Public Dreams, Rituals and Prototypes was a two and half week residency investigating shared urban futures...addressing complexities of social engagement, collaboration, self organisation, personal development and wellness. An open, adaptable public space at B-Part Exhibition (Berlin) was created to support practices of personal embodiment, presence and the emergence of authentic stories. This was a space inviting the fullness of our human experience to somatically and socially sense together our futures. The hope was to be able to host a space of social inclusion and human diversity. A space for creative, artistic process while at the same time moving past the artistic context to involve and engage neighbours and other local residents at the level of simple everyday concerns of life.
The hope for such diverse and complex participation did not prove to be realistically possible within the two and half week time frame. Building community trust, consistency and reliability takes time. It was a constant balancing act between inviting people into a clearly programmed event space and the hosting of a more open, free and improvised space that would appeal to other forms of creative imagination (without pre-condition and limitation of usual social assumptions).
The main conclusion here is that of time. The choice of time in various possibilities of daily opening hours and the number of days made available for this project to evolve. A small group of repeat participants was starting to form community. People were committing resources, skills and time in very diverse personal offerings and inputs. The ‘open space’ supported the creation of various spontaneous forms. New emergent structures were being recognized and began to gain ground, creating new forms and prototypes of social interaction, ritual and meaning. It was a space becoming known and appreciated for it’s unique qualities and possibilities, but then so soon, having to close up. This is an idea that in the end deserves a 6 to 12 month process to come into full potential. For now we continue the work of exploring and sensing into futures together in one and two day events around Berlin.
The main conclusion here is that of time. The choice of time in various possibilities of daily opening hours and the number of days made available for this project to evolve. A small group of repeat participants was starting to form community. People were committing resources, skills and time in very diverse personal offerings and inputs. The ‘open space’ supported the creation of various spontaneous forms. New emergent structures were being recognized and began to gain ground, creating new forms and prototypes of social interaction, ritual and meaning. It was a space becoming known and appreciated for it’s unique qualities and possibilities, but then so soon, having to close up. This is an idea that in the end deserves a 6 to 12 month process to come into full potential. For now we continue the work of exploring and sensing into futures together in one and two day events around Berlin.
No comments:
Post a Comment