thedead,Rome,Quatermass,spyplanes,ennui,bleedingthroughtheskin,explosions,rebirth,andenlightenment.Modernityhasbeendescribedasbeingbothaboutdemystificationandthedrivetowardthemythic.Asenseofthiscontinuedintodaytwothroughreflectionsoncurrentre-workingsofmodernitybycontemporaryartists.

Allusionsto“entropy”emergedearlyintheproceedings,inevitablycontextualisedbyartistRobertSmithson’swritingsandlandartofthe1960sandearly70s.Committedtorealisingpracticalunderstandingusing“synthesis”inideasandmaterials,hisearthworksdemonstratedentropy’sso-called“humptydumpty”qualities;thatsomethingonceunmadeispracticallyimpossibletoremake“aswas”andsoappearslost—butasitsenergycannotbedestroyed,itmustbecomesomethingelse.Smithsongroundedhisperformativeuseof“entropy”inacritiqueofeconomicandarchitecturalsystemsthathesawoperatinginisolation,lackingsignificantrelationshipswithothernaturalandculturalrealities.

Smithson’s1969“pours”ofasphalt,concreteandgluedowntheslopesofquarriesandstripminesinRome,ChicagoandVancouver,hauntedasetofexchangesatTheDockaboutthe

drivetolevelthelandandcontrolhabitationthroughzoningintheneighbouringcountiesofLeitrimandRoscommon.Theplethoraofnon-placesthatremain,thedestination-lesstarmacandbareconcretefoundationsmarkingthearrestedlandandpropertyspeculation,leavingnowheretomoveonfrom.Addingtothesetheun-letcommercialunitsandemptyindustrialparks,therewasafrissonofsecond-wavespeculationaboutwhattheentropicpossibilitiesoftheamassed“storage”andaccumulatedvacancycouldmeanforartists,lifelocally,andthefieldofculturenationally.

Theideaof“architecture”wasproblematic.Locally,thehistoricalrelationshipwith(acertain)architecturewasdescribedastraumaticandassociatedwithmemoriesofdiseaseinIreland.Moregenerally,architecturewascomparedtotheplot-less,character-lessnovella,havinglostconnectionwitheverydaylife.Incontrast,thecombinedsymbolicvalueofapathwalkedwasreiteratedtimeandagainasenlivening,regardlessthatthejourneymaybechargedwithperilandhardship,ortakeaverylongtime.The19thcenturyfigureoftheflâneur,thestroller,wentunmentionedbutlingeredintheair.Inthecataloguetothe2009TateTriennial:Altermodernexhibition,curatorNicolasBourriaudupdatedoutmodedflâneurie,describinganewmodelofartist,aculturalnomad,wholivesintimeswhen“trajectorieshavebecomeforms”.AthumbnailofSmithson’sasphaltpourisreproducedinthemargins.

DuringTRADE,itwaspointedoutthattherehavebeenmultiplepostmodernisms,manyjoyouslyturningauthorityonitshead.Thiscontradictsaviewofpostmodernismasatimeofsingulardepressionandmelancholy.Theimpactofvisual,culturalandacademicstudiesoneducation,art,theoryandpoetrywasflaggedasrequiringcloseanalysisimmediately.ThismaybethebackdroptoobservationsatTRADEthatmorestudentsweremakingnostalgicworkabouthomeandfamilylately.Considerationsofthelinkbetween

sentimentalityandnostalgiaassomethingofapost-colonialphenomenonensuedand“reflectivenostalgia”wasproposedasausefulcriticalcounterpointtotheinstitutionsofarthistory.Forgetpostmodernism’smulticulturalism,wroteBourriaud,westandonthevergeabouttoleapintothefuture,creatingasynthesisbetweenmodernismandpost-colonialism.

ForalltheTRADEparticipants,timeandmobilityweretothefore;fromdurationalartprojects,timeinthestudio,andlong-termartists’residencies,totheshapeadeadlinewillputoncooperation.A2009ERICartsstudyofmobilityamongEuropeanartistsandculturalprofessionalsfindsthatrecipientsofmobilityfundingshouldprioritisepost-mobilityworkshopsfocussingonoutcomesnotoutputsandthesharingofinsightsdirectlywithpeersbeforesubmittingofficialreportstofunders.TRADEdoesthis.PlanstobringtoIrelandinternationalartistsmetbyTRADE’sresidencyrecipientsmightalsobenefitfromanotherreportinthesameyeardesignedtoinformfuturepolicyonmobility.TheInnovationTaskForceReportproposesthatkeyresearchers(likeartistsandculturalprofessionals?)befast-trackedthroughvisaarrangementstolong-termresidencyinIreland.

Mobilitywithintheartsinfrastructureisequallyacriticalissue,sotootherecordofwhatisbeingachievedacrossthecountryinthevisualarts:mattersforongoingconversation.

Valerie Connor

TRADEisavisualartist’sdevelopmentprogrammeofLeitrimandRoscommonCountyCouncilsconsistingofaresidentialprogrammeandseminareventwhichprovidesknowledge,resourcesandopportunitiesforvisualartiststoengageinternationallyaswellasforinternationalartiststoparticipatelocally.

Images

1 SurfacingbyRoisinLoughreyfromtheexhibitionSequencewhichformedpartofTRADE.PhotobyJohnDaly.

2 MikeFitzpatrickwithJohnGibbons.PhotobyJohnDaly.

Trade—ValerieConnor