Body and Space

From On the River

The Body and Space assignment has to do with investigating the effects of public space on a body. Much of public space is at a monumental scale with hard surfaces and wide open spaces. One way of exploring such spaces involves seeking out spaces that fit the scale of a body.

This assignment was inspired by the work of Erwin Wurm and Alex Villar. Villar believes that we often think of the city as being thoroughly administered but not completely subjected to control. Plasticity, as a process, shifts the placement of our bodies in a space allowing for differences in value and meaning. Since we live in the space of our bodies, and all visual arts are spatial in nature, the idea of exploring our bodies in public space holds fairly rewarding potential. Explore public space looking for places that fit body scale by positioning your body or parts into nooks, crannies, and spaces; don't forget to document.

How to make a page for a Body and Space:

Click here to Add a Body in Space Page

Make a separate page for each monster. Click the link above. It will ask you to name the page you want to create. Type in a very brief description of where you found your body and space (its only one instance per page.) Ex. “Body and Space Under the Signboard on Monroe” or something similar. After typing in a name, it will bring you to an edit content page where you can upload a main photo, type a description of the location and situation, and upload more images (such as a photograph of the site). To mark a map location, type in "Grand Rapids" and search for your area. Changing the view to 'satellite' also helps to see landmarks that the other map does not show.

The Artist Who Swallowed the World / Monograph, 1999

Erwin Wurm's work often deals with the body in space and "plastic" thinking.

Here is an article about his work.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0268/is_7_39/ai_75761350/