n.e.w.s. is a collective online platform for the analysis and development of art-related activity, drawing upon contributions from around the globe, bringing together different voices, accents and outlooks from the North, East, West and South. | Read more..

Extra/Ordinary Cities

extraordinary-cities

In 2008, in my role as Senior Research Curator at the Casula Powerhouse and the Center for Contemporary Art & Politics, College of Fine Arts/UNSW in Sydney, I organized the Forum 'Extra/Ordinary Cities: The Cultural Dynamics of Urban Intervention'. The Forum was held in associated with the 2008 Biennale of Sydney: Revolutions - Forms that Turn. Extra/Ordinary Cities explored the intricate relationships between art, politics and the built environment in Asia and Australia. Traveling from Sydney’s eastern suburbs to the city's southwest, this day-long event centered at the Bach Dang Vietnamese Restaurant in Canley Vale/Cabramatta. It brought together a group of leading international artists, architects and writers in examining the complex crossings, transformations and challenges in relation to urban landscapes and urban interventions. In the coming months I will continue working on these issues, and look forward to sharing more information on this Forum and its themes. I welcome a chance to exchange further thoughts on these issues with the contributors of n.e.w.s. Some of the initial questions that were raised included: - What constitutes the link between art and the city? - How does art inhabit the urban environment? - What is the role of art in urban consciousness? - What are the socio-political levels of art in relation to urban communities? - How do artists inhabit urban space? Extra/Ordinary Cities is organized by: Center for Contemporary Art & Politics, College of Fine Arts/UNSW, Sydney - http://www.cofa.unsw.edu.au Faculty of the Build Environment, UNSW, Sydney - http://www.fbe.unsw.edu.au Casula Powerhouse: International Centre of Cultural Diversity, Sydney - http://casulapowerhouse.com 2008 Biennale of Sydney - http://www.bos2008.com Participants in the Forum included: Asia Neville Mars, urban researcher based in Beijing Ou Ning, artist and urban researcher based in Beijing Map Office (Laurent Guttierrez & Valérie Portefaix), artists and urban researchers based in Hong Kong Ruangrupa (Reza Afisina & Ardi Yunanto), artists and curators based in Jakarta International (Biennale of Sydney) Manray Hsu, curator based in Tapei Michael Rakowitz, artist based in New York Rene Gabri & Ayreen Anastas, artists based in New York Australia Richard Goodwin, artist and architect based in Sydney Shakthidharan, artist and urban researcher based in Sydney Alfredo & Isabel Aquilizan, artists based in Brisbane Squat Space, artists-run initiative based in Sydney (For more information, please contact me directly)