wE

can xalant

a77/

gustavo diguez & lucas gilardi

wE
can xalant

Para una poltica de constelaciones temporarias

a77- Gustavo Diguez & Lucas Gilardi

we can xalant

Construcciones mviles para acciones efmeras en el espacio pblico

Matar. Barcelona. 2008/ 2009

Can Xalant, Centro de Creacin y Pensamiento Contemporneo de Matar, es un centro de residencia, experimentacin y produccin artstica en Catalunya que ha caracterizado su tarea, entre otros objetivos, a partir de la observacin crtica del territorio, el cruce interdisciplinario y la formacin de redes con instituciones de otros puntos del mundo. En 2006 invit al artista japons Tadashi Kawamata para emplazar en su jardn una de sus reconocidas construcciones conocida como Xiringuito Matar. En poco tiempo el artefacto tom un fuerte carcter de identidad para con el sitio y se convirti en un cono de la institucin.

Tras el lamentable incendio de la emblemtica instalacin a mediados de 2008, Can Xalant convoc a a77 para construir una nueva estructura que recupere el rol de ese espacio, normalmente destinado a una numerosa cantidad de actividades adems de ser el habitual escenario para la jornada de Puertas Abiertas Efmer Club- que se realiza todos los aos en el mes de julio como cierre del ciclo junto a diferentes espectculos multimedia y musicales.

We Can Xalant es una hiptesis acerca de las dimensiones de la visibilidad. Consiste en la puesta en evidencia de una constelacin de recursos y personas que forman parte de un mismo ambiente en la sospecha de que su proximidad esconde configuraciones relacionales, afinidades latentes y proyecciones objetivas. El desarrollo del trabajo toma alcance a travs de tres vas constructivas: 1-La va material basada en la recuperacin de los materiales rescatados del incendio de la instalacin construida por Tadashi Kawamata, la procura y rescate de insumos desechados en los centros de reciclaje desde el procedimiento ms econmico posible y ms cercano al lugar de trabajo. Se obtuvo el apoyo de la empresa de gestin de residuos de la ciudad para la provisin de insumos para la construccin. Se contact adems con campings de las cercanas para obtener caravanas en desuso. Luego se convoc a un Laboratorio de arquitecturas nmadas y autoconstruccin. Durante una semana se desarroll la construccin colectiva del sistema que finalmente consisti en la puesta a punto de la estructura y el acondicionamiento de las dos caravanas: una para integrarse a la estructura en altura como sala de usos mltiples para Can Xalant con vistas al Mediterrneo y otra como mdulo mvil para actividades artsticas y sociales en el espacio pblico. La rampa utilizada como elemento de ascenso de la caravana se transform una vez cumplida su misin en un jardn inclinado. 2-La va social basada en la identificacin, valoracin de esfuerzos y modos de proceder de actores cercanos e inmediatos que deriva en la construccin de una red de individuos y grupos que define los programas de accin y los pone en marcha. Reuniones sucesivas con la Asociacin de Vecinos del barrio permitieron que ellos tomen tambin participacin de las acciones futuras del mdulo nmade llamado CX-R, que se inaugur finalmente en el espacio pblico a travs de un evento colectivo en el que ellos aportaron sus actividades culturales habituales fusionndose con las propuestas de los artistas residentes de Can Xalant. Al da siguiente tuvo su inauguracin el sistema completo en el jardn de Can Xalant como escenario del concierto anual organizado por el Efmer Club con bandas de diferentes pases. 3-En medio de ambos existe la va temporal: una apuesta a la construccin colectiva del tiempo. Una tctica de lo efmero o poltica del instante. La agenda de actividades comenz a nutrirse con propuestas que diferentes artistas encuentran para futuras acciones. Diferentes proyectos artsticos y sociales ya han confirmado la utilizacin del CX-R. La habitual concepcin de la institucin perfila, modela y establece identidades. El establecimiento, la habitacin o generacin de hbito supone un estatuto del tiempo. Pero cunto tiempo podemos soportar lo efmero?

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Mobile constructions for ephemeral actions in public spaces

Can Xalant, Centre for the Creation of Visual Arts and Contemporary Thought in Matar, is a residency for artistic experimentation and production in Catalonia, Spain. Three of the centres primary tasks include a critical observation of its territory, interdisciplinary cross ventures and creating networks with institutions in other parts of the world. In 2006 Can Xalant invited the Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata to place in its courtyard one of his well known installation pieces Xiringuito Matar. In no time the centres community identified deeply with the piece and it became an icon of the institution. After a fire destroyed the piece in mid 2008, Can Xalant contacted a77, an innovative architecture firm from Buenos Aires, Argentina, about building a new structure in its place. The centres courtyard is the stage for an important number of activities throughout the year, as well as the setting for the annual Ephemeral Club-Open Doors event held in July to commemorate the closing of each cycle with different musical and multimedia performances. Can Xalant chose a77 after learning about the firms work with creating nomad structures. The centre wanted to take its artistic projects and socio-cultural initiatives into public spaces to reach a greater public beyond the physical setting of the cultural centre. a77s response included, not only the proposed reconfiguration of the centrepiece of Can Xalants courtyard, but also the construction of additional, mobile units. a77s mobile units would allow Can Xalants to move into a public space, formulating a new complimentary concept to its project Open Doors. Team members of I+D+i, , part of Trnsit Projectes, suggested incorporating the program Activa Disonancias in Catalonia; and after an open selection process through an international call for applications, Pau Faus, a Catalan architect, was invited to participate in creating the new structure for Can Xalants courtyard. And so a collaborative effort was born between A77s team from Argentina and Pau Faus, a member of the collective movement Osservatorio Nomade Barcelona and recently published author of La ciudad Jubilada, about the informal gardens along the rivers of Barcelona. The constructionunderstood in this project as an exercise in social visibilitycan be defined as a multifaceted task. On one hand, there was the physical material manifestation of the project. On the other, a social network was defined for both the task of producing the structure and for carrying out future applications of the structure and mobile units. In this spirit, a series of programs for the community of Matar was designed, specifically with themes relating to childhood with a focus on children in the local community. Salonnires, a group of local artists, led a three-week workshop with children from the Obert Center, located in the same neighborhood, to discover and imagine with the participants the potential uses of the objects a77 and Pau Faus were to build. The project team would face the challenge of exploring new strategies in analysis and intervention; applying dynamics of collaborative efforts; develop new thoughts on mobile and flexible architectural structures for cultural uses. We Can Xalant is a hypothesis about the dimensions of visibility. It consists of putting into evidence a constellation of resources and people belonging to the same environment on the suspicion that their proximity hides relational configurations, latent affinities and objective projections. The proposed objective of the project required an intensive task of communication to produce the interaction of the various players all in proximity and a blog was created (www. wecanxalant.blogspot.com) as a tool for communication as well as a collective work platform in a transformation effort.

