SFU|LaboratoryLandscape|proposal

JosieDawson,PhoebeHuang,LoriLai1.OVERVIEW

OnewithNatureOnewithNatureisaninteractiveinstallationpiecethatsubvertsconventionalnotionsaroundwhat“urbanwilderness”entailsandthedichotomybetweennatureandcity.Thepieceasksviewerstoquestionthecarefullymaintainedqualityofurbangreenspacesthatreflecthumanisticexpectationsofwhatnatureshouldbe,resultingincontrivedattemptsatpreservationandromanticizationofnormalecologicalprocesses.Throughhumanmodificationofthespace,natureisdomesticized.Thispiecewillintegrateimpermanentandstagedinterventionsatvarioussites,whichwillrecontextualizeStanleyParkasasiteforinvestigationthatencouragespedestrianstothinkdeeplyabouthumanisticalterationsto,whatmayseemtobe,“TheWilderness”.TherearrangingofpreconceivedperceptionsaboutStanleyParkwillattempttodisrupttypicalunderstandingsofourtreasuredgreenspaceandreconnectthepublictoknowledgeandhistoriesthatcontributedtotheparkasweknowit,today.

2.RESEARCHANDPROCESS Duringtheinitialstagesofourproject,wedevelopedourmaintopicinattemptsto

explorethesociallyconstructedaspectsofnatureinrelationtoStanleyParkbothasanurbanspaceforrecreationalleisureandasegregatedspaceofwildernessconservationandconstructedbiodiversity.

Ourresearchbeganbyidentifyingthecharacteristicsofurbanparks,theirsignificanceasapublicspaceandfinallyourrelationshipwithparksasasiteforleisure.InNorthAmerica,thecreationofparksstemsfromthepracticeofupholdingnaturalspaceswithinEuropeanlandscapes.It'spurposeistobeapleasurablesymboloftasteandwealthbutmostsignificantlyanessentialelementforagoodqualityoflife.Inthelateeighteenthcentury,publicparkswerecreatedforcitydwellers/workerstoescapeto,andawayfromthecityanditspollutants.Itwasbelievedthatparkswould“[alleviate]poorhealthconditionsincities[aswellas]strengthencommunitylifeandtorelievedwellersfromsocialantagonism,nervoustensions,andthedeadeningroutinesoftheirwork”(Williams,p.139-171).Peoplevaluedqualitytimeinoutdoorspacesandurbanparksprovidedtheconvenienceandcontactwithnaturetodoso,whileallowingsocialinteractionsthatdifferfromthoseatworktooccur.

Althoughthegreatoutdoorsandnaturehavealwaysbeenmotifsforleisure,itwasn’tuntilmoderndaywhere“commercialculturehasgreatlyshapedthepubliclifeofmoderncities(Zukinp.827),andoptimizedleisureasaprofitablesector.Parksthenbecameanurbanconsumptionofpublicspacethatfocusedontheaestheticsofurbanliving,aswellasaformofcitybeautification.Builtin1888,StanleyParkoriginatedfromsimilaraspirationsthroughconvertingitsinitialmilitarybaseintoa400hectareofforest/citypark,whereonecan“enjoyscenicviewsofwater,mountains,sky,andmajestictreesalongStanleyPark'sfamousSeawall.[Aswellas]discoveringkilometresoftrails,beautifulbeaches,localwildlife,greateats,natural,culturalandhistoricallandmarks,alongwithmanyotheradventures”(CityofVancouver).Attractingeightmillionvisitorsayear(CityofVancouver),thepark’snaturalelementsisnotonlyatouristattractionbutasavital

SFU|LaboratoryLandscape|proposal

componentinthecity’sidentity.Tofacilitatethemagnitudeofhumanactivityinthepark,alterationshadtobemadeinordertomaintainthepark’secologicalculture,aswellasits“attractiveness”asasiteforrecreationandleisure.AnexampleofthisincludesthecelebrationofVancouver’s50thanniversaryin1937(StanleyParkEcologicalActionPlan)withtheintroductionoffragrantliliesinBeaverLake.Theliliesplacedtobeautifythelakeareinvasivetothelake’secosystem,forcingthelaketoundergorapidinfillingchanges,shrinkingthelakebyfortypercentbetween1937-97andsoughttocompletelydisappearby2020(StanleyParkEcologicalActionPlan).

