Front and Backyard Gardens: Art Practices and Intervention Projects Based on Ecology and Urban Gardening

Ecology and participatory art projects are relevant topics in current day artistic practices, yet how can art be of influence on the social matter of the planning and use of the public space in the urban environment? Commonly, ecological and participatory art practices and exhibitions take place within four walls of white cube galleries or project spaces where they reach an already initiated and versed art viewing audience. Meanwhile the public sphere is managed by city governments and cannot be intervened with by civilians who do live in the spaces as their everyday surroundings. This paper looks at two different methods of artistic practices and exhibitions that take place in curated environments made by artists as well as interventions in public spaces by inhabitants of an environment in order to understand how artistic interventions can play a role in the reclaiming livability in the urban landscape. These two approaches will be analyzed through two different case studies.The...Show moreEcology and participatory art projects are relevant topics in current day artistic practices, yet how can art be of influence on the social matter of the planning and use of the public space in the urban environment? Commonly, ecological and participatory art practices and exhibitions take place within four walls of white cube galleries or project spaces where they reach an already initiated and versed art viewing audience. Meanwhile the public sphere is managed by city governments and cannot be intervened with by civilians who do live in the spaces as their everyday surroundings. This paper looks at two different methods of artistic practices and exhibitions that take place in curated environments made by artists as well as interventions in public spaces by inhabitants of an environment in order to understand how artistic interventions can play a role in the reclaiming livability in the urban landscape. These two approaches will be analyzed through two different case studies.The paper comes to the finding that artists and urban interventionists need to collaborate to build a sustainable and engaged practice.Show less

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Front and Backyard Gardens: Art Practices and Intervention Projects Based on Ecology and Urban Gardening