Abstract

Re-imagining Citizenship:
In collaboration with members of the Politicized Practice / Anarchism / Theatre Activism Research groups based at Loughborough University, Phil Eastwood and Chloë Twells were invited to contribute to a publication, on-line living archive, interactive installation and travelling exhibition. Re-imaging Citizenship was initially staged / exhibited at the University of Loughborough, in March 2019. It was subsequently re-exhibited in the Palazzo Mora at the European Cultural Centre, Venice. Re-imaging Citizenship forms part of the prestigious 2019 Venice Biennale and is open to the public from 11th May to 24th November.

Re-imaging Citizenship explores the changing nature of citizenship in the C21st. The theme is a direct response to increasing nationalist sentiment, BREXIT and other issues surrounding global, national and individual identity.

The interactive nature of the project calls upon the public to re-imagine, participate and respond to a series of creative and provocative briefs. These have been carefully designed to develop and share new, creative approaches to the concept of citizenship and identity. The project invites collective redefinitions of citizenship that are not prescribed or closed down by the language of the media, but opened up by artistic methods. The Activity Book contains instructions to readers for sending appropriate text-based, visual or sonic responses in any media.

Citizens of Nowhere:
Phil Eastwood and Chloe Twells’ contribution to the Re-imaging Citizenship activities consists of a project titled: Citizens of Nowhere. This has been developed from ongoing research activities focused on the analysis of the broader area of politicized aesthetics – more specifically, the classification of a distinct Aesthetics of Protest, Politics and Propaganda.

Guest lectures, exhibitions, publications and workshops exploring politicized aesthetics in a range of contexts and across continents have been a feature of Phil Eastwood’s research activities since 2008. The Citizens of Nowhere project draws together elements of Eastwood’s other various interrelated research and practice activities, that have taken place in Cyprus, France, Germany, Holland and the UK.

Citizens of Nowhere invites the viewer to consider “What is at stake in re-imagining new forms of citizenship and modes of civic participation? How can the notion of citizenship – in our trans/post-national society – be reconfigured without subjection? How can it help us to transform our practices, behaviors and environments?” http://re-imagining.org

Background Information:
“The Re-imagining Citizenship Activity Book is a collaborative risograph publication printed by Footprint Coo-operative in Leeds. Thirty contributors devised a range of different activities, inviting readers to respond creatively to sets of instructions - using text, video, sound or graphics, and upload them to the online Living Archive Portal at http://www.re-imagining.org. Contributors to the Re-imagining Citizenship Activity Book will run a series of related workshops throughout the exhibition period at the European Cultural Centre in Venice.” Dr Gillian Whiteley

“The Re-imagining Citizenship Activity Book/Re-imagining Citizenship Living Archive forms part of an ongoing dialogue around themes related to art and political activism. Since 2014, artists, researchers and research groups have organised events, installations, performances and participatory activities to explore the potential for art practices to re-imagine citizenship. These most recently culminated in a series of activities during the initial Brexit ‘deadline’ of March 29th 2019.” Dr Gillian Whiteley