<nettime> Public Domain Blues on Trafalgar Square...

[Patrice Riemens <patrice@xs4all.nl>]

----- Forwarded message from Gil Doron <g_doron@YAHOO.COM> -----
Subject:      The public art project "The Bad-Sheets" in Trafalgar Sq. was
              confiscated by the Heritage Warder
Comments: To: transgressivearchitecture@hotmail.com



The public art project "The Bad-Sheets" in Trafalgar Sq. was confiscated by
the Heritage Warder.  

Transgressive Architecture's public art project which was installed in
Trafalgar Square on Monday, opposite Rachel Whitehead's plinth was
confiscated by the heritage warden who patrols the square.

Five minutes after the instalment of the "Bad Sheets" public art project by
Transgressive Architecture group, Trafalgar's heritage warden (I.D. 2546)
instructed the group to remove the installation saying that "the square is
not a public space but is private property of the GLC". According to him
any art project, even if a temporary one, has to be permitted and licensed.

Such a permit to put the Bad Sheets in Trafalgar Square was not requested
by the TA since the objective of the art project was to question what
public art is and to criticize the requirement to license (public) art.
Transgressive Architecture also believed that in any case such a permit
would not be given by the local council since the art project is a direct
critique of the social cleansing of public spaces by Westminster council
and the GLA.

After a short argument about the nature of the square and its possible uses
Transgressive Architecture decided to continue its intervention - this time
without the Bad Sheets, but with the pigeons in the square. The group used
seeds to draw a line from the voided space where the Bad Sheets were
supposed to be to the area of Whitehead plinth. In response the warder
confiscated the "Bad Sheets" which were lying inside a closed bag near one
of the fountains.

The group is going to submit an official complaint about the warden's
behaviour. Moreover, at the beginning of July Transgressive Architecture is
going to create another larger public art installation in Trafalgar Square.

Until than the next 2 sites for the Bad Sheets public art installation will
be Bloomsbury Square  on June 14th Leicester Square on June 24th. 

Further details from: transgressivearchitecture@hotmail.com or 07796928215


Gil M. Doron, Writer, Artist
Lecturer at University of North London and University of East London 
Schools of Architecture 
Ph.D.researcher, Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
E-mail: g_doron@yahoo.com
4 Nevena Court, 90 Effra Rd. 
London SW2 1BT
Tel: 07796928215
Home page: http://www.gildoron.com

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