Tiza (Lima) and Memory of Future

Tiza (Lima)
Page 100

Who: performance artists Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla

Where: public squares of Lima, Paris, and New York

When: 1998 ­– 2006

What: Allora and Calzadilla placed twelve five-foot columns of chalk in public squares.
    They then invited people to use these pieces of chalk to express themselves by
    writing messages on the ground, doodling, etc. This turns the chalk that would
    have otherwise deteriorated naturally into a fleeting opportunity for expression.
   
Why: The messages varied based on location. In Lima specifically, the chalk was
    placed in front of government buildings whereby participants could write
    critiques on the state manifesting a peaceful protest. Military officers
    would eventually come and confiscate the chalk and wash away
    any political statements made using the chalk.


Memory of Future
Page 220

Who: Japanese artist Michihiro Shimabuku
Where: Iwakura, Japan

When: 1996

What: Shimabuku filled an empty plaza with a variety of props that seem out of place
    to purposefully provoke passerby to stop, enter the space, and reflect on their
    relationship with the city. In addition, Shimabuku also does a number of
    odd street performances in public passageways like shaving off a single
    eyebrow and then conversing with shocked and surprised witnesses.
   
Why: Shimabuku’s goal is to activate the underused communal spaces of Japan.
    By engaging the public directly in creative, interactive situations, Shimabuku
    forces the public to reconnect with their familiar surroundings and participate
    in new exchanges. He draws attention from Iwakura’s citizens and wants them
    to consider new ways of activating these spaces that largely go unused.

Compare/Contrast
Similarities: Both projects involve public interaction. They are participatory projects.
    They involve the use of objects that are out of their element: papier
    mache bird heads and a pineapple for Shimabuku and big five foot
    pieces of chalk for Allora and Calzadilla to provoke public curiousity.

Differences: The objects used are entirely different. Chalk in Tiza (Lima) allowed for
    actual expression, while Shimabuku’s props simply provoked curiousity.
    Their goals were also different entirely. Tiza (Lima) was more politically
    charged (peaceful protesting), while Memory of Future was more
    about improving society by activating unused spaces.