example, would whips be left here and not in political powers, inadequate and limiting the room in which other riding tackle—the laws, and bureaucrats or government stirrup, saddle etc.—would be store? It is not officials with conflicting interests. Talking that we should assume that these whips about any project of this nature would be like would have been used for any other narrating a long, farcical soap. Opera about purposes, such as self-flagellation or the useless meetings, arbitrary decision-making like. Indeed, we need not assume that items and simply baffling scenes, worth turning into left left on display need to have a direct a comic strip. I am referring to projects that utilitarian significance. the average house, do not exactly fit the patterns of the recent for example, is full of items that are never sculpture show on Reforma Boulevard, but used as such, but are kept on display for a are rather pieces that are made base don the purely symbolic reason. Rather we might connects in which they are shown and that question whether sub items might have a aim to establish a dialogue with this specific certain suggestive potential to open up space. particular corporeally embedded ideas. The become objects of the crucifix. They become It seems appropriate, to mention but one objects of contemplation that allow us to example, to refer to the reasons why Cesar image the possibility of pain. By extension, Martinez changed the color of his piece they also allow us to imagine the possibility Piedad entubada (Piety in a Pipe) – an of pleasure. intervention he did last year on a section of the Viaducto expressway as part of the Could these whips, then, not hold a clue to Agua/Wasser exhibition. Using blue paint, Barragan’s whole Outlook on aesthetics? Martínez wanted to outline what had once Are we able to glimpse within the orchid like been the course of the La Piedad River.41 beauty of Barragan’s interiors a certain However, after over a year of negotiations, erotics of pain, but so too an erotic of Mexico City government officials “invited” pleasure? And could these erotics not be him to change the color he had proposed to understood within religious terms as part of use, arguing that it made reference to a the operations of the ecstatic? Might this particular political party. 42 Thus, the give us an insight not only into the nature of intervention that can be seen today on the Barragan’s own aesthetic vision, but also Viaducto is a qua green, ―a color that instead into the nature of the very discipline of recalls the one in high schools kindergarten architecture? Is Barragan’s work, in other handrails, or public restrooms, ― to quote the words, not a perfect example of the artist. And this is just one of countless stories operations of jouissance, of a religio-erotic of how government officials and/or bylaws aesthetics that lies at the heart of all good have transformed (sometimes willfully, architecture? sometimes unintentionally) art projects in public spaces. POLITICS FOR PUBLIC ART? Lorena Wolffer Yet, to discuss the role that art plays in public spaces in this city we must first, in my To speak of politics concerning art in public mind, deal with the complex organization of, spaces “I prefer to use this expression ―our public space per se. As has surely been rather tan more problematic ―public art” – in discussed in this symposium´s precious the current context of Mexico City inevitably panel, our public space consists of a series involves a whole series of complications. of territories that are not necessarily clearly Those of us who have undertaken – or have set, outlined or regulated, and there are no attempted to undertake—art projects in this standards to determine the “quality” city´s public sphere know that, in doing so, of one public space vis-à-vis another. we are forced to act as negotiators between Certain city planners and sociologist have argued that they in fact may never have factor within the re-conceptualization of been public domain, but rather parochial public space. I am not proposing to create spaces. As Martin Hajer and Arnold organizations like the Toronto Public Space Reijndorp state in their book In search of the Committee – devoted to the New Public Domain: “… what most people “democratizations of public space”, mainly experiences as a pleasant public space is by means of ad campaigns – but rather to actually often dominated by a relatively understand art as a way of interpreting – and homogeneous group. (…) Public domains not decorating –our city in the context of because one belongs to that specific much broader discussions about the policies dominant group.” that the city needs to implement.

In Mexico City, considering everything from For over a year, Saul Villa – my collaborator the unbridled proliferation of outdoor in the projects La belleza esta en la calle advertising to the building of private homes (Beauty is in the Streets) – and I have in public parks or forest preserves, the discussed the problems of public space and border between what we call public space the place that contemporary art can or and private space is redrawn every day and should occupy within it. The countless changes from one moment to another. The meetings we have held with government historic absence of law regulating outdoors officials, artists, curators, city planners, advertising, of the general legal void in this architects, businesspeople and even field. Public spaces in Mexico City are highly members of parliament regarding these problematic areas of interactions- almost issues – and the fact that subject of art in always defined by business and consumer public spaces must necessarily be pursued interest—fulfilling a wide range of private within the context of discussions about the functions, confirming