Vivian Wenli Lin
Utrechtsedwarsstraat 134
1017 WK, Amsterdam
The Netherlands
+31(0)618904325

 

Blog Archive

June 3: Meeting
May 29: Inspiration
May 28: Kip Capsule Caravan
May 27: Blank Slate
May 1: Cameramics Performance
Apr. 22: Brainstorm - museum
Apr. 16: Favoriete Boek Hoek
Apr. 8: Library Notes
Mar. 27: Vergeten Eten
Mar. 22: Practice Recipe
Mar. 18: Team Planning
Mar. 13: Ideas with Archive
Feb. 28: Videos
Feb. 26: Skype
Feb. 21: Vergeet Me Niet
Feb. 20: Workshop
Feb. 19: Workshop
Feb. 14: Archive Visit
Feb. 12: Meeting
Feb. 5: Links
Feb. 4: Ranti and Eric
Jan. 29: Meeting Notes
Jan. 24: Field Work
Jan. 23: Interviews
Jan. 22: Gouda Walk
Jan. 22: Meeting Notes
Jan. 21: Ideal Idea
Jan. 20: Wild Ideas

Vivian Wenli Lin
Patching Zone - Cultuur Lokaal

Project Blog

June 3, 2008
Meeting
Problems to work out:
Electricity points, generator, asking people to give us electricity
Content issue - do the green screen portraits and then mix at the end.
Transfer of intimacy and trust
How to expose it later on - don't embarrass them
Think in respectful way
Inform them about what is happening
Logistics: how to arrange music, bar (external caterers), should we still arrange for collaboration for night event.
1. park the caravan at the archive and do test interviews on thursday june 26th
* this test is with the buiten spelen group and we will be doing the video/tech support for them while they do the interviewing. after that we do a small video portrait of them. in the mobile studio.
2. saturday 28th - we start at the archive, then drive to few locations in gouda
3. we will be collecting "video portraits" in the mobile studio during the day. inviting people in and doing spontaneous type things.
4. have a evening presentation night screening on the markt with this mashup of footage

Ideas: talent show, ending screening, fog machine, attached to caravan, screen that comes out on top of roof, fat boys, white carpets, 5 minutes of fame - 4 sessions in one hour
start at 13.30 end around 18h. have 3 directors on the sofa to be starred, talent show, ice cream van, have strange flyers, smart english/dutch text, generate audience, local newspapers - radio and tv, make a commercial, give them a plan, live stream, report, include music video, tv broadcast saturday? live stream?

some names: Vantasy, Caravantasy, Fun To See, Mystery Machine, Gouda Back Stage, Groene Kamer, the Green Room, homecoming, Gouda Capsule, Mobile Home, CuLo capsule, recording capsule, studio caravan, studio-to-go, SAY CHEESE!

Neighborhoods to visit
Korte Akkeren, Bloemendaal, Market Center

Think Wayne's World home studio

Blue screen!

May 29, 2008
Inspiration for the experience and feel for the mobile studio

Charles Atlas' Instant Fame
“Instant Fame” consisted of a series of real-time video portraits of performers and artists created live in the gallery space. It was originally installed at Participant, Inc. in New York (2003) and later remounted at the Vilma Gold Gallery in London (2006).

Charles Atlas and Antony and the Johnsons
In Turning, his recent partnership with celebrated singer Antony, he captured and processed images of thirteen “beauties” as they literally turned on a podium onstage, projecting their refashioned images onto a large screen. Atlas’ video intensified Antony’s intimate investigations of image, identity, and metamorphosis.
http://blog.art21.org/category/artists/charles-atlas/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-NziGE6DVY

Mobile studio
inspiration source for the mobile green studio is the magic carpet ride videos in sf or the star in your own music video at theme parks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzUg-u2aLLI

Other links:
Cargo Sofia-X
A theatre performance that's a truck ride through the city. The audience is driven and guided by two Bulgarian truck drivers. They drive to cargo points throughout the city, e.g. shipping companies, container harbours, markets, parking places. Specialists in the cargo business and a Bulgarian singer from each city participate in the show.

Biggest Drawing in the World
GPS Self-Portrait

KF Soup Line
Then, in June last year, he took a map of the British Isles and drew a line across it, so it cut through Belfast and Nottingham and ended up at Ipswich. Drummond's promotional flyers explain: "He made it known that anybody living on this Soup Line was welcome to invite him to their home to make soup for their family and friends. If asked why, Bill Drummond is likely to answer, 'Because it is a friendly thing to do.'"

May 28, 2008
KIP CAPSULE CARAVAN
More concrete idea
Mobile party caravan studio
Vj and dj. Invite into the caravan to "party"
Time capsule - travel into parallel dimension the Fantasy Gouda

To dos:
Commercials for public television and radio
Music video workshop

ending results of today's blank slate brainstorm.

rent/buy a kip caravan (250-300 euros).
create a mobile studio "party bus" complete with green screen.
park at the market.
invite people in.
drive to their favorite gouda location.
conduct an interview with the location as backdrop.
interview would be surreal but manipulated in a strange way with questions placed on cue cards that are read out loud and answered on the spot or interviewed - "if gouda had mountains, i would..." "my name is..." "if i was 20 years younger..."
live vj/image manipulation of the interview.
ending result is recorded.

make a postcard of this person with "fantasy gouda"city backdrop. have them available for pick up at the end screening?

final screening of interview mashup with music video. or performance with music and video of these interviews? if not that, then airing of compilation on public gouda television.

