April 05, 2005
Millennium Park (Chicago) is a copyrighted public space!
This is a little old by now, but the whole affair is still going on:
By way of (sub)urbanism.blogspot.com: "In keeping with the contemporary trends of privatizing public space, Millennium Park is a copyrighted public space... The [Chicago] Reader [the printed version of the newspaper] recounts the experience of photojournalist Warren Wimmer's attempts to photograph Anish Kapoor's sculpture, Cloud Gate (more commonly known as "the Bean"). When Wimmer set up his tripod and camera to shoot the sculpture, security guards stopped him, demanding that they show him a permit. Wimmer protested, replying that it's absurd that one needs to pay for a permit to photograph public art in a city-owned park... Ben Joravsky, the author of the Reader article, attempted to contact park officials for an explanation and received a response from Karen Ryan, press director for the park's project director: 'The copyrights for the enhancements in Millennium Park are owned by the artist who created them. As such, anyone reproducing the works, especially for commercial purposes, needs the permission of that artist.' Hence, Millennium Park--a nascent destination for countless citizens and tourists that was built with $270 million in city funds--is slowly emerging as Chicago's most privatized public space. Photographers beware!"
Posted by susana at 05:36 PM | Comments (0)
February 21, 2005
Public Space Inspiration
Feeling homesick for NYC, I had to post up one of my favorite public art pieces - the Astor Place Cube. A meeting place for skaters, ravers, punks, and other interesting people. You can push on it and it spins around! I've always loved that you could alter part of the city's landscape like that; interaction with immediate satisfaction. Who knows how many tourists' pictures I've single-handedly designed that way?
Warning: pushing it around with your friends while drunk at 4:30am isn't as good an idea as it sounds.
Posted by kellee at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)
February 08, 2005
InteractiveSpaces.net
Not specifically one space, but looks like they might be a good resource. From their website:
InteractiveSpaces is an interdisciplinary research center bringing together architecture, engineering, and computer science with the research mission to create new concepts for future interactive spaces. InteractiveSpaces.net also bring together companies and public researchers in a R&D activities leading to new products and services for specific domains.The research activities focus on six themes which may be applicable to one or more of the application domain projects undertaken in the center. The application domains to be studied include schools, libraries, museums, homes and specific workplaces.
They are located in Denmark, and it looks like they have done some interesting projects.
Website: http://www.interactivespaces.net/
Posted by msteffen at 02:26 PM | Comments (0)
February 01, 2005
Public space, far away
What: An installation that gives visitors a chance to discover how sounds influence their imagination, as they explore an empty room with noises and voices from the past rising and falling in response to movement.
Characters include a sailor, African man and captain - all who witnessed the treatment of human cargo during this time of vast slave trade.
Funded by the Culture Online, an initiative by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to increase access to arts and culture.
source: http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART20518.html
Where: Dana Centre, located at 165 Queen's Gate, South Kensington, London, SW7 5HE, England
020 7942 4040 (tel)
Why it's fun: Allows users to experience history through the eyes (and their physical senses) of those who lived it.
More info: http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART20518.html
Posted by ashley at 10:44 AM | Comments (0)
January 18, 2005
EnterActive (11th & Flower)
select "EnterActive" at the bottom.
what:
This project consists of a luminous field of LED lights embedded into the entry walkway that respond to the presence of visitors; a massive display of lights on the building face that mirror the patterns of the entry; and video displays in the lobby and entry areas.
Environmental intelligence and surveillance of human activity are combined with a video-game sensibility. Activities on the walkway also trigger massive light displays on the building face. When the walkway interactivity is triggered users witness their impact on the building face via a video display. Response is instantaneous.
The building lights integrate with existing railings and glass structures, complementing the facade's layered appearance.
where: Downtown Los Angeles, 11th & Flower
when: 2005
This is sort of a local piece as well, just in the future. These building light things are interesting, but seem in danger of being repetitive. This piece in particular seems to be very "one-note" / unsophisticated, but I suppose judgement should be witheld for now.
Posted by brad at 02:14 PM | Comments (0)