Collecting Impressions Jodi Waynberg
“What if one would view the part of an artist’s practice that is made public, whether in the form of an object, a performance, a text, a talk or conversation or an articulation of a position, as consisting of moments of communication?”
Falke Pisano1
Liene Bosquê’s Collecting Impressions is a psychological score written in blocks of clay, composed of trace architectural details and the remnant gestures of human presence expressed in the muted impressions of finger and palm prints; the delicate communication of impact and influence between constructed space and those who inhabit it. Through both presence and absence, Bosquê illustrates the reflexive impressions left by people and place through the occupation of sites across time. Presented in collaboration with Peekskill Project 6 in Peekskill, New York, the project is an extension of work that began 2009 (originally under the moniker City Souvenirs2). Combining public performance (walks) and the exhibition of clay architectural impressions taken by walk participants, Bosquê’s work merges public engagement and installation to reflect on the complex relationship between shared cultural histories, the impact of renewed urban landscapes, and the community of residents and visitors that it serves. The project initiates a tangible connection between audience and site, as individuals walk together in search of details that visually and culturally define a city’s historical significance — on one side of the imprint, a sharp record of the built environment and, on the other, the subtle marks of the individual’s hand. For Bosquê, this new phase of the project acts as a bridge between New York City and Peekskill, between constant redevelopment and recent urbanization. The installation includes an interactive display showcasing porcelain pieces made in spring 2015 during three Lower East Side-based walks, in addition to video documentation, alongside impressions taken during two walks through Peekskill’s waterfront and town center. While this exhibition represents only a small fraction of the total archive that Bosquê has created over six years and nearly two dozen walks, the juxtaposition of the Lower East Side and Peekskill embodies an issue of particular importance throughout the United States today, namely the redevelopment and revitalization of urban and urbanized cities. The Lower East Side is an oft-cited example of the ways in which political will and influence both demand and stunt redevelopment. For nearly a half century, 1.9 million square feet of (mostly) undeveloped land, referred to as Seward Park Urban Redevelopment Area (SPURA), became a battleground between cultural groups and majority parties. It was not until 2014 that city planners and community members could come to a consensus and a redevelopment plan was approved, with the first building scheduled to open in 2018. Over the course of three walks, Bosquê led participants through SPURA and beyond, investigating the multiple histories of the neighborhood including the diverse cultural heritage created by immigrant populations in the mid 19th century, sites critical to the legacy of artistic experimentation of the mid 20th century and, finally, an experimental walk through empty spaces of impending change.
City Souvenirs. Walk 2 LES, 2015. 20