Victoria Square Project, Athens
Community resources are good material for art
Talent and creativity are required for constructing a better urban future. Consequently, artists might be at the front of urban development. But how to do it? Maybe not using marble anymore and just thinking about how they could work hand in hand with the citizens.
Conceived by artist Rick Lowe in collaboration with fellow artist Maria Papadimitriou as an ongoing social sculpture during the documenta14 exhibition in Athens, Victoria Square Project has evolved into an open community centre in the place of a previously vacant shop in the multicultural neighbourhood of Victoria Square, at the heart of Athens.
But... it is really possible to construct a social sculpture? Of course it is when the people are using the assets of the community for building that collective piece of art. Pretty easy: Just people in action building networks and relations.
Cultural and historical resources might be crucial for urban resilience. In this deprived area of Athens severely hit by the financial crisis, the neighbourhood is reappropriating finally the vacant spaces for developing a new community, more active and self-conscious of its problems and aims.
Heritage and creativity can show that collaboration makes things happen.
More at: http://victoriasquareproject.gr/
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