* to do:
send mirella high resolution images of city landscapes, i.e. swiss alps, australian outback, brazil beach, asian temple, etc...

* to think about:
commercial and radio announcements

a viral p.r. campaign
we are thinking of using these QR stamps to distribute around the city

May 27, 2008
Blank slate meeting
Wednesdays - less people, second hand crowd is younger
Saturdays - more diverse people, instant audience, complication - families go together in town. Famous cheese market on Sat., more parents with kids, entertaining the kids

Ideas utilizing the three directors:
Complaint booth, Advice booth
June 28th Saturday - ideal day for the last event

PR - who what where
Work with viral approach with PR, in addition to formal channels
Exciting to include the gossip, networks, how to work with other people - BAM, and tell them to mobilize in smart ways how to spread the word via other channels, think of strategies announcements, puzzling announcements - in newspapers, flyers, rumors, etc.
i.e. you tube viral video indiana jones lego
how do we announce ourselves

incorporating oral histories, inviting people to contribute, audio piece spread over the city, how to use mobile phones to appeal to youth, treasure hunt as the pr, using qt scans to get the message.

IDEA! use the qt and have people scan and they can get a song, hint, image.
Using buttons. send QR names.
Be creative and language and message. Poetry, strange text messages

QR Karaoke/Improv
Writing workshop with the kids to make rhymes. Have the rhymes being collected and then performed on the last day.
Using the map of Vergeet Me Niet - using the memories and have them placed in the locations. CIty as placeholder for different memories.

Mirella - using images of Gouda to manipulate and create an alternative gloval city of Gouda. Streaming of people talking. Live studio. Investigate live green screen.

Up to the event:
Treasure hunt - QR? web page? resource available
Making of video clip
Youth of Gouda - use them as experts, write phrases, cryptic text - use them for PR

Event ideas:
QR Karoaoke
VJ session
Open podium
Mad Libs/Ad Libs - ask questions with QR
Musicians in MC role

live gig, video premiere, vj/audio set
* references: Charles Atlas Instant Fame
making your own selected backdrop - real photo booth
live music video booth?
karaoke? perform it live. stage? intimate?
* green screen.
respect/intimacy. circle/cipher.

BUITEN SPELEN
time document
making a moment of what do people think of - their relation to sports/affection. who do they admire and why. sports and memories.
must have a follow up with a tafel.
nice moment to share experiences with a time document. freeze time.
june 21st - game day. quarter finals. european championships.

collecting sport cheers and compile into a cd.
chant off between football clubs.
meet the "volunteer list" of people and have them give their anecdotes.

May 21, 2008
Plenary and Evaluation
10 minute presentation - Vivian, Vincent, Mirella of the 4 Patching Zone events.

For the next month - brainstorm
Working towards a final event.
Keywords:
Interfaces, experiences
Concerns:
How to make time to have new ways of working
To Do:
Write down methods and strategies for booklet
Short stories/anecdotes
Knowledge Market - video premiere, buiten spelen, small series of events depending on output of all projects. Last of series of events. Based on the process.
Possible dates: Friday June 27th evening, Ideally Sat June 28th
Discussion:
Should we do a final market event?
Season Finale - Presentation of the music video, live performance VJ by Mirella, live dj performance by Taku, presentation of Vincent's sound composition, interpretive dance by Nancy. Present to How-To manuals with video/audio interviews.
Institution events: Buiten Spelen - old sport event "horse shit throwing" , Collection 2.0 - brainstorm and workshop session to discuss the next step of the tool

Realistically: How To Manuals, Music Video, Oral Interviews - presented as an exhibition in the museum
TODOs:
Ask Ranti - for space to work and space to show
How to involve the directors
Start PR campaign

AnNe breakdown:
Friday meeting with Marketing Gouda
Option 1: Sat, June 28 busy market, but several people from the institutes are busy, more audience
Option 2: Agnieten Chapel (behind the Waag) - square behind that, if it is available, inside and outside events around the chapels
Option 3: Wed, July 2 - second hand market, less crowded, more easy to find a space on the market. Staff more positive about this day. Afternoon 3pm. Schools should be on vacation. Tent and stage. Workshop. Interactive piece in the city. Video premiere.
* This day is important if we want to present collaboratively.
Staff issues - need to make sure that staff is given time to spend on this work to spend on their events.
beautiful - to connect things, create something that we would have never done on our own.
create an artistic piece - inspired with all the ingredients of gouda. not about the size of the event.
last events were beautiful but if we had more time it would have been a step deeper or more finished.
don't think about the quantity but the gouda aspect and the quality.
Each director should contribute money - 500 euros and more if presented in such a way.
Gouda Marketing - PR campaign.
Cancel how to manuals - these can be produced later as a reflection
Make the directors involved with the last event. - public speakers/ambassadors for project. - getting them involved and doing different things from what they are used to.

