Page 47 - Studio International - January 1972

From an interview in Unit, Keele University prohibitive. The Place offers him forms which passive space which is negative induces passive
Magazine, November 1968 he can arrange. He enters as a passive spectator, attitudes deadens the senses
becomes a freeman.
There is something about making a work public, This freedom is a healthy alternative to active space liberates the senses
in a park or a city centre. People, confronted by current assumptions that the only freedom is in
this, will, we hope, come to grips with them- libidinal revolt. one of man's biological functions is the capacity
selves more readily, become aware of themselves. By Raymond Durgnat to experience space by exploring it through the
It's the need to communicate, which at present use of his senses
is being ignored by both artists and urban active space gives us the possibility to develop
planners. In these exhibitions we were at, and Stedelijk Museum Catalogue, September 1967 this capacity
in the workshop, people would suddenly open we work with colour line plane light and sound
up, their minds working on a different level. to make space live it is to make places for people with people
This is the most exciting thing of all, peoples' places where all our senses can function
responses, their ways of moving, their behaviour to demonstrate the nature of space we start with
to each other. The function of art has, we think, three directions of space in space passive space is negative
always been to tell the truth about something, it induces passive attitudes which deaden
in such a way as to stimulate peoples' our use of colour line and plane is related to sensitivity
consciousness — to make people conscious of human proportion size and movement — through alienating man from man and man from his
themselves. experiment we are discovering these elements nature
To ask how this can be achieved in the urban which are economical to define space in which
environment is asking a question that's not for man can be passive space is destructive
us to answer. This is not why we're doing what
we're doing. We don't work in terms of 'how can if man continues to live in dead spaces his
I do it ?' and then sit down and think of a way; we hope to show the possibilities of spaceplaces ability to be aware of space becomes blunted
rather, our work is part of the way we live, what by putting up structures in exhibition galleries —
we are. Work is based on the senses of seeing for us the real development will be when we active space means to explore the capacity of our
and feeling and sound, and to allow these things construct outside the imposed limits of existing senses
to operate you've just got to get on in oneself. We buildings in festivals — city squares — parks —
can only say that we're stimulating an awareness areas vacant between demolition and rebuilding a place for people — an active space relates for
of ourselves, and hoping to affect others by this. — playgrounds places for people where they can people
We rely on what people have in common, and meet — look — feel — move — listen — laugh — cry —
obviously use ourselves while we're working, as sing — dance — love — relax — protest — be live in movement live in feeling
`people'. But if people don't respond generally live in colour live in seeing
in the way we assume, we're wrong somewhere. exploiters stuffing substitutes pollute our senses live in change live in growth
Then we have this new response to incorporate live in fun live in sense
within our next project. This is why people's imposed on us live in love live in positive
reactions are so important to us. live in hearing live in direction
befuddled officials oppose change not giving live in real live in awareness
people the opportunity to construct facilities live in rest live in physical
Colourspace Structure /Spaceplace No 5 capable of extending their potential live in sound live in extension
No associations, no references, no symbols or live in action live in social
signs for /to things experienced — only colour- imposed on us live in light live in sight
space and other people — damn their clothes.
dehumanizing our environment by surrounding active space can only be made if the prime
In this Spaceplace reactions showed positively us with uglies accident mess chaos visual stink — concern is space itself
that people can become aware that they are leading us to total passivity
part of other people — what they have in active space implies relationships beyond those
common is stimulated, once realized can be imposed on us physically stated suggesting the extension of
shared. A collective experience is a shared space in space
experience-is communication. buildings which separate inside from outside —
by moving you effect the space and the space
imposing artificial separation on our nature
Directions for the future — to consolidate, evolve, effects you — developing your understanding of
develop a real foundation of artistic quality of imposed on us the nature of space
statement.
by providing us with continuous changing
imposing artificial even designed the result is
spatial relationships active space invites
From a review in International Times December passive space is blunted senses
participation
1966
The Space-Place is created from horizontal and imposed on us
exhibition — putting experiments to test
vertical rods and planes of colour, with taped
music. As the spectator walks, sits, thinks, in it, monumental shelters enclosing enclosing people
the forms and sounds gently ease his perceptions
which are unconsciously braced against the imposed on us
muddle, fuss and chaos of our everyday
environment. It imposes nothing on him, no artificial imposition
clutching hands. art official imposition
For, perhaps, the first time in his life, he
encounters an orderliness which is not imposed on us