Hajer and Peijndorp´s shaping of our city, In an attempt to delve theories. But how could it be otherwise if it is deeper into the issue, Villa and I organized a precisely in a city´s organization that a colloquium entitled public – that took place society´s lingering inequites are clearly at the Sala de Arte Publico Siqueiros in July represented? If we contemplate public space 2002 and that was also coordinated by as a medium through which notions about architect Arturo Ortiz – involving a wide citizenship and one´s belonging to a city can range of professionals, from artist to be constructed – as Lynn A. Staehelinand businesspeople. Albert Thompson state in their article “Citizenship, Community and Struggles for Based on my experiences and the many Public space” – then shape of Mexico City is questions that were posed during public am nothing but a map of its residents’ social, convinced that insisting on introducing economic and political realities. policies designed specifically and exclusively for art in public spaces would not only be Taking this intrinsic into account, i think we useless but also requires that we take into should begin by discussing the shape of our account other kinds of apparently basic city, including an analysis on the possible considerations: what do we mean when we place of art, to the purpose the necessary talk about art in public spaces? What kind of politics. art practices are we talking about? Made by which artists? Sanctioned by whom? It is a fact that Mexico City has no adequate Addressed at which audiences? If some of policies for dealing with art in public spaces the most interesting projects developed in and, hence, developing projects in that the public arena were presented in that context can almost be considered a heroic specific space precisely in order to escape feat impose policies on art, but rather the art world´s processes of legitimization consider it as a fundamental, necessary and to address audiences that are more heterogeneous tan those that usually attend the Millennium, states ―what I sell aren´t openings (among other reasons), would the really products but rather “vapors” which hip- creation a commission or institution devoted hop lingo, refers to public presentation of to art in public to art spaces not perpetuate certain often invisible sectors of society. I am the patterns characteristic of established art not only attracted bye the truly great work of venues? And most importantly: in developing graffiti artists such as Humo –a member of policies for art in public spaces, how can we the DNC crew (Designing New Culture) who guarantee that they will include a understands and uses graffiti as a heterogeneous range of practice? contemporary tool to reinterpret and reclaim history – but also by the fact that graffiti I do not have slightest doubt about the artists appropriate and christen public space- relevance and need for conceiving certain and often private space of ―presentationǁ. It projects for art in public spaces that act as is true that graffiti is an imposition, but so is catalytic and incentive resources, promoting official public art and the so-called ―brandingǁ people to reflect n the city in which we live of the city. Un like the latter, however, graffiti and its complexities. However, taking into –As Powers says – is not about selling account the aforesaid problems and being products. Those of us who travel around in reliant to enter into limited discussions about the city have noticed local, national and specific polices concerning art in public multinational companies´ increasingly spaces. I have decided to simply discuss a obvious commercialization of public space: few projects. These Works have managed many walls and fences are covered by to establish a refreshing dialogue with the billboards nowadays, street sings in the context in which they were presented and Miguel Hidalgo District have been privatized, consequently with the communities residing sporting Coca Cola logos and the policemen in or traveling through this context. Faced on Insurgentes Avenue stands inside blue with the reality that spaces devoted to Pepsi booths. Faced with this phenomenon, contemporary art (whether governmental or the takeover of spaces by graffiti artists and private) need the proposals try to revert this so – called “billboard liberators” – who either tendency by showing art to diverse work with or intervene upon outdoor ads – is audiences and communities, incorporating not only refreshing but, in my opinion, the latter into the process of artistic necessary. reflection. For my part, in addition to sometimes I become more convinced everyday that presenting performances in public spaces. I projects in and for public spaces must be have carried out two projects involving independent and self-managed – without billboards in Mexico City. The first was Soy government endorsement, local permits or totalmente de hierro (I Am Totally of Iron), a the certification of the art institution – and Project I did in collaboration with that this might be one of the most effective photographer Martin Vargas and graphic ways of transforming certain public spaces designer Monica Martinez in 200. Using ten into public domain. billboards scattered around the city, this “counter-campaign” sought to question and In this sense, I would like to mention the respond to the stereotyped representation of work of certain graffiti artists such as Humo, women in the ad campaign Soy Totalmente Skape or Krater. As dissident art dealing with Palacio 43 as well as a few others that have urban intervention, graffiti is an as – yet- popped up in the cityscape. untamed expressive tool that generates various narrative and aesthetics. Stephen My intention was to create an alternate Powers, a self-titled “public artist” and the “advertising” space in the exact same sites author of The art of Getting Over: Graffiti at where ads are “exhibited” in Mexico City and thus prompt an analysis of the intricate ways the everyday tensions existing in the city. in which society – through one of its most However, given that several institutions that conniving and revealing media – constructs had agreed to supports us withdrew they’re and manipulates our notions of femininity. funding, fearing hypothetical. Political With the final Works (five in total), I was not reprisals, we ended up presenting only four trying to find instant solutions to age-old pieces (a much scaled down version of our problems; yet, I attempted to articulate some original plan), three of which can currently of the issues that I perceive as fundamental be seen on some of the city´s streets, and in order to counteract the way women are one which we hung from the facade of the represented in contemporary Mexican Sala de arte Publico Siqueiros during the advertising. The five pieces were shown in public colloquium. As a response to the the following locations: difficulties we faced in bringing off the original Project, the billboards offer simple 1. This is My Palace and It’s Entirely Made reflections about the complex shaping of of Iron – Tlalpan and Eje 6 Sur; Periférico public space in Mexico City, expressed in Canal de Garay and Eje 6 Sur. the four following phrases: 2. Who Teaches You How to Be a Women? –Insurgentes and Avenida del Iman; Plaza 1. This Is Not an Ad, It’s a public Space – Santa Cruz, San Antonio Abad. Revolucion and Mixcoac 3. The Problem Is that You Think My Body 2. Where does a public Space Begin? – Belongs to You – Insurgentes and Copilco; Circuito Interior, Colonia Cuauhtemoc Insurgentes and Quintana Roo. 3. Who Controls What Is Public? – Avenida 4. The Curious Thing Is that You Think You Cuauhtemoc and Eje 8 Sur Can Control my Image – Camino a Santa 4. The Notion of Public Is Private – Sala de Teresa; Rio Churubusco and Calle 17. Arte Público Siqueiros 5. No ad Campaign Can Silence my Voice – Periférico Sur and Zacatepetl; Viaducto and Perhaps because this Project did not imply a Tránsito. hypothetical confrontation whit a major national chain of department stores, the final During the two month that the billboards scaled-down version of Beauty Is in the were up, there were numerous and often Streets did not generate the same kind of astonishing reactions to them. I gave over media buzz as Soy Totalmente de Hierro fifty interviews to newspaper, magazines and had, though that does not make it any less television programs, in addition to hosting a important in my eyes. press conference, I received up to thirty e- mails a day was asked to taken part in Employing different strategies and several internet chat sessions where I addressing more specific audiences, the received some comments in favor of the work of certain performance artists tackles work and many against it. I was even invited and articulates notions of performance art to a well know talk show whose producer can function as a metaphor for the implicit insisted on matching me against the director contracts that are made every day in our of the Palacio de Hierro’s add campaign. society –as American writer Kathy O´Dell Though I was briefly temped by this states in Contract with the skin: Masochism, thoughtful offer, I obvious turned it down. Performance Art and the 70s– then these Works seek to alter the kinds of contracts The second project -which I mentioned that are represented in public space and earlier– was Beauty Is in the Streets, done thus redefine the latter for a few hours. I am in collaboration with Saul Villa. At the outset, referring to the work performance artists live this projects was conceived as a series of Emma Villanueva, whose work is Little thirty billboards that hoped to depict some of understood by the art world given both its performances. These projects included subjects matter and formats and the fact conferences. Talks and, most notably guded commodity made bye and for minority and tours to the aforesaid neighborhoods. The that it often over steps the bounds of art´s premise behind these exhibitions, entitled traditional domains to make use of public Notoriety is to Blame: Buenos Aires and space. Doctores Sur and Tepito: The Unsellable Objects, was to allow the neighborhoods to In her performance entitled Pasionaria, represent themselves through their Villanueva – wearing a black and red bikini communities’ voice. Dealing with these colors – walked from of her body painted the neighborhoods’ ill repute among our city´s same - walked from the Zapata subway general population, the guided tours station to the UNAM (National Autónoma consisted of inviting people from others parts University of Mexico) when its main campus of town to converse with Tepito, Buenos was under police control. While Mexican Aires and Doctores Sur residents. Thus, society was bitterly divided into staunch visitor found out about the experiences and supporters of the CGH (General Strike points of view of people living in these areas Council), a moderate faction and those who as well as about the activities that they were definitely against the movement, organize, such as the parade featuring floats Villanueva took to the streets to expose and dedicated to our Lady of Guadalupe that defend her own point of view. Along her way, takes place every August 15in the Buenos the performance artist asked people to Aires and Doctores Sur. Among these manifest their opinions about the strike at the project´s diverse aspects, we should also UNAM on their bodies. On this long, tiring note a public exhibition of comic strips about journey, Villanueva uses her body – a meta- the history of the Buenos