The Old Police Station Proposal!

Having discussed with Toni at great depth, and tried to filter our ideas together, here is our final proposal - which has now been accepted :) woo! Now just to fine tune!

The Park Bench Project

Description of work

An alternative walking route around Deptford taking into account public benches. An adaption of Sean Patterson’s “District 45- Travel back in time to London’s Deptford 100 years ago” walking route (See email correspondence). We will create documentation about the benches and the performative walk, ideally a book, outlining the route. The route will be interjected with short performances discussing public spaces, and their relevance to the local area, alongside more general thoughts and critical viewpoints on the notion of public space. These performances will be located at specifically selected sites with public benches, for our audience’s comfort. The booklet will assume more significance as a piece in it’s own right after the opening performance. 

Site

The book(s) will be located in the bar/communal area. We will advertise the performative walk in the entrance hallway and the toilets (If possible alongside other works).

The performative walk will begin and end at the Old Police Station, however the majority of the route will be around the local area (within 1 mile).

Equipment

Materials for book and advertisement. 

Possibility of spot lights/ torches to aid performance.

Reasoning/ rational of the work proposed

We are particularly concerned with the local area and public spaces. Thinking critically about these, and the manner in which people respond to them- especially in light of the decreasing number of such spaces in London. We’d like to assess this through completing a walk similar to that a tourist might take, as we did, considered from a more conceptual angle- using public benches as our point of interest. 

We intend to reflect on these benches both within the performance, and before. In a similar method to the colour coding implemented by Charles Booth (as cited in Sean Patterson’s walk) in relation to housing, we intend to rate the benches through Deptford from our own experience. Following the walk these opinions will be open to discussion.

Research and influences

Completed Sean Patterson’s walk around Deptford, and spoken to local people. The information provided with this walk was of great local historical interest.

Emailed Sean Patterson requesting a meeting.

London Orbital - Iain Sinclair

City of Quartz - Mike Davis

Dan Graham

Ed Ruscha

Installation and timetable

Revisitation of the area and planning of route- in particular choosing benches. 

Preparation of performance script, book and ‘advertisements’. 

Testing of any lighting equipment if used.

Promote the opening of the exhibition to the general public.

Limitations

Weather

Enthusiasm and ability of audience to participate in walk.

Timings

Other information

Highlight Potential Health and safety issues whilst on the performative walk. These such as watch for traffic when crossing roads and to look after personal valuables.

Sean Patterson’s “District 45- Travel back in time to London’s Deptford 100 years ago”

Previously sited Bench spots on our first visit 29.1.13

(included were some photographs that I cant get hold of now...)