The next step for the ‘Cultural Village’ campaign sees Garston “staking its claim for artistic independence” by declaring itself an ‘artistic republic’… with “all the fun of a revolution, but without the violence”.
The area is to receive a major art installation by artist Michael Trainor that will see a disused school in Wellington Street transformed into ‘The Garston Embassy’ complete with its own mini revolution from May to December 2008.
The project is one of three ‘People’s Pavilions’ in the city, as part of “Neighbourhood Pavilions Project” comissioned by Liverpool Biennial as part of the public art programme of the Capital of Culture. Architects and artists have collaborated on the pavilions, and they aim to create a sustainable connection between the city centre and the three deprived neighbourhoods, and act as catalysts for interaction and engagement with the local community. They are partly inspired by projects in Lille’s 2004 Capital of Culture called Maisons Follies, including the most famous example by Lars Spuybroek / NOX.
The ‘embassy / artistic republic’ concept is being seen as a major opportunity to focus attention on the area’s potential as a creative centre. It is hoped it will encourage further long-term physical and cultural regeneration in Garston.
“The ‘revolution’ seeks to bring together artists, creative businesses and residents to kick start the ‘Artistic Republic of Garston’ – declaring the area’s independence and creating a stronghold for the future of Garston Cultural Village.”
Apparently the ‘artistic republic’ concept is based on “Garston’s historic spirit of independence”, which raises questions about the aforementioned relationship between interdependence and independence. Garston has historically been informally perceived as independent – as a village set apart from the rest of the city. But this independence has relied on a wider interdependence – one of global shipping and trade and commerce. In the same way, the anticipated regeneration will rely on outer forces of investment and wider economics.
Is “declaring independence” the right way to gain outward investment? Or is it merely a device to bring people together? Would the republic be better to “declare interdependence”?
4 Comments
February 9, 2008 at 7:47 pm
[...] Welly’) in Garston. Mike’s a Garston-based designer who’s involved with the Artistic Republic of Garston project, working on the Embassy building. Since November he’s been trying to start something [...]
February 10, 2008 at 4:50 am
[...] Liverpool suburbs of Kirkdale, Kensington, and Garston, including the aforementioned “Artistic Republic / Garston Embassy” project. It also has interviews with Libby Mackay and Alex Corina, directors of the [...]
February 16, 2008 at 2:48 pm
[...] afternoon Alex showed a group of us around the old school building that’s going to be used as the ‘Garston Embassy’ as part of the Biennial’s Peoples’ Pavilions Project. We were joined by local MP Maria [...]
February 16, 2008 at 8:44 pm
[...] though it wasn’t actively presented as art. This was probably due to the association with the “Artistic Republic of Garston” project, and the fact that famous Garston artist Alex Corina was sitting with us. Or maybe it [...]