CONVERSATIONAL DISSIDENCE Amelia Dray Rebecca Dray Signe Greve Amy White
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS JAMES BRIDLE A r t i s t / Te c h n o l o g i s t P E O P L E B E F O R E P RO F I T John Hamilton George Hallam Helen Mercer S T R A W B E R RY T H I E V E S Social Activist Choir
3
CONTENTS
Manifesto p8 Conversational Dissidence Model p11 Airspace Intrusion p15 Wa l k t h e w a i t i n g l i n e p31 Broken Army p45 End Note p59
5
“Public space used to be where people got together and where politics originated, but nowadays everything is controlled. That makes it harder or even impossible to rethink the function of public space and of politics� Karl Philips (H)activist, Performance & Conceptual Artist
6
7
Conversational Dissidence redefines public spaces as places for political conversation through visual spectacle. Structured around a triangular model, this form of protest advocates a more inquisitive approach.
MANIFESTO
Digressing from the typically aggressive, alienating and disordered form of traditional protest, conversational dissidence promotes quality public engagement with political issues. Physically punctuating the city with visual spectacles and aesthetically driven objects, alongside knowledgeable speakers. Conversational Dissidence invites people to initiate dialogues about pressing issues to create long-term interest and therefore impact.
8
9
CONVERSATIONAL DISSIDENCE MODEL
10
11
SPEAKER
SPEAKER A w h i s t l e b l o w e r, o r g r o u p o f whistleblowers, for PFI a n d p r i v a t i s a t i o n a c t i v i t y. SPECTACLE A visual punctuation that disrupts the norm. ENGAGEMENT A physical tool that initiates conversation between the speaker and the spectacle.
SPECTACLE
12
ENGAGEMENT
13
AIRSPACE INTRUSION
14
15
16
17
THE GREY AREA
Who Owns the Air? “He owns the soil owns up to the heavens.” In England, this was the law for centuries, however with the invention of hot air balloons and air planes, the air above 500 foot was declared as navig able air space. In 1946, an American chicken far mer sued the US, argueing that the low-f lying military planes caused his chickens to ‘jump up against the side of the chicken house and burst themselves open and die’. The court ruled that landowners own the sky above their homes up to 83 feet. B u t t h e d e c i s i o n s t i l l l e f t a g a p. I f t h e a i r a b ove 5 0 0 f e e t i s p u b l i c p r o p e r t y, a n d t h e a i r b e l o w 8 3 f e e t i s p r i v a t e p r o p e r t y, w h a t a b o u t t h e s p a c e i n between? It is this ‘grey area’ zone that we propose the public reclaim, before it reaches corporate hands to be privatised.
18
19
APPLIED SYSTEM
20
21
This action aimed to create conversation around airspace ownership and the privatisation of London’s skyline. The balloon was elevated to 83 feet to disrupt the ‘grey area’ and initiate dialogues about reclaiming that space for the public. T h e s p e a k e r, G e o r g e H a l l a m , o p e r a t e d a s a source of knowledge explaining to the public the symbolism of the spectacle and its relation to PFI projects and p r i v a t i s a t i o n a c t i v i t y. The mirror path led people to the speaker whilst forcing you to acknowledge the potential of the empty airspace.
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
WALK THE WAITING LINE
30
31
32
33
APPLIED SYSTEM
34
35
This action aimed to demonstrate the dystopian future waiting line of the NHS. HSBC are funding the PFI project of Lewisham Hospital, the gowns were strung from the clocktower on Lewisham High Street to the bank, to highlight their involvement. T he Strawber r y T hieves provided an alternative form of communication with the public. Their “Ode to Privatisation� song delivered their message in a t h e a t r i c a l m a n n e r. We a r e c u r r e n t l y d e v e l o p i n g t h i s a c t i o n to enhance the public engagement and the spectacle.
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
BROKEN ARMY
44
45
46
47
APPLIED SYSTEM
48
49
The aim of this action was to bring attention to the hundreds of families forced into homelessness due to privatised housing schemes in the borough of Lewisham. The ar my of figures physically represented this crisis. The placement of the spectacle disrupted the natural flow of pedestrian traffic, forcing the public to acknowledge the installation. The model commented on the potential of building social housing upon existing i n f r a s t r u c t u r e s i n t h e c i t y. It was also central to the information provided by the speakers; who exposed the lack of affordable housing, particularly in Lewisham.
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
END NOTE The Conversational Dissidence model was the outcome of our exploration into privatisation and PFI projects, particularly in Lewisham. H o w e v e r, w e a s p i r e f o r i t t o b e u s e d as a future template by other activist organisations for a range of other social, political and ethical issues.
58
59