Here are some notes from Tuesday Aug 18th, our first formal meeting on the project “Out Damn Spot” has taken place. This idea of an art project has been percolating for about 10 weeks, basically the first day the encampment moved into our local park. LOL one meeting and already things have evolved. This makes me very happy.
Here’s the deal so far I, being the curator of the project, have brought in a documenter and materials coordinator. Both Wendy D and Amy are wonderful people with exceptional talents so we’re off to a good start. Already through both of these great humans the project has grown to include: a name change and visual installation review. At the end of the week, post-meeting mentioned above, Caroline is onside too and is helping with the grant writing so this community piece can happen. Who’s the artist? In the spirit and intention of Joseph Beuys it will be everyone! …as everyone is an artist.
To be clear this is how it’s going at this point (August 24th) :
Name: abOUT DAMN SPOT
Intention & practice: This art project involves people showing up to the Strathcona park every Monday. The time (not solid but likely) between 7 am and 10 am to work together on textiles. The 7 am start is a thank you nod to the Parks Board of Vancouver that came up with the bylaw of tents needing to be packed up after any overnight camping. Rather than pack up our group will unpack their sewing kits, sitting 6 feet apart, and begin stitching.
Each kit will have material, from bedding, that has been cut into a triangle and a circle; the triangle is inspired by Judy Chicago to be a symbol of equality and the circle is a symbol I’ve used for community. On each circle will be a word : STABILITY, SUPPORT, SAFETY, SPACE. The participating community will stitch a circle onto the triangle and each flag shape will be attached to the fence around the park. The goal here is to bring attention to SOCIETY’s need to DO BETTER.
The 3 plus layers of Gov’t and partners in the hot mess of social problems have not done enough to make society safe and clean. The people who have access to more than the average ‘Joe’ are where exactly? Washing hands Like Lady McBeth we find those who can make a difference too are washing their hands of a spot (the circle in the triangle) on society instead of providing the necessary solution of Stability, Support, Safety and Space. Or are they trying and just not leading? Why can’t Canada come up with a solution like other countries such as Portugal? Are we just throwing money at a stain that won’t go away? What are we missing?
These are the kinds of questions we can toss out there while stitching together as a community. We look to healing ourselves one stitch at a time. We encourage the positive conversation of “We can do better” as the sub text of the title “abOUT DAMN SPOT”.
So let’s talk about that spot!
Here’s the template of an installation to come…
fingers crossed the start date will be August 31st!! (7 am, ouch to 10 am)