Pictures taken on the last day of our exhibition show the walls of the space for Please Participate filled with Declaration articles written out by visitors.
The comments book also received some encouraging and inspiring words.
Thank you to all who made this a rewarding show to be part of.
I’m really excited by the numbers of people who have written on the walls since the IMMIX exhibition opened on wednesday.
On its first outing in a public place, Please Participate is part of the IMMIX group exhibition at The Parlour Showrooms on Park Street until Thursday 11th October.
Open 10.30 until 5pm every day.
Please Participate has a small room with whiteboards for people to write on. This makes the work temporary, and performative, since the only record will be the photographs I take.
If you’re in Bristol, drop by, take a look, and participate!
I am an artist, about to graduate from UWE (University of the West of England), in Bristol. Please Partcipate is a project inspired by my participation in artist Monica Ross’s Anniversary – An Act of Memory: Act 40, in February this year at the Arnolfini.
Please Participate takes the form of a desk / table, placed in a public space, offering the opportunity to read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and “Write out the article that means most to you”, on one of the blank postcards supplied.
So far 50 or so people have taken part, many writing comments that reflect my own experience back in February this year: although I am aware of the United Nations, and ‘Human Rights’ as a concept, I could not have articulated that there is a document setting out these rights, that most / all? countries have supposedly signed up to this.
Part of the Declaration hopes that “every individual and every organ of society, keeping this declaration in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms…”.
So far this project has taken been place in two locations on the UWE Bower Ashton campus in Bristol
My hope is to take this to other locations and communities in Bristol and beyond.
If you or your organisation is interested in hosting this project for a week or two (or more) please do get in touch.
I am looking forward to seeing this work evolve, and interest those who come into contact with it.
Rachel Beard
pleaseparticipate 