85701 Research Based Design WEEK 7 GRASSROOTS

Over the course of the past few weeks, my group and I have put some careful consideration into the development, planning and execution of our idea. Newly entitled ‘Grassroots’, the name and purpose of our project signify not only our intention of championing the return of nature to the city, but also the involvement and power of the community in supporting and building initiatives such as this one from the ground up.

Reflecting on the idea of ‘doing the maximum with the minimum’, we focussed on executing simple and powerful ideas rather than overly complex ones to make the greatest impact. For this reason, we are using two simple concepts in concert which together work to promote and showcase our concept clearly and succinctly: consisting of an installation project on the night as well as an interactive performance.


GRASSROOTS: A BREAKDOWN

The installation aspect of the concept will be a canopy of greenery, created by living plants suspended from helium balloons trapped in nets above the laneway. Hopefully this canopy will be lush and evocative, describing the beauty of nature. This canopy installation, however beautiful, will really play more of a supporting and mainly aesthetic role in conveying the concept of Grassroots. The key idea we intend to use is the performative one, which evolves over the course of the preceding weeks to the event as well as on the actual night.

A personality, probably a member of our group, will be dressed in a costume completely covered in greenery and flowers, creating an over-the-top look which is obviously meant to make a statement. Before the situation takes place in Week 14, we will document the performer walking through various areas in the streets surrounding Foley, handing out flowers and quirky cards, generating interest in the project and discussing nature in the city.

Proposed scenario for the Green Performer to engage in.

On the night of the event, the performer will also be dressed-up and circulating through the crowd, acting as the voice of nature in the city – interactively making people aware of our ideas verbally, visually and demonstrably by engaging people who turn up to the event in discussion and handing out balloons, seedlings and a link to our Flicka site (where we will display all the photography documenting the performer’s activity before and during the event). The actions of the Performer leading up to the night act as an important publicity stunt for Open House and establish our concept, and the documentation of our photography presented on our Flicka site will enable the concept and event to live on.

Conceptual sketch of Foley St on the night of the event (by Janet and I)

Technicalities of the canopy installation and suspension (developed by Janet)

When looking back at the process and development of our concept from seed to fruition, it is interesting to examine the effect of the theories and ideas we have been exposed to over the course of the semester to date. While not actively trying to develop ideas in accordance with any one theory, I think we have subconsciously taken on board information – particularly regarding the S.I.’s approach to play in the city and the interactivity of Relational Aesthetics, and have allowed them to help direct our project’s development.