CLEAN SLATE

May 1, 2008
Cameramics Report

Photos here

Apr. 22, 2008
Brainstorming for museum ceramics day with museum/archive:
* they want to create web/online tool to appraise ceramics
event runs from 11-4 - can setup at 10
feeling very anti-tent = too much of a problem to get people into the tent and may be confusing since it would feel like an alternative appraisal.

Idea: We play the role as scientists/nurses/nurturers, examine their object with a video camera/needle/stethoscope, by scanning their object they are able to listen to the emotions of their object. We want to try to connect the emotional feeling that the owner has to the object.

Apr. 16, 2008
Photos and video from Favoriete Boek Hoek
Favoriete Boek Hoek Bookmark: A3 poster | A4 layout x4

Apr. 8, 2008
Brainstorming notes for the Bloemendaal Library Opening:
How to use RFID and the opening.
The main thing: to have people meet. not necessarily in the moment. Leave a message for someone who likes the same book might find.
Random idea: put names of authors on the balloons and have people grab them.
Have RFID scanner in a booth. Person scans book into. Picture taken. Connections made due to a database going on and ongoing collection of pictures with the book.
Put the favorite books on a nearby shelf. So the favorites are put aside.
"Customer's recommendations."
Place a bookmark within the book for feedback. Recalls the old way of checking books out where people fill in their names on the cards.

Jumping ahead to the museum event:
Counseling for people who find out their plates are worthless
Utilize the queue - automatic audience

Mar. 27, 2008
Vergeten Eten - 2nd market event
Featuring the friendly staff of the archive.
View my pictures here.

Mar. 22, 2008
Practice recipe:
Om spinazie te stoven

Mar. 18, 2008
Planning for the next Market Day!
Things to do:
1. review the archive's recipe selection
2. design recipe cards: blank and with our free recipes
3. design "who we are" flyer
4. figure out WHAT we are serving: equipment/live cooking/budget

Recipes to try over the weekend:
Om spinazie te stoven - Viv
Cranberry soup
Chervil soup - Lyndsey
schoonmaker taart - Vincent
Deuse Geertje - Corinna
Wind buigel -
Water gruel - K
Lavender Jam - K

Mar. 13, 2008
Ideas for Market Day with Archive:

Team Viv
Save me forever tent:
How do you keep what you love safe forever?
How do you show your love and care for Gouda?
Archive Help Center - How to save it forever?
Archive wants to have new ways to meet people and what do they want.
Show that the archive is open/strange/willing.
Dialogue between random animals - picture from archive.
Key Themes:
Dialogues, crazy animals, curiosity, preconceptions, community, personal collection, keep safe forever, empty map project desires, the future.
Archive - people - exchange - interaction between past and future.
Keep the same level on tenderness and value as the memory tent.

Reference: Vlaardingen a digital museum with personal objects in Museum Oostwijk.

Team Vince
Collage of pictures of teams
Digital encyclopedia
Asking for experiences and stories
What do you want to change, ideals of Gouda, want to stay here forever? What do you do on your lunch break?
Food and cookbooks - market for food. Old recipes. Historical recipe. Food that has been forgotten.

Vergeten Eten. What did you eat when you were young. Tell me a recipe and I will tell you a recipe.
What did you buy and what are you going to make with this?
Recipe index cards.
They walk away with a 16th c. recipe and we keep their modern day recipes.
Jac can make soup. Soup with Gouda ingredients. Lentil soup.
Find a 16th c. soup. - parsnips, split pea soup, freaky forgotten soup
*Ask Jac about recipe book in Gouda
*Flyer for event should be recipe card. Print 4x4.
*When did speculaas and stroopwafel tradition start? 18th/19th c?
Pharmacy museum.
Find the show with the soup prep

Things to do:
Find recipes: 16th c. soup and Modern day soup
Find a few 16th c. Dutch soup recipes for distribution from the archive
Design a recipe card template to be printed on thick card stock
Discover vegetables and spices used in old recipes.
Can the Archive archive individual family recipes?

Cookbooks from the archive:
De Verstandige Kok - Johan de Witt June 1677
Het Goedkoope Kookboek, 1922
Medicijn Boek, 1593- cure with food
Betje De Goedkoope Keukenmeid

Feb. 28, 2008
Videos
Some videos from Gouda. Taken on Feb. 14, 2008:
Archive with Jan-Willem.
Pan-Asian guessing game with the Moroccan vendors.
Interview with Moroccan vendor on discrimination in Holland.

Feb. 26, 2008
SKYPE
Discussion of 3 more events to be held at the Gouda market on Thursdays. Next one is scheduled for March 20th! The idea is to incorporate one of the three institutions for each day.
Ideas to make this run more smoothly: crowd control, more time with individuals, have more of a waiting area, more staff to chat and explain idea while the other team is working with participant.

