Abstract (Long paper)

Keywords: Making, Public, Constructions, Technology, Building, Artistic Responses, Museum Collections, Heritage, Performance.

This paper discusses the principle of ‘Public Making’, a strategy of conducting a creative process while working in and with the public to build artistic work. By first laying out a conceptual and theoretical framework around our intentions, this essay goes on to describe our practice through a significant program of work carried out during 2014. Our work included an artistic residency, two installations and a durational performance. The paper culminates on reflections into how Public Making opens up the artistic process and allows for multiple forms of participatory engagement to occur. This work was carried out on a variety of occasions with various cultural institutions including museums, heritage sites and arts organisations. This concept of building and making in and with the public attempts to open the ‘black box’ of creation allowing publics to engage with technological methods alongside an artistic process.

• Tim Shaw & John Bowers, Culture Lab and Fine Art, Newcastle University, UK

Full text (PDF) p. 802-809