I have a long-standing interest in public space, boundaries and how people interact with and make their mark on the spaces they use or inhabit. Personal anecdotes drawn from conversations have been the initial source of much of my past work in a public art context.
The 2017 series Props for Social Spaces, focuses on how we as individuals interact in public situations and social spaces, and explores our occasional unease with them. It is a collection of wearable objects designed with the aim of assisting the wearer to overcome a specific mental or physical barrier that they encounter in such spaces. The purpose is to help the wearer to define or claim space as a means of feeling more at ease. Something to Talk About remedies the awkward moment when conversation between acquaintances dries up, while Bench Guard helps the user to define their personal territory when occupying a park bench.
Image: Gathering Apron, from the series Props for Social Spaces, 2017