The exhibition “RAPPROCHEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC SPACE” focuses on the city spaces in the Czech Republic, Italy, Kenya, Poland, South Africa and the United Kingdom, and its aesthetics. The researchers of TICASS project collected the pictures of their public space and prepared the documentary photographs for this exhibition. The aim of the exhibition is to get the recipients familiar with other cultural patterns of a visual communication and bring them closer to the perception of the pictures. We assumed that people usually walk through the public space and their perception is in a standby mode, because they are attacked by many pictures, signs and symbols all the time. They see the visual signs, but they do not (want to) decode the messages. The exhibition shows how the viewer could pay attention to what is present in the picture, and why it is there. Remember that there is a possible gap between what you see and what is the first impression.

This exhibition shows us the image of the public space. But this exhibition plays game with the viewers. At first sight, we see a lot of details that are just fragments of the documentary pictures captured in the cities. We need to switch on our imagination, examine the experience we have and recognize the information in the picture.

We can also recognize some objects – boards that are a part of a public space. These objects have taken our mind to secondment stay in Szczecin (Poland), in Kilifi (Kenya), in London (UK), in Macerata (Italy) and here in Ústí nad Labem (Czech Republic). We were looking for some identification signs of the public space where we spent some time with our research. If we observe the documentary photographs carefully, we can find electronic information displays, advertising sign of “mganga” (healer), yellow light of pedestrian crossing and warning signs.

Eventually, in all photographs we can find six specifications of the city public spaces selected by TICASS researchers – we can identify the underpasses, the pedestrian crossings, the public institutions, the entrance to universities, the titles and informational boards. Are all these categories a part of the public space? Obviously. Don´t forget – there is always more information; it depends our experience and skills when watching. Try to enjoy this visual game with pictures and open your mind.

The title of the exhibition refers to a noun “rapprochement” in the sense of an establishment or reestablishment of harmonious relations. Aesthetics is not rational. It is a culture, habit, craving, and identity. Looking at the contributions of artists, curators, and scientists, please pay attention to what is there. Try to go beyond, to notice as many details as you can, and ask yourself – why is it important? Remember that creativity is not just for artists. Let this exhibition be the beginning of your new perspective – a perspective in which you pay attention to what is next to you. Start being critical, start comparing the images, without prejudice and without background. This is your time to be critical, like a child learning how to read the word for the first time.

The exhibition is a part of the international project TICASS – Technologies of Imaging in Communication, Art and Social Science which focuses on the visual technologies and their significant influence on people, and also on the visual literacy. The exhibition serves as a research tool and within the exhibition, the researchers work with different target groups in the form of workshops. “RAPPROCHEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC SPACE” is a presentation that was presented in gallery space in towns of all TICASS members (more see in archive on this web). The final show is created as an online gallery on this website and it is open to the public.

Curator of exhibition concept: Karolina Zawiślak
Author of final text about exhibition: Adéla Machová