Feb. 21, 2008
Workshop Day 3
Production of Vergeet Me Niet (Forget Me Not)
A "forget me not" booth where you can store and take home a picture of a memory that happened in Gouda. Participants were invited in for a cup of tea or coffee and then asked to think of a moment that they do not want to forget that occured in Gouda. As they thought of this memory, a portrait was taken to capture the memory. They were then asked to sit down and orally narrate this history into the "Memory Machine." The memory portrait was then printed and given to the participants to take home and remember.
Random Notes: the free mint tea was a real selling point. everyone interested in taking home the picture.
See Nancy's report for pictures and details.

Feb. 20, 2008
Workshop Day 2
Development of the idea for the booth at the market. Evolved from doing a Media Divination performance to a Memory Making machine. Took the whole day to concretize the idea and to organize what we needed. Idea evolved from mind map of what we know and did not know of Gouda. Basis being that there is discrimination here. Idea - food as a unifying factor. Dumpling/hand roll sushi party? How to bridge two different communities with food - by introducing a third party?

Feb. 19, 2008
Workshop Day 1
Notes from ANne's presentation: The Next Step
Analyses of research so far: references - disciplines, techniques, outcomes, experiences
Pay attention to the material - take a closer look , inspiring ideas, important to be clear of ref to other disciplines and their techniques and methods, i.e. literature, film, theater. draw upon these to inform the way of working.
* Gained knowledge/valuable experiences: close involvement in the scene and city of Gouda. learn from (un)successful actions. these may be obvious but often overlooked.
*Missing bits: theory to practice to aesthetic to form to artistic challenges. our role should be open. added value of collaborating with ppl from diverse backgrounds. * Role in the research.

Planned Outcome: artifact, events, exhibition, publication, experience, performance, product? Use this for thinking, designing and to move on. Possibilities of collaboration.
Possible Steps: suitable approaches to move from research to production. techniques and materials to support this process, target audience and their role? Use of vocabulary? Funny and creative way to adapt vocab to be taken seriously. Methods - valuable and interesting to take further, which ones to use to become part of final outcome. * Determine methodology for final outcome.

Tools/Instruments: for production line. use research analyses here to build on outcomes. surprises, experiments. look for alliances. i.e. narrative events of library, summer events of museum? tools: aRt&D triangle, exp. design, theater, improvisation, film, documentary. theory - deliver thesis/written doc for individual studies, difficult to do this afterwards, so document continuously.

Reading List:
* Importance of collaboration. First and second person - ability to move and switch b/w diff perspectives. Audience interaction, role of cultural institutes. Boundary objects - using something to bridge disciplinary borders. think of communication with (non)experts.
Bas Raijmakers - using docs for design investigations and research. film is like reality - everyday life into research. films are conversations b/w perspectives. communicate stories in new ways and to tell new stories. designdocumentaries.com
Ludens - 'play' as a voluntary activity/occumpation. always balancing b/w documentary approach and play approach. the fun approach - a main attractor to freedom we have in our research/investigation. be fun and inspiring for ppl.

Wrap up w/ K: end of info. gathering phase. action research. reading list and references. past criticisms and new ideas. what have we learned what have we figured out what are our intuitions of this place? how to formalize and be aware of the actions we are doing. props prototypes experiments. process in collaborative projects.

K's presentation:
experience prototyping: if you design an experience, like a machine, you are still desiging an experience around that machine/performance. when you make things involving an audience - it is an experience. use prototype to lead your process.
placebo design: to address a problem you have to solve it. addressing an issue. make ppl aware. method of investigating issues.
methods: anthropology, chemistry - mapping what does not work, surrealism, confessional religions - related to idea of placebo, do highly symbolic act to absolve your guilt. abstract forms of addressing real issues.
actions, interventions, prompts (card with question), abstractions, props (theater, powerful will give license to do something, social allowance, i.e., tarot card, crystal ball, hand), prototypes
games: participate. the way we play. defined parameters. esp with those who have not signed up. make believe. specific rules to replace the rules of everyday life. voluntary! attractive! safety (i can leave once it ends. alice in wonderland. what happens in game - no real consequences in real world)
surrealism: games and art. making things strange. hand in hand w/ psychoanalysis. notion of subconscious.
distract your brain! automatic writing: write with pen and paper not conscious. as fast as u can without thinking.
investigative objects: force ppl to rethink. surprise, insight.
naive physics: applied/folk physics. misjudging. handling different materials expecting a certain heaviness/lightness. child reacts in relation to body.
notion of magic: enchantment - caught up and carried away, when you are engaged in something engaging. active reimagination. suspension of disbelief. overkill in scariness/violence.
memory as a measuring device, a ruler of narratives - stewart. project: dress for dependence. how to deal with dependencies. frozen water necklace - vulnerability and time.
faraway - if only games. this is not a product. this is how i feel. heartbeat. here i am. take me with you. heart on your sleeve.: how to collaborate with audience, communication with loved ones. details of boxes. attention to design/paper/feel. impossibilities cancelled eachout. miniature you. taking care of things that are representative of others.
Greimas - using a square: to explain how things hang togethe . being here being now. not being now not being here. presence/absence. traces/telecommunications.
whisper process: wearables, using sensors to listen to internal body. somatics. premise: taking breathing, heartbeats - wireless transmissions. see what it does. whisper experience workshops: earplugs then do nothing. move slow. aware of your own sounds. blindfolds. take selves out of equation. between. telepathy. sitting behind someone. feeling concentrated on. wordless. sending an image. not to see if telepathy would work but if they would freak out. stethoscopes. shirts sewn together. negotiating embarassing situations. basic lie detectors.
New Grunnen in Groningen - beds in Grote Markt with white balloons (thought bubbles) to think of the future of the city.

