Art as a means of studying space

Pia Euro came to talk about art as a means of studying space. She especially talked about how art is so physical, a reality beyond words - which and with which one can explore and study things one cannot study with methods that rely on words, the kind of things you can see and think through words. Pia also talked about the relation of form and content - when you want to change content, you also have to change form - and, I'd say, when you change form you also affect the content.

Pia gave us intriguing examples, like Tatsurou Bashi's hotelrooms constructed around statues - turning public space into private. Or even more disturbing and fascinating, Atelier Van Lieshoult's works:

SlaveCity
Welcoming Center, 2007

Before entering SlaveCity and becoming an inhabitant of this city, you have to pass the Welcoming Center. In this large building the participants are selected for their suitability to come and work in SlaveCity. Old, cripple, sick and bad tasting people will be recycled in the biogas digester. Healthy, not so clever people, will be recycled in the meat processing factory. Young and very healthy people will be able to take part in the organ transplant program. Healthy, clever people will go to work in the CallCenter.

AVL Workskull, 2005

AVL Workskull is designed for large offices as a secluded place, where employees can work alone undisturbed, have more privacy for phone calls or retreat from the world.

Bodytable, 2005, 2006

For the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen’s Restaurant and KOW architects’ canteen, AVL built tables in the shape of different female torsos. The irregular shape of the tables serves to enhance communication. People will sit closer to each other at the same table – a proximity that tends to ignite a conversation.

Bodytables for KOW Architects, 2006, and the restaurant of the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum, Rotterdam, 2005, in combination with AVL Shaker chairs.

Pia then also told about some of her own works in and about space: the kiosk installation with an operasinger reacting to the external world. - And the performance without performers or audience, a group (non)-performance in the Helsinki metro, trying to capture the "gapness" of traveling with the metro, each passenger captured within their own bubble but together staying in a place outside time and space, as if it were.

Rest of the day, likewise next day, Thursday 16th, the students will be spending by working on their concepts - Taina can be consulted! Looking forward to Friday and the reports.