At Partgo Tallinn we divided the students and teachers into three mixed groups. Three localities within Tallinn had been singled out as the subject matter for each to work with. We heard an introductory lecture on the history and peculiarities of these localities, and each group received a “handshake-walk” — a trajectory Google-mapped through their respective locations. After this each group worked with their location for three days and presented the results on the fourth. As the artwork produced would be the result of the international students and the theachers interfacing with and reacting to the local environment it was important to single out parts of Tallinn that:
a) have their own specific character, and
b) are geographically compact enough to establish a relationship with in the given timeframe.
Teachers were embedded exceptionally deep in the group work during this course. This was because we too had to go to the field to get acquainted with the material, but there was also the awareness about the shortage of time at hand. The deadline was quickly approaching on the moment we started. The differences in the way we as teachers established our authority and role within the group, and how this ended up working out, may have been the most interesting aspect of this undertaking.
And there would have to be time. In Tallinn we had 3 full days of field work, living up to the concept of “intensive course”. Teams were encouraged to establish their own working schedules and there was no daily cross-teams briefing on our progress. This simple structure(lessness) served to maximise working-peace as well as enable some in-group “homeyness” to develop. Although there was after-work social mingling each evening, we generally did not “discuss work” — this was not by desingn, but it increased excitement to the wait for the presentations on the final day.
Concepts emerged from the practice
EKA — Temporary Art in Public Space
Keywords for the methodology:
- City localities, historic, different areas of the city
- Map/mapping, pathway, designated walk, pathfinding, identification of sites for artworks
- Temporal public art
- Collaboration and group work
- Mentoring, equal artistic work/blurring the boundaries within the students and teachers
- On site, site-specific
Process:
- College tours
- Keynote lectures from visiting historian
- Pre-intensive
- Pre-intensive teachers conference and site visits
- Brainstorming
- Mentoring, equal artistic work/blurring the boundaries within the students and teachers
- Groups working privately until the final presentation, nondisclosure of process or concept — group secrecy
- On site working, site responsive works of art, participatory, public exposure of being on site
- Performative elements
- Choreographed group gestures and performances
Feedback & assessment strategy:
- Final day group presentations (bus tour on sites and screening) and critical feedback from the participants and lectures
- Student surveys and questionnaires
- Certificate of participation
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