Mobilizing Citizenship: Collective Whole with Hans Edward Hammonds

For this workshop the group examined and took inspiration from local artist collectives in Stavanger like K-Lab, NMNP, Superstar Collective and the artist run space Studio17. Although essentially different in their structure and activity, each of these local collectives shared some key qualities. They are all grassroots organisations built on openness and trust. They provide spaces for discussion and spaces for creatives to work and produce; be it in an apartment, a gallery, an old factory or a warehouse. They are all formed by an urge to create a new platform for their members and to create opportunities for local creatives to express themselves in Stavanger.

Under the guidance of local artist Hans Edward Hammonds, the participants of Mobilizing Citizenship were inspired by the aforementioned spaces to create their own temporary artistic collective, and constructed a portable, modular space to house it. Together the artist and participants built the space out of wood and textiles. On the surfaces of the structure, participants expressed themselves freely using painting, drawing and stencils, among other techniques. Having finished building the structure, the group took the portable space out of the workshop to experiment in other settings. They set up the new space in different public locations, taking over the galleries of Kunsthall Stavanger and in various outdoor locations in the city of Stavanger. These interventions were documented by the participants themselves using photography—situating themselves and taking control of the role of both onlooker and the object of the gaze.