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X Encuentro Internacional de Arquitecturas Colectivas
Gran Canaria, Canary Islands | 2017 | Organized by Colectivo Micro Macro & Arquitecturas Colectivas
An international cohort of community practitioners assembled by the Micro Macro Collective convened in Gran Canarias from the 14th to 19th of July, working alongside neighbors to realize public space interventions in the neighborhood El Risco de San Nicolas.
Cooperative Cultures Laboratory (ongoing)
Patria Nueva, Oaxaca, Mexico | 2016-2018 | A Nueva Patria Initiative, supported by Arts Collaboratory
A laboratory for community action and activity was assembled in August 2016 and houses a range of community-based programs, projects and workshops defined and driven by members of a network of artists, educators, and active citizens.
Public Monuments//Casa Abierta
Patria Nueva, Oaxaca, Mexico | 2015 | A Nueva Patria Initiative, supported by: ArtEdu & PAC
Over the course of two months, participants and neighbors came together to help create public monuments (an aquaponics garden, street sofa & botanical garden) inaugurated through a contemporary urban form of the “Calenda”, a traditional Oaxaquen festival.
Book: Land Ownership to Responsibility (available)
Gurgaon, India | 2015 | Supported in part by Khoj International Artists Association
Rich in storytelling, artwork, photography & dialogue, Zameendari Zimedari (Hindi for Land Ownership to Responsibility) is a poignant reflection and documentation of our active research and artistic interventions in Tigra - a traditional village undergoing social, cultural & ecological transformation due to intense economic pressures.
Reconstitución: Una Nueva Patria
Patria Nueva, Oaxaca, Mexico | 2014 | Commissioned by: Centro de Diseño Oaxaca
“Reconstitution” was an initiative that utilized relational forms and spaces for dialogue and public art as means of building a loose group of neighbors interested in collaborating. 1) Murals 2) farming and 3) the recovery of public spaces were exposed as common interests of the group, and Alex’s six month residency was dedicated largely to assuming the role of “social animator”, organizing & motivating individuals to come together to realize ideas and projects. The project gave light to a core “cell” of neighbors that have continued to collaborate & come together; people that serve as a core for cultural organizing.
Connect: Communication Towers (ongoing)
Lillestrom Norway, Kohima India, TBD | 2013-214 | Commissioned by: 1814 Revisited - Akershus Kunstsenter
CONNECT is a relational art project that utilizes communication tower sculptures and facilitators to create inclusive public spaces for spontaneous assembly and civic discourse. These spaces generate debate, understanding and common citizenship and have been brought to life in Lillestrom Norway, as part of “1814 Revisited” and in Kohima, Nagaland India.
Citizens vs. Work
Queens NYC, Cologne Germany | 2013, 2014 | Partners: Queens International 2013, CAT Cologne, I Am Labor
Citizens vs. Work is a space and participatory theater that challenges people to collectively navigate today’s social structures and values, to identify solutions and culpability for work challenges presented to them by individuals as cases. Public trials have been brought to life in Queens New York City, the Bowery Poetry Club (Manhattan) and in Cologne Germany with partner CAT Cologne.
Comunicación Directo: Arte Util Residency
Corona, Queens | 2013 | Partners: Immigrant Movement, Queens Museum
Developed over the course of a residency, was a basic system for internal and external communication amongst center users and the larger community was created over the duration of an arts residency. These systems are intended to benefit this educational/cultural/social center through making it possible to share ideas, resources, and capacities, and to visualize projects and tracking their materialization.
Reconciling Ecologies in the Millennium City (active)
Gurgaon, Delhi, India | 2013 | Partners: Khoj International Artists Association, Indus American Bank
In a small village under heavy pressure by economic forces, land art, video projections and spaces for inclusive dialogue were produced with and for residents. For residents of Tigra Village, these dialogues and events served as a momentum enabling a cell of members to self-organize and create an Akhada (traditional wrestling space) on the rooftop of an unused building.
Bloodbank
Long Island City, Queens NYC, USA | 2012 | Partners: No Longer Empty, New York Blood Center
Video interviews and playback along with public art murals were used experimentally in a storefront space in Long Island City to test how human metaphors for blood could inspire people to actually give blood in a blood drive campaign. 28 people were signed up/compelled to give blood. Bloodbank is also an online video registry for video interviews on lifeblood and a storefront art incubator space developed as a part of No Longer Empty’s art exhibition.
Global Village 2012: Kohima
Kohima, Nagaland India | 2012 | Local partner: The Heritage
A collaboration between senior artists, youth and activists produced a range of cultural productions; modern day wind chimes, modern fashion performance, traditional dance, photography series and art installations. The material was presented together, transforming a dilapidated trash-filled green space into a social and cultural space for the youth and public. From this event was born an actual vision as to how in an increasingly populated Kohima can re-utilize this as a space for inclusive public life.
Global Village 2012: Guwahati
Guwahati, Assam India | 2012 | Local partners: Canvas Scope, Guwahati Artists Guild, Guwahati College of Architecture
The white beach by the mighty Brahmaputra was transformed into an open space art gallery where performances and art installations presented local cultures and perspectives on the effects of rapid urbanization on culture and ecology.
El Estadio - Willets Point (active)
Queens NYC, USA | 2011 | Local partner: Queens Museum of Art
In an auto junkyard, a vacant lot was cleaned and transformed into a soccer stadium to host a tournament of 24 teams representing local auto shops as part of a festival. After the tournament locals installed goals and painted lines and introduced gardens, boardgames and furniture as a self-defined civic center. The Willets Point soccer tournament is now self organized by workers and has happened yearly since the inception in 2011.
Artefacting Detroit (active)
Detroit, USA | 2011 | Local partner: Heidelberg Project
In Detroit’s east side, diverse community members reclaimed an abandoned lot and house, coming together through creating positive messages on peace flags set to fly above the abandoned home.
Dreamcatcher
Lillestrom, Norway | 2011 | Commissioned by: Akershus Kunstsenter & Skedsmo Municipality
Lillestrom youth participated in transforming consumer waste into bright green sculptures and a Dreamcatcher that were consequently placed in public spaces to ignite the public’s curiosity and imagination.
A House Full of Ideas
Rome, Italy | 2011 | Local partners: Casa di Cartone & Shoot 4 Change
A group of residents from a homeless shelter came together to share visions of what it means to be home before creating a home installation out of waste collected on the surrounding streets
Artefacting Mumbai
Dharavi, Mumbai, India | 2010 - 2011 Local partner: Acorn Foundation |
A three month collaborative between locals and international artists culminated with the 13th Compound multi-media exhibition; a one-day event that drew approximately 500 visitors into a place known notoriously as “Asia’s largest slum”, to experience its humanity and learn about its dynamic recycling industry. From the exhibition was born the willingness of business owners to create an educational space for art and skills building.

Artefacting to rething revitalize and regenerate people place and culture

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