Islands of LA is an art and curatorial project that views traffic islands as overlooked yet provocative spaces which can be used as territories of art. One intention in doing this is to raise a series of questions about public space and land use. How do we create public space and who is allowed to do that? What kind of space do we want? What is public space? What is right in public and why? Moreover, is there a place for ideