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Funded by: Research England
Team: Paul Chamberlain
To maximise the limited opportunities for people to engage with public cultural events during the pandemic, an alternative exhibition entitled Open Space was organised by the European Cultural Centre utilising the public parks in Venice as a venue for artistic contribution. Paul Chamberlain was invited to participate in the exhibition.
In response to the change in environment and shift in social protocols as a result of the pandemic, he created new work entitled ‘The Rest of your Life’ for inclusion in the exhibition at the Giardini della Marinaressa, Venice .
‘Rest of Your Life’ reinterprets the humble bench, a symbol of shared space in response to the unprecedented times of the pandemic. The installation offers an egalitarian public resource, a sense of placemaking, opportunity to connect with communities, and combat to isolation and loneliness. The work interprets the commemorative nature of the ‘bench’ as a memorial object, capturing this moment in time. Inclusivity is characterised by the archetypal walking stick whilst its materiality (bronze) possesses antimicrobial properties, pertinent to new social conventions. The two seats are position in compliance to the 2 metre social distance rule.
