Think Public Space
(Dutch version below)
Think Public Space is a podcast platform exploring the relationship between art, architecture, and public space through sound, voice, and situated experiences.
The first series, Think Tank: Experiencing Art in Public Space (Season 1, in English), grew out of a series of in-situ workshops across Belgium, bringing together students, architects, artists, and researchers to collectively reflect on how artistic processes and public space shape one another.
The podcast has since evolved into new formats. With the series Luisteren naar Gebouwen (Listening to Buildings) (Season 2, in Dutch), the focus shifts towards architectural narratives, exploring buildings through sound, memory, and lived experience.
Credits
Season 1: Think Tank: Experiencing Art in Public Space
Concept, production and editing: Angelique Campens
Coaching & sound: Raf Enckels (Herculeslab);
Soundwork & mixing: Melissa Ryke;
Opening and closing theme Glenn Miller "String of pearls";
Visuals: design by Veronika Akopyan and photography by Michiel Devijver; Production: Angelique Campens;
Coproduction: Nomadic School of Arts; With the support of: KASK School of Arts, Europe NextGenerationEU, Nomadic School of Arts.
Season 2: Luisteren naar Gebouwen (Listening to Buildings)
A podcast series by Angelique Campens and Raf Enckels
Production: Beeldend vzw
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(nl)
Think Public Space is een podcastplatform dat de relatie tussen kunst, architectuur en de openbare ruimte onderzoekt via geluid, stem en ervaringen ter plaatse.
De eerste reeks, Think Tank: Experiencing Art in Public Space (seizoen 1, in het Engels), ontstond uit een reeks workshops op locatie in heel België, waarbij studenten, architecten, kunstenaars en onderzoekers samenkwamen om na te denken over hoe artistieke processen en de openbare ruimte elkaar vormgeven.
De podcast evolueerde sindsdien naar nieuwe formats. Met de reeks Luisteren naar Gebouwen (seizoen 2, in het Nederlands), een podcastreeks van Angelique Campens en Raf Enckels, verschuift de aandacht naar architecturale verhalen, gebouwen verkend via geluid, herinnering en geleefde ervaring.
Think Public Space
Episode 6: The sociologist, social housing and public space
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
We start to become familiar with this place as we go again to the outskirts of Antwerp and we explore the integration of art in social housing and public spaces, drawing inspiration from the works of architect Renaat Braem's units at Kiel. These high-rise blocks were built between 1949-1958 in Kiel. It was Braem’s first project where he integrated painting, murals, and sculpture, and shows the importance of the synthesis of the arts.
Once again, we are at the community centre ‘Nova’, encountering the kindness of its volunteers and residents. After a chat with some of them, we meet our final guest: professor Pascal Gielen, a well-known figure in this field, who works extensively on networks, community arts, commoning, and arts in public space. As we touch upon many different topics, talking with Pascal feels like a trip in itself: we don’t focus specifically on arts in public space, but rather on the broader sense of arts for the community. Pascal shows us that culture has a measurable impact on people’s health, social cohesion, cognition, and the economy, among other things. It supports people in meaning-making and building a shared, symbolic common ground.
But it can also disrupt the ground under someone’s feet, unexpectedly changing one’s personal life and perception. Perhaps we are already unconsciously aware of that, but this information makes us look at the artist’ profession in another light - one of choice, responsibility, and politics, ultimately. If we need a sensory common ground for a political community, then let the artists shape our spaces!
Concept, realisation and editing: Angelique Campens
Coaching & sound: Raf Enckels (Herculeslab)
Soundwork & mixing: Melissa Ryke
Opening and closing theme Glenn Miller "String of pearls"
Visuals: design by Veronika Akopyan and photography by Michiel Devijver
Production: Angelique Campens
Text assistance: Zoë Brennan, Davide Musco
Project participants: Veronika Akopyan, Zoë Brennan, Luna Van Bellingen, Menno Eggink, Milan George, Davide Musco, Jose Zapata Usma, Aagje Vandriessche, Baue Vercammen, Delphine Vo and Hilke Walraven
Coproduction: Nomadic School of Arts
With the support of: KASK School of Arts, Europe NextGenerationEU, Nomadic School of Arts