I started my residency at The Comma Space yesterday Saturday 21st July 2012. All my friends and family have been collecting cardboard boxes over the last 6 months for this project, I think they are relieved that I have finally moved them all to the Comma project space. It is amazing how many boxes and bits of cardboard they have collected, it just shows how much we throw away each day!
My residency project is an installation piece based on Brazilian favelas. I have been interested in the projects undertaken in the favelas over the last few years that have brought artists and practitioners into these deprived areas to develop green spaces and improve the general living conditions for the inhabitants. Street artists have created some spectacular work that has completely changed the facades of many of these make shift buildings. The development of green spaces in these areas have provided safe places for children to play and people have started planting their own fruit and vegetables. By taking control of their own environment they have improved the standard of living and brought their communities closer together.
Initiatives such as the New Ferry Butterfly Park works on similar principles, encouraging the development of a safe area for children to play and bringing the local community together to better understand and protect the local wildlife and green spaces.
My plan for my four week residency is to build favelas out of recycled cardboard and encourage the local community to interact and take part in the project whilst highlighting the work that goes on in Brazil and in their own local community.
So far I have had both of my sons Simon and Matty helping build favelas they are looking good but I will have to think about how to start putting them all together as favelas are often stacked up the side of mountains and I want to create this same effect.
I have had a great weekend and have met some great people, lots of children have been in making butterflies and lots of new people now know where the Butterfly park is.
I am not back there now until Wednesday as studio work needs to be done but looking forward to the next time and really getting stuck in to creating and building my favela sculpture.
