21.05.–22.05.2005
Project in public space
Location:
Priesterhausgasse (Corner of Richard-Mayr-Gasse)
Friday, 20th and Saturday, 21st May 2005
from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nowadays, empty business premises are a phenomenon of almost all European towns and cities. This is not, however, such a great problem for Salzburg, compared to towns such as those in former East Germany. The vacant premises in Salzburg’s old city centre are mainly due to the closure or the migration of traditional commerce to the outskirts, be it directly or indirectly as a suppression through other large chain stores. A further phenomenon is the consistent change of occupancy of these empty locations Both phenomena are the starting point for the artist duo transparadiso (Barbara Holub/Paul Rajakovics) who have been commissioned by INITIATIVE ARCHITEKTUR salzburg for the Intervention wishing released, which is to take place as part of the series of events of Trichtlinnburg on Friday, 20th May and Saturday, 21st May 2005 from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. in and in front of the empty business premises in the Priesterhausgasse in Salzburg.
The subject of the intervention wishing released concerns the emotional occupation of free space and the empty premises of Salzburg’s city centre in the form of the public statement of ”Wishes“. The artist duo aim to encourage the city’s residents and tourists to express their feelings about what should happen to one of the empty business premises. In contrast to the spasmodic ”reanimation models“ of the empty city structures, these empty places in an urban space can be read as being ”wish potentials“ and through this provide the chance for an enrichment of the inner city structure, not just through capital but also through creativity. The empty business premises which, provide the location for the action and the other empty shops in the old city will be plastered with posters. The posters are at the same time a part of a three-week-campaign as the front piece of wishing released, whereby passers-by can even write down their direct reactions and wishes on the posters.
There are also smaller empty areas such as the showcases in the pedestrian underpasses and in the Mönchsberg tunnel where the poster action will be also implemented. During both intervention days of wishing released an indicator-mobile, conceived by transparadiso (Barbara Holub/Paul Rajakovics), will be parked in front of the empty business premises and will thus occupy the public space representative of the private areas, which have been ”cropped“. It will serve as an information point, temporary radio transmission station, mobile cinema and bar. Anybody interested in the intervention can submit their wishes here, obtain further posters, be informed about the process of the intervention or can go on a virtual ”Wishes Tour“ through the old city of Salzburg via headphones and video screens.
transparadiso
transparadiso was initiated in 1999 by the architect and urbanist Paul Rajakovics (A) and the artist Barbara Holub (A) as a platform for purposeful and uncalculated incidents occurring between art, architecture and urbanism with regular trips to border areas. It should facilitate networks of content, which extend beyond thinking in disciplines and be the base for unconventional partnerships with other visions.
www.transparadiso.com