Thursday market: 8-1pm. Electricty. Internet? Ultimate placebo. FOAM. Greek artist - reads coffee grains. Waiting room. Divination: name, date of birth, personal object, gouda history.

Things we need: water boiler, paper cups, fresh mint, tea bags, sugar, spoons/stirrers, print out coupons, internet connection, printer, paper, nancy's computer, rug, chairs, tent, tripod, portrait booth - backdrops, camera, lights (red/green/studio), props, costumes, bring fabrics, tripod
Things to do: print and cut coupons, find internet access in the market *find cafe with wireless
What we have now: big red tent, cables, permit to enter market into car

Feb. 14, 2008
Shadow Day - Jan Willem at the Archive
Hanging out during the morning in the archive. Documented an hour in the archive's library and climate control room looking at ancient books, bibles, maps, war posters.
Boughaz Project in the archive: collection of cd's with individual videos of Morroccan immigrants sharing their personal stories. Initiated by a local artist and shot in a room within the archive. Videos may not be seen unless granted written permission by the interviewee.
Video to come soon.

Feb. 12, 2008
Meeting Notes - Gert-Jan, cultural anthropologist
from Haagse Hogeschool
Keypoints: cultural participation from bottom up, community development, people as participants
Methods: investigate, action research (quick scan with purpose and perspective), participation and observation, stimulate, invitations, ask, peer education/marketing strategy (how to get inside their world), use participants, articulation of needs.

What are we doing? What can we do? What do people know about their history? And their relationship to their history? Making their own history - digital storytelling. Oral history. Get something from the outside inside.

Random ideas culled from this session:
Tell Your Story Video Booth - videos uploaded to vlog for participants to watch and track.
Interactive Documentary
Question of the Day?
Sing a song? Karaoke booth?
* Remember old flash project with teens at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, Voices, done at ITP

Feb. 5, 2008
Some Links
Half Gouda - http://www.halfgouda.blogspot.com/
Daily photography in Gouda - http://www.halfgouda.nl/
Factor G community work/neighborhood center- http://www.factor-g.nl/
Firma van Drie - artist run with museum- http://www.firmavandrie.nl/
Gouda ontmoet - public project, 10 golden rules- http://www.goudenstadsregels.nl

Feb. 4-5, 2008
Questions:
Ranti Tjan: "Insult is a consequence of our freedom of religion. It's difficult to limit it."
Is it difficult to implement public art into an old city like Gouda?
How receptive are the communities?
How do you actively engage the other communities?
What are your future visions for art in Gouda?
Are there many artist working locally in Gouda? Do they have studios here?
What are your favorite public programs implemented by the three institutions?
What do the immigrant communities identify as?
Who are the visitors to the museum?
Are there venues of performance?

Meeting with Ranti:
some Gouda myths:
city did not have $ - raise the crime figures to get money
water problem
can create your own stories

names of cities - Utrecht Art Supplies NY, Gouda and cheese - make your own city
1566 destroyed 3,000 art pieces. painted churches white. no images. except in Gouda.
1976 female art in Gouda - important female artists in 70s video photo - in the collection
3 developments of the museum: religion, labor, feminitiy - emancipation
concept of emancipation from French philosopher, Racine
rewrite history of small importance and make them larger
how emancipation is going to change in the world and what is happening with knowledge.

Walk with Ranti:
Nationaal Farmaceutisch Museum (Wed to Sun. 12-17h) nr. 29 to spread knowledge between pharmacies
Main canal (sluice?) through Gouda - took 4 days to pass through during the 15th and 16th c. resulting in the road being a marketplace. In 1585 it became inactive when the Prince created his own sluice around the periphery of the center. In the 17th c. Dordrecht, Hague and surrounding cities becamse trade centers, leaving Gouda behind. The holes that are visible on the sides were used to clean the city from underneath and controlled by the white contraptions on the road.

In the Museum: restoration as a myth, had different teams give estimates, make the restoration process public - webcam. 5 year project to restore the original drawings for the St. Jan kerk.
Hierarchy/chronology - try to install new system in the museum by juxtaposing different pieces together, i.e. Ferdinand Bol next to Marlene Dumas.

The city has certain connections - pharmacists/artists. Museum brought together 30 artists to select Sheila Gowda from Documenta to invite her to present her work at the museum.

Carter Kustera - Ranti asks artists to reflect on the Netherlands.
Firma van Drie: artists club to cook in the courtyard and have dinners on Sundays.
7,000 out of 70,000 Gouda inhabitants are Moroccan. First generation came in 60s and 70s.