Aires area painted sexualized object of her own making – as a by various artists on the metal screens of conveyor or receptacle for the conflict at the some of the local shops. Thus, the Buenos UNAM. In flyers that she handed out to her Aires neighborhood underwent a nightly “audience”, the performance artists state she transformation – when stores closed and was not a CGH member but that, as a pulled down their screens – and narrated its student of the UNAM, she would refuse to own history. attend classes until the six demands stipulated in the CGH´s proclamation had Though these kinds of projects may not be been met. Villanueva even confronted the seen as dealing exclusively with art in public police directly – perhaps in a more effective spaces, they do include a dialogue with manner tan the CGH itself had – by trying to among the residents of the zones in which hand them flyers and, when they refused to they took place – something which seems take them, stuffing them into their pockets. not only desirable but also necessary, un the Television cameras and reporters, looking end, I believe that the most interesting and for the latest scoop concerning the dispute, appropriate projects for art in public spaces turned this performance into that day´s top are precisely the ones, like those undertaken story. by the Mexico City Museum, that resemble projects such as Code 33 bye American Finally I would like to discuss two projects artist Suzanne Lacy. Code 33 was a public that were fundamental in establishing a art Project undertaken over a period of two dialogue between different communities, years (1998-1999), indents of Oakland, organized by the Mexico City Museum – California, and concluding with the under the direction of Conrado Tostado – presentation of a public performance. The with and in the directions in the Buenos Project included youth art workshops and Aires, Doctores Sur and Tepito video productions, workshops in which neighborhoods. Besides exhibitions and youth and police could confront each other, press reports and community discussions. So I’m going to concentrate on the way that As in the case of the projects in the Tepito, our work has moved into the world of Buenos Aires and the Doctores Sur building- not away from the virtual reality neighborhoods, these activities facilitated work – but in many ways, the way that the and promoted a different kind of visibility for virtual is trying to many ways, the way that the spaces and communities involved; the virtual is trying to inform our proposals in moreover, they dispelled or transformed buildings. These are the seven points that common preconceptions about specific I’ll be referring to. areas and communities. The first one and you´ll notice behind the Instead of wasting our time justifying artwork text that I‘ve used images, some of which imposed on an avenue or square by the you might recognized from a certain period political regime of the “citizenization”44 of in the avant-garde, mainly of the 60´s and culture or defending the ingenious early 70´s with groups like Archigram, “intervention” of some artist on a median in Arcazoom, Ufo, the Florentine Avant-Garde, the Condesa neighborhood, 45 I think that the Yona Friedman, Constant and many others projects that are worth undertaking are that have been such powerful forces in the precisely those that make us more visible, way that way the engage city space, in the that lend us a presence and a sense of way we engage politics, in the way we belonging and where we live. And as for the engage design: you’ll see their influences question this panel was asked to discuss though out our work in the urban field. A few “policies for public art?” – my answer is no, years ago we were asked to look at a city in thank you very much. Scandinavia, Copenhagen, and asked to look at proposing new kinds of urban ASYMPTOTE structures for the city. We started by taking Hani Rashid the UT,UTM, or OTE photographs, military surveillance photographs and it sounds kind Asymptote, as you Heard, is a firm that I run of strange but we actually found military with my partner Lisa Anne Couture in New surveillance photographs of Copenhagen York. We have been involved in many and decided to use those as kind of a different kinds of projects over the years, premise for urban filling r for urban design since we started. I though what I would and architectural strategies for the city. This speak about here would be seven points of is one of the drawing that we produced, and what, maybe from the Asymptote point of the drawings were produced in a kind of view, might be a way for architects to automatic fashion. They were done really by reconsider urban space as a place of sort of link down in a kind of digital graffiti deployment. This sort of blur between art, maybe a sort of system of designs or architecture and urbanism is something that operations and then filtering those we are extremely interested in. Although we operations spatially to in fact create a kind of do see ourselves predominantly as a really urban structure. architects, and by that I mean that we sort of have to engage the public ground, there is a This was over the Canals I’m just going to kind of social contract. We have to meet show a few of the images, not the whole client and city needs but at the same time, Project but this is a kind of way to start to try to maintain a certain level of critical map on to the canal, onto the voids of the Outlook and behavior that may sometimes city and into the city. A kind of lacing tectonic seem subversive, but in fact we have to find graphic work, that could then reveal itself as, a way to actually build. in this case, a propose for a new kind of urban park in Copenhagen. One that would in fact cover all the Canals with this kind rest