Humans,inmanyways,modifynatureanditsnaturalprocessesforpersonalpleasuresthroughthe“prevailingphilosophytotameandculturewilderness”(Donaldson,TheTyee).Theintentofpieceistoquestionthisperceptionofnature,ourrelationshiptotheparkasaformofconsumption,andourtendencytodivideourselvesawayfromnatureasaseparateentity.

3.CONCEPTOFPROPOSEDWORKSketch-up:

At Beaver Lake ThisinstallationpiecewilltakeplacewithinStanleyParkatBeaverLake,theHollowTreeandSecondBeach.Ateachsite,animagereminiscentof80’smotivationalpostersisdisplayedonawoodenpodium.Theimageintendstoemulatetheformat

SFU|LaboratoryLandscape|proposal

ofapicturesquephotographwithanupliftingwordandrelativequote,howevertheimageuponthepodiumwillbeofthesiteandthepiecewillutilizeawordthatrelatestothespecificityofthesite.The“quote”willinsteadbeailluminationtothesite’scurrentstatusorunknownhistory.Theinstallationutilizesthisformattoaddresstheironyofperceivingurbannature-spacesasbeautiful,untamedwildernessandthussourceofnaturalisticpositivity.

Bypresentingtheimagesinsatiricalmanner,OneWithNatureencouragestheviewertoreflectontheever-wideninggapbetweenurbanandnaturallifeandthewayhumansappropriatenatureanditselementsforourownneeds.Theimagewillalsoincorporatetheartistsbodiesplacedwithinthesiteinsuchawaytobecomeonewiththenaturalscene.Thiswillresultineitheradisturbanceofthenaturalaesthetic,duetothepresenceofhumans(man-madenature)oracoexistencewiththescenery.Eachpodium,actingastypeofinstructionalorinformationalsign,willbeplacedinfrontofa2x5ft.sectionofartificialturf,whicharethedimensionsofatypicalyogamat.Bydoingthis,itallowsforanaudiencetointeractwiththesiteandpossiblymimictheartists’positionsintheimagewhilereflectingonthedomesticationofthespaceanddebatingwhetherthesiteistruewildernessorjustasecluded,tendedareaofnatureusedforcitybeautification.

SFU|LaboratoryLandscape|proposal

Location#1:SecondBeach

Location#2:BeaverLake

SFU|LaboratoryLandscape|proposal

Location#3:HollowTree

BUDGET(approximate):Install/EventDate:June22,2017(willbede-installedattheend-of-day)Budget:$200.00

ClearAcrylicSheet $20.00/piece X3=$60.00

ArtificialTurf $10.00/piece X3=$30.00

PrintingCost $72.00

WoodCost $38.00

Total:$200.00

4.CONTEXT

[T]he sitingofart in "real"placescanalsobeameans toextract thesocial and historical dimensions out of places to variously serve thethematic drive of an artist, satisfy institutional demographic profiles,orfulfillthefiscalneedsofacity.”

MiwonKwon

“OneWithNature”isaplayfulworkwhichinvolvesStanleyPark’sidentityasan“urbanwilderness”.Theparkisanurbangreenspacethatistheresultofhuman

SFU|LaboratoryLandscape|proposal

intervention,constructionandpreservationeffortsthroughouttheyears.Theparkisgroomedtobesublimeanduntamed,buttherealityofStanleyPark’scarefulupkeepgoesunnoticedbythegeneralpublic.Urbansocietyyearnsforaconnectionwithnature,thereisanobsessionwithbeing“trulyaliveinnature”,whichinitselfisanunmistakablycommodifiablecraze(withexamplessuchasadvertisementsconcerninghealthandwellness,andofcourseYoga).