On Sundays, Gouda is the liveliest with 1,000 in attendance at the 10am and 4:30pm mass. Gouda is building a new 1300 person church.
There is a fun fair in September that is quiet - no sound.
Stores here sell infants clothes that only have dresses for girls.
Because museum GoudA has no climate control, is not able to exhibit certain works, i.e Van Gogh.

Ranti has design and contemporary art focus. He wants the audience to be aware of the changing world. Instead of turning the city into a museum, bring art into the public space = bringing the city into the present. There is an educational project already existing between the three institutions.

Eric Blom, director Gouda city marketing will inform us about his experiences and relevant statistics of Gouda.
What are the main target marketing groups?
How is marketing research conducted here?
How does billboard space and advertising work in the old city?
How does Gouda advertise itself?
How did it overcome its earlier negative identity?
Is there really crime in Gouda?

Meeting with Eric:
how does Eric see Gouda?
state atlas - how ppl react to the city
probleemwijks: Arnhem, R'dam, Utrecht, in Gouda - Korte Akkeren, Overi hovervelle
1 white school/1 black school - not so much different than the other cities
not integrated in society
they have separate lives
no contact points - no projects together
19920-1930 city was same size. after war, started to grow. 1960-70 - bloemendaal growing. added were same type of people.
cultural climate did not extend it was just houses and people
small village that expanded rapidly. problem group that they could not handle
no diversity to low diversity
postzegel annpak - stamp management of the city. add one more. problem with infrastructure, roads. no main plan. traffic jams.
Almere - new city. havent finished building. 50's and 60s. reclaimed the sea.
trends in gouda: small businesses, specialized - big diff b/w old town and surroundings
when city was small - industry handicraft, platille
Gouda is isolated from itself and big cities.
3 B's: bezoekers, bewooners, COMPANIES
Improve image of the city for the locals: Rotterdam Theirs, I Amsterdam, I heart NY
We are historical city. We are modern city. We are 21st c. We are part of the Green Heart the countryside. Gate to Raanstaadt. b/w city and country.
Make people proud to live in the city. Gouda show your soul. Laat jouw hart zien.
In the shield - I will survive. Gloria Gaynor - singing with me or against me.
Show your heart. Show us what you love from the city.
Proud of the speedskater, daughter, car, etc. Not a campaign but it is there and people tell about yourself.
Local media - radio station program Memory Lane, guest shows the music they love
Local paper - Goudse courant. AD Groene Hart. De Krant van Gouda - free home paper
Local tv - watched by many locals.

Westerhouwe - building houses not in Gouda. no more houses inside the city. it's full.
Zuid-Holland - last province to have a regroup of cities.
Loss of community space because lack of money.
Need professional administration. Dependent on quality.
No representation of immigrant groups in the council. No political party. On the whole council maybe 3-4.
City wants to sell these houses.
* Ask about public storefronts.
Empty storefronts - owners are speculators ask for alot of money.
Not too many squatters. Go to a real city. To create cultural centers.
K. building in Den Haag. New knowledge workers - fashion, computer, design, art.
Quality of city - bestuur. If there is no good direction of the city ...
Cultural events in the city perhaps? Recurring theme: Gouda is fragmented.
Each group has it's own - football, music, choir, etc. Mindset of those people - wont intermingle.
Groups: immigrants, religious, doesnt belong to group, old people.
Educate people first not what you want to do. but be on certain level of combined experience. Program with separate groups, then bring together. "Trick them slowly"
Religious groups buy in own shops, stay with own companies, communities will support eachother.
Candlelight festival - Hint (from immigrant groups) to bring in more culture. Hint represented Holland in European song contest. Singing. Church didnt like her performing because they thought it was too pop.
Groups oriented to themselves. DNA of the city.
Eric believes Gouda is close to Switzerland. - tunnel view. Swiss to Gouda. Strength of Holland = open mind. Travel around the world and know alot about the world. Swiss - not travelers, cannot look over the mountains, only know about their world. If you live in Swiss, you don't integrate - very difficult. "Normal" white people cannot integrate as a Swiss. Gouda is sinking now cannot see what's happening. Manner of working together is similar to Swiss. Gate was closed no one in/out. Mentality of not accepting outsiders still exists - inter church marriages don't exist. 4 mosques in Gouda. No Jewish community after WW2. Religions in Gouda are variations of Christianity.
* Find the weak points. Are students and industry the connection?
Bible schools. Montessori, Free, Steiner schools. Need an influx?
* Find something for our city so that everyone is in for it. A good deal. Universal. Openness of society is happy to trade. Money doesnt stink. Trade minded way of thinking. Cut an awesome deal. Polder model - discuss over everything but dont do anything. In discussion there is no trade. Only opinions. Buy or not.

* ideas: make meetings with Factor G, So-What, Alouan, Firmavandrie
Mobile Art bus. Connect the outlying cities/villages into the center. Connection with the Moroccan community. Bargain. Find the cutting deal. Market? Don't want to be perpetuating myths. Free conversation booth, take your picture booth. Drive with the book bus. Drive with the food bus.

