Shenzhen Assembly Triptych // Public Art Workshop
Three elements, Measured Staff, Rising Waters Fashion, and pH Indicator Parasol, all work collectively to provide public art props, as a utilitarian version of an artist agit prop. Participants will select identify and document site-specific locations to create work consisting of discrete interventions, anomalies, and seemingly happenstance placements within the public realm. Site investigations, installations, and engagements will be documented and presented during 2016 Shenzhen Assembly.
Prep for Saturday
Measured Staff
The Measured Staff is a tool of the past, the present, and our shared anthropocene future. The staff draws from Chinese history in service to the future as a leveling staff, walking stick, speaker staff, marshal arts tool, a gauge on rising waters, and a public talking stick. Two measurement systems are applied on the Measured Staff surface, the analogue measurement cùn based on the width of a human body’s thumb, and bar code leveling rod. The graphic is printed on a reflective material and applied to the walking staff to provide a level of safety by being seen at night.
Rising Water Fashion Statement
A street action in the form of a fashion statement intends to appropriate the commercial fashion industry runway and transform it into a public awareness walkway. By rolling up our garments and cuffs as if encountering rising waters, the revealed surface provides an area to express our concern regarding rising waters of climate change. This subtle street action provides a personal wearable art forum as an expression of concern. The runway becomes a highlighted socially conscious walking expression.
pH Indicator Parasol
The 11th century BC Chinese parasol, forerunner to the umbrella, provides protection from atmospheric and UV concerns related to acidic degradation from carbon emissions. The utilitarian umbrellas treated with pH indicator dye provide a visible construct, transforming the parasol into a poignant environmental indicator of water quality concern.
Introduction to Buster Simpson
As a form of introduction, note my web site below and a link to the first of two confabs being conducted on Captiva Island, south Florida, which serves as ground zero for climate change. Rising Waters is a collaborative five week workshop bringing together scientists, writers and artists working in a variety of approaches. http://bustersimpson.net/risingwaters.pdf
In addition to some of my work shown in the link, I work in the public realm and the Anthropocene Deach serves as an example of working collaboratively on infrastructure projects.
Photos