MiwonKwon’sessayPublicArtandUrbanIdentities,critiquesthepromotionalmarketingstrategyof“PlacesWithaPast”(promotionalmaterialforthecityofCharleston,USA)andrecognizesthedistinctionbetweenpublicartthataimstobesocially-awareandpublicartthatservesas“quasi-promotionalagenda”(Kwon).Weintendtocombinethesetwoconflictingmethodologiesintoone,self-reflectiveinstallation.

Untitled,SiluetasSeries,1977,AnaMendieta

SFU|LaboratoryLandscape|proposal

WelookedtotheworkofAnaMendieta,andherSiluetasSeries.Herstrategyofembeddingherbodyintothelandandphotographicdocumentationresonatedtousasapointofdeparture.Sheemphasizeshermarkontheland;theoutlineofherbodyindirt,fire,orflowersshowsthepointofhumancontactinall“natural”elementsandcombinesherexistenceasonewithnature.Herworksaretheperfectexampleofthecloserelationshipbetweenthenaturallifeandanurbanizedbody.

Körperkonfiguration/BodyConfigurationJustitzpalast(1),1982,ValieExportWelookedalsototheworkofValieExportandartistduoAlloraandCalzadilla,theirpiecesprovidedamorecitifiedperspectiveoftheorganicbodyalongside“non-natural”backdrops.ValieExport’sKörperkonfiguration/BodyConfigurationJustitzpalastdisplaystheartist’sbodyagainstcitystructures;placingherorganicformaroundinanimatearchitectureforcestheviewertoconsidertheirplacewithintheconcretejungle.AlloraandCalzadilla’sseriesBodyinFlight(Delta)juxtapositionsathleticgymnastbodieswithluxuriousplaneseats(modeledafterDeltaAirline’sbusinessclassseats)inanattempttocreateanewvisuallanguage.OneWithNatureseeksnottocreateanewidentityforStanleyPark,butinsteadbringupcriticalperspectivesofthelesserknown,inordertocreatenewunderstandingsofthecreationoftheparkandthereforenewfoundationsforamoreinformedfuture.

BodyinFlight(Delta),2011,JenniferAllora&GuillermoCalzadilla

SFU|LaboratoryLandscape|proposal

5.BIBLIOGRAPHY

"ALLORA&CALZADILLA:BODYINFLIGHT(DELTA)."IndianapolisMuseumofArt.N.p.,n.d.Web.May2017.Barman,Jean.StanleyPark'sSecret:TheForgottenFamiliesofWhoiWhoi,KanakaRanchandBrocktonPoint.HarbourPub,MadeiraPark,BC,2005.Bertsch,Michael,andMelanieReichel.VALIEEXPORT:VALIEEXPORT.N.p.,n.d.Web.May2017.Donaldson,Jesse."AnUnnaturalHistoryofStanleyPark."TheTyee.N.p.,23Sept.2013.Web.May2017.<https://thetyee.ca/Life/2013/09/27/Unnatural-History-of-Stanley-Park/>.Howard,Christopher."AnaMendieta:EarthBody,SculptureandPerformance,1972-1985."TheArtBook,vol.12,no.2,2005,pp.21-22,doi:10.1111/j.1467-8357.2005.523_7.x.Kheraj,Sean.InventingStanleyPark.UBCPress,2013.1April2017Kwon,Miwon.Publicartandurbanidentities.Placeofpublicationnotidentified:EuropeanInstituteforProgressiveCulturalPolicies,2002.Vancouver,CityOf."StanleyPark."CityofVancouver.RedDotCMS,30June2015.Web.May2017.<http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/stanley-park.aspx>.Williams,Brett."TheParadoxofParks."Identities13.1(2006):139-71.Taylor&Francis.Online.Web.May2017.