Jan. 29, 2008
Meeting Notes -
Our To Do List so far:
- exchange images and patterns that we are observing in Gouda
- next steps in communication: police, council, local guides from diff. communities
- documentation and exchange
- planning of the next two months
- map on wall
- myth busting

Gouda Cultural Facts:
- 46th on a cultural level
- the probleemwijk is a problematic neighborhood, which ones are they?

Corinna's quote: Through rough winds, you will reach the stars.

Prepare questions for RANTI: ask him about art, culture, and his views on Gouda
Prepare questions for ERIC BLOM: regarding the city marketing plan.

Jan. 24-25, 2008
Field Work - walking around Gouda with Kristina, Nancy, Mirella
Sampled the Thursday market
Discoveries: crafty network of women. Met Kim from Mixed Up, Ella from Jevrouw Shaartje, Patricia from Free Music.

Click here for Gouda People images.

Assignment:
what is your experience from the field trips?
* Learning about the city hands on. Funny that people say there are no 18-30s in Gouda, because I have been noticing many - working in the cafes, stores, walking around the shopping street, etc. Seems they are failing to notice the 18-30s who choose to do something else besides pursue higher education.

what patterns are you seeing?
*Most of the women we are meeting in the local stores are younger white women. Locals to Gouda. Who have chosen to return back to Gouda after school, or stay in work in the city. Also, a general fear of "criminality" which may be existent, but so far seems to just be an unjustified fear of the "other".

what are the most interesting themes that are emerging for you?
* Lack of interaction between white and "immigrant" communities. They are 2nd and 3rd generation, however I have barely seen any interaction except for among the younger, early 20's set. Also, failure for the larger Gouda community to acknowledge these 2nd and 3rd generations as Dutch or as Gouwenaars.

what stories can you tell
* I feel that the Moroccan community has a lack of public space available to them. According to one "on the street" interview with a Moroccan man, Hachimi, he said that the youth are often kicked out of cafes because they are in groups and causing ruckus. This is a similar to the institutionalized racism that occurs in the US with the African American community. Black men, unable to get taxis, stopped and searched in walking in groups on the streets, barred entrance from nightclubs, bars.

NOTES TO SELF: Need to come on the weekends for the So-What dinner nights. Also, need to meet a local to have a hangout place in an apartment. Need to meet a Moroccan woman to serve as introduction and translation into her community. Make connection with Gouda Asian community.

Jan. 23, 2008
Street Portraits - Interview exercise with the staff from the institutions.
Walked to "Short Acre" neighborhood with Jaques from the archive and RoseMarie from the library. They gave me a mini tour of Gouda along the way. As we left the Concordia building, I thought it would be interesting if we could stage the portraits in some way. Jaques was just about to eat an apple before he suggested using it as the prop. We thought it would be great if we could have each person try to balance it on top of their heads. In a crazy coincidence, on the way we ran into this:

The rest of our portrait pictures can be found here. I think Jacques and RoseMarie will be writing up the texts for each portrait on the Waterwolf website.

Wild Idea Update: Secret Block Party
As in Brooklyn Block Party. Have the three institutions sponsor the event. Make the location, date a secret and start word of mouth rumor mill to get locals to the three institutions to have each tidbit revealed. Bring the art, books, information to the streets and give back to the people. No money involved.
Trade, barter. Inspired by one of our interviewees who could not afford the library membership and museum fees but instead exchanged a book at the used book store.
Involve the local restaurants, cafes, markets, vendors. Have them put the cryptic flyers and posters in their storefront windows.

Jan. 22, 2008
NOTES: From Gouda Walk - Church, Museum, Library, Archive
Unfortunately the Museum was closed. Mon/Tues by appt only.
The groundskeeper? told me to go the church across the way. I wanted to get to the library, but as I was passing the Gallery on the right, a man from the church waved me in and insist that I go in. I guess it's the crowning glory of Gouda.
Library had many in the reading room to the left, interesting billboard by a dumpster advertising community happenings on flyers.

Click here for images of empty storefronts.

Assignment: for Wed. Jan. 23
Present a sketch of our idea.
Run interviews to find informal networks. Take pictures.
Show short presentation. 2 sentences. 2 images.

*Harmonica girl. Brothels? Gay cruising areas? Hair weaving salon? SLUM TV - Community television. Projecting onto public spaces. Hijacking television. France - breaking and restoring old buildings, clocks, artworkis. Underground spaces. Breaking into unused space. Cleaning grafitti in Brazil. Short film where man is cleaning bus and train windows in Berlin. "I only appear to be dead."

*See museum storage space.

Jan. 22, 2008
NOTES: Meeting with Dick Rijken
Idea is LOCAL. Specific interest = IT in society and in a cultural angle. What is the changing role of culture in society? Culture used to be a sector, i.e. museums, dance, like education or business. Information society = meaning becomes more important. Culture sector the place where there is full of meaning. Internet - infrastructure for meaning. Using media to have people discuss meaning. All sectors of society are looking into culture and creating meaningful experiences/environments. Nobody knows what a journalist is anymore.
Idea behind Waterwolf - WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ON HYPERLOCAL LEVEL? Being rooted in shared physical enviornment. Flickr/UTube. Concepts that exist. Virtual environments. Investigate relationship b/w physical vs. virtual. All cities have existing cultural infrastructure. *Investigate - internet usage in Gouda. Dutch statistics - 80% population online...

