ART & AR

Future orientation

What’s on the empty plinth in the city centre? That’s in the eye of the beholder, thanks to The People’s Platform which has brought to life Bristolians’ digital sculpture designs to reflect the city’s common values

“ Achild who is not embraced by the village will burn it down just to feel its warmth.” This African proverb was the inspiration for one of many digital sculptures already submitted for a new augmented reality project focusing on positive outcomes for the future of the city’s empty Edward Colston plinth. Community (pictured below) was designed by Bishopworth resident Saffa Freebrey, who works for a student housing association, to depict a mother and child and the many faces of a community that can surround to protect and guide. One of seven siblings born to a Sudanese mother and a father from Gloucester, Saffa is grateful for all the outside influences that helped guide her on her way during her childhood and, having recently become a mother, acknowledges that she would have struggled without the help of the community around her.

Bulgarian PhD researcher Aleks Vladimirov remembers watching news footage of the statue being pulled down when he was living in Shrewsbury and –loving the city’s energy and free-thinking spirit –deciding he would move to Bristol to study. His design Moment is inspired by the events of 6 June 2020, and the splash the statue made when it plunged into the harbour. It’s also an expression of the fluidity and transcience of history. “History is a story we tell ourselves in the present about the past,” he said. “It has an important role in how we orient ourselves to the future. No event in history is set in stone. The past determines the present but history is not the past.”

Collectively the virtual installations will imaginatively express what today’s Bristolians want to celebrate in the heart of the city, with a new digital ‘statue’ and story added to the collection each month. Schools and groups can visit the plinth as part of a bespoke workshop experience and the public can submit comments and suggestions in an open public forum moderated by Bristol City Council.

“To partake in art in public spaces: it’s something you’re often told not to do,” says illustrator and mural artist Jazz Thompson. “The ownership [of the plinth] has completely shifted.” Jazz’s Many Faces is a development of an illustration project commissioned by Watershed’s Pervasive Media Studio, using hand-drawn textures and coloured panels to celebrate diversity, and inspired by Artistotle’s observation: ‘The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’

City dwellers of all ages and backgrounds are engaging in the artistic discussion about how Bristol’s history can be better reflected, with hundreds of artists and schools having contributed concepts. Selected designs are available in the form of AR, doing no damage in the physical plane, and the tech –developed in conjuction with AR experts Apache and 8th Wall to reduce engagement barriers –doesn’t require an app download. Anyone with a smart device near the plinth, or online anywhere in the world can explore the pieces from 360 degrees. “I love how The People’s Platform layers up the visions of Bristol citizens. In situ, its the best use of AR I can imagine,” said Watershed CEO Clare Reddington. “Wherever you are it opens up conversations about who makes art and who is memorialised through art in a necessary, accessible and democratic way.”

“This project is so immensely impactful,” said Bristol resident Lilly Pawley. “It sets a precedent for public displays and who should have the right to decide what we are exposed to in our cities. It’s time to review our landscape and make bold decisions. I hope the project grows to be a permanent feature.” n

Moment is inspired by the events of 6 June, and the splash the statue made when it plunged into the harbour

• peoplesplatform.co.uk

Many Faces by Jazz Thompson

Aleks Vladimirov’s

Moment