An ongoing effort, the projects work continues to develop along three lines: 1.) In terms of materials, the first objective was the recovery of materials salvaged from the fire that destroyed Tadashi Kawamatas installation as well as locating and recovering discarded supplies for two simple reasons: physical proximity to the site and inexpensive costs. A local waste management company gave its support to the project by giving the project team access to salvaged supplies and materials at its recycling centre. Nearby campsites were contacted about campers in disuse and three units were acquired. Then a laboratory of nomadic and self-built architecture was convened. Over a week period, the collective construction was undertaken. The underlying structure of Kawamatas piece was recovered and conditioned; while two of the campers were remodelled, using parts from a third. One of the campers was integrated into the existing structure at its highest point, creating a multipurpose room, overlooking the Mediterranean. The second one was used to create a mobile module for artistic and social activities in public spaces. The ramp, built to raise one of the campers into the structure, was then transformed into a sloping garden after it served its initial purpose. 2.) In terms of the social element of the construction, it is based on the identification, assessment of efforts and definition of ways to proceed by the players most closely involved in the project. This process has resulted in the construction of a network of individuals and groups to define lines of action and put them into effect. Numerous meetings with a local association of neighbours also made it possible for members of the community to become involved in future activities involving the nomadic moduleCX-R. The unit was inaugurated in a public space during an event during which the neighbors brought their cultural activities and merged them with the proposals of the resident artists of Can Xalant. The following day, the entire installation was inaugurated in the garden as the stage for Can Xalants annual concert organized by the Club Ephemeral with music bands from different countries. 3.) In the middle of these two lines exists a third; a temporary element. It is a wager on the collective construction of time: an attempt to capture the ephemeral or fleeting politics of the moment. The list of activities programmed for We Can Xalants fixed and mobile structures has begun to feed on different proposals presented by artists for future events. Different social and artistic projects are reserving the CX-R for upcoming events. The typical institutional constraints mark, shape and establish identities, however a physical place, room or the creation of a habitat is a statute of time. But how long can we withstand the ephemeral? The question has been a driving force behind the projects work. In the face of an uncertain response, it may be preferable to focus on the idea associated with the name from which the project originated. We can has been a widespread political campaign slogan in recent times. Can means house and Xalant fun in Catalan. We Can Xalant fuses the projects name and concept into an implicit response. Indeed, everyone enjoyed themselves and had fun, and that in itself is enough.
We Can Xalant Concept: a77 (Gustavo Dieguez & Lucas Gilardi) Design and construction: a77 + Pau Faus Client: Can Xalant, Centro de Creacin y Pensamiento Contemporneo de Matar. Cultural Management: Trnsit Projectes (I+D+ i) Institutional Platform: Disonancias Activa (Catalonia), a collaborative innovation between artists and companies. Nomadic laboratory and self architectures. Participants: Roser Caminal, Merc Jara Muns, Mauro Giovannini, Mariana Lopez, Joan Navarro, Celia Prats, Ivan Riba, Meritxell Romanos, Xavier Rodriguez, Bernat Sancho, Sandra Srrias, Esther G. Mecas, Ral Roncero, Patricia Ward, Martha Xibill. Location: Matar. Barcelona Year: 2009 Photos: Susana Muns, Pau Faus, Angel Escalera a77: www.plugandlivesystem.blogspot.com

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Concepto: a77 (Gustavo Dieguez & Lucas Gilardi) Proyecto y construccin: a77 + Pau Faus Comitente: Can Xalant. Centre de Creaci i Pensament Contemporani de Matar. Gestin Cultural: Trnsit Projectes (I+D+i) Plataforma Institucional: Disonancias Activa (Catalunya). Innovacin colaborativa entre artistas y empresas. Laboratorio de arquitecturas nmadas y autoconstruccin. Participantes: Roser Caminal, Merc Jara Muns, Mauro Giovannini, Mariana Lpez, Ester G. Mecas, Joan Navarro, Clia Prats, Ivan Riba, Meritxell Romanos, Xavier Rodrguez, Ral Roncero, Bernat Sancho, Sandra Srrias, Patricia Ward, Marta Xibill. Fotografas: Susana Muns, Pau Faus, Angel Escalera