Can we come up with something meaningful as an experience?
3 institutes want to define themselves. Library, archive, museum = classical cultural meanings.

goudanet.nl = digital catalog of three. lists of what they have. can look up document and find where it is located.
? How can they redefine their relationship to this local society?

Gouda is sinking. Students from Haagse Hogeschool. Water in Gouda. 2-3 months. No one cares. Gemeente wanted to know in what way were people interested in water. Had plans to reopen canals, getting rid of bridges to change water management in city. Students talked to everyone - water engineers, library, archive, museum, people on the street. RESULT = big for professionals but locals don't care. Some are extremely interested and against all new plans.

Information and two way relationships between the public spaces - streets, cafes, homes, institutes. Not necessarily a physical presence, but can contribute something from their home and have it visible in the public space.

High school ends at 18 years. All youth move between 18-30. Fundamentalist Christian school to become teachers.

*Is there a Gouda flickr community? Gouda youtube group?

Trends, tendencies. Football is big but the football clubs are not doing good. So, instead of using the clubs, using sms/mobiles to create an informal organization to play. Don't want to be confined. Informal teams have semi-formal competitions.

What we don't want to happen: polarize the worlds. Give parties and nobody knows. Museum exhibits and only other museum goers attend.
Informal - formal - organizational. i.e. patient groups. Professionals to informalize. Individuals to formalize and organize.

Process of reflection - realization of what you are capable of as an individual.
Dick - VPRO/3voor12 - Be professional. Be a journalist. Broadcaster is professionalizing amateur citizens. Challenging you to formalize. Think of what you are doing.

What is the role of these 3 institutes?
Museum used to have old classroom and teachers could go there and give their students an old-fashioned 19th c. school experience. Is that what a modern museum is about? To give you an idea of what life was like years ago. Part of growing up/Gouda identity. Ranti canceled this and now in place - kids are asked to bring their collections to the museum, i.e. legos, dolls, firetrucks. Museum staff coach the kids to exhibit the collections. Kids explain why they chose those objects. Coach what you do to others.

What is useless media? Unread blogs. Process of reflection of writing something that is potentially viewable by whole world. Forces you to verbalize/externalize. To not forget. Dead letter offices - write something to lose the paper. Message in a bottle. Desire of being known.

*Are there commuter students? Immigrant communities - do their students commute from home?
Hoogseschool - more multicultural than universities. Takes 3 generations to study something that doesn't have clear profession. Bank teller - Economist - Philosopher.
*Need more local advisors. Ask Martijn about local scene. commuter students.
By being foreigners, on the side of things. Outsiders in a positive way.

Jan. 21, 2008
Kids in the Video: Digital Diaries, Documentaries, Music Videos
Ideal Project: Video Workshop for young women in Gouda.

Using digital video as a medium for self-expression, this 10-week long course will focus on the impact of popular media on teen identity development. Through analysis and discussions about music videos and their lyrics, to print ads in magazines, newspapers, and billboards, to images in television and movies, the students will be asked to reflect on the media of popular culture and examine how they are effected personally. For example, do hip-hop music videos influence the way they dress, talk, or address others? The aim of the program is to reach out to the youth community to inspire them to think critically about the mainstream media, stereotypes, representation, and examine the impact these things may have on their identity, while letting them express their ideas using digital video and imagery.

The course would place a focus on video production through hands-on training, story development and structure, and media analysis. The goal of this course is to enhance the students' learning experience through the technological tools, and also to keep them thinking about the media around them by creating their own.

Ideally, the young women from immigrant communitites would be targeted to participate in this workshop. This would open up the dialogue between the gap between their home life and public life and hopefully get them involved in their local community.

What is their cultural identity?
What music do they listen to?
How does mainstream media influence their urban identity in Gouda?

Using an empty storefront, a local hangout and work space will be created for the teenagers to feel at ease to drop by and rent cameras and use the computers for editing.

Video Ideas

Interview with the local hair salon:

Music video using the church, library and streets as backdrops:




Sample Syllabus
Sample Lesson

Jan. 20, 2008
Wild Plan Ideas:
Throw a secret party. Clues to be released among the three institutions in a puzzle, scavenger hunt. Flyers will be posted on trees and walls with minimal information. Perhaps just a graphic with a starting arrow and following the flyers to the party location.

Gouda is sinking. Create a research project for high school students in Gouda to use the three institutions to research and develop a public response for the sinking city. A mockumentary? Investigative journalism? Have the students interview the locals and staff regarding their projections for the city in the next 20 years.

Creative cafe. An art center and hang out spot for youth to come and use media tools to create mini-documentaries.
Women in art in Gouda. Create a video workshop with teenaged girls in Gouda and have them create video pieces or art collages based on the collection of women artists in the museum.