Little Gestures: Guerrilla Art & Public Intervention
September 18, 2009Professional Diploma Art & Design Programme
Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology
Semester One, 2009-2010
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
The Little Gestures studio course ran for eight consecutive Saturdays and involved students from various design disciplines. Facilitated by Ramesh Kalkur and me, this course examined our relationship with public space through art intervention and guerrilla art tactics. Diverse approaches were used to communicate ideas, expressions, attitudes and messages. Students created works, which when installed, attached or performed within a public space had the purpose of affecting our immediate environment in creative and thought-provoking ways. Through this course, they recognised that art in public spaces can range from personal gestures and expressions of opinion to forums for discussion and acts of collective defiance. They saw that successful interventions are defined by how the work interacts with the space/ locality and requires planning, creative execution, an understanding of context and audience.
Weeks 1-2. Text in Context – Comment or respond to observations of a place or space. Use text to create hand-crafted affirmations, slogans, statements, musings, quotes. These should be attached or situated anonymously within the immediate environment.
Weeks 3-4. Thought-Provoking Gestures – Create a personalised thought-provoking ‘gift’, designed specifically for an individual who lives or works in the locality. Deliver it anonymously.
Weeks 5-6. Flash Mob/ Public Performance – Use the body as a medium to communicate a site-specific message in a public space. Group exercise.
Weeks 6-7. Dialogue/ Interaction – Construct an intervention that instigates dialogue with the general public through creative means. Addressing a local issue or concern, the intervention is designed to raise awareness and encourage participation or response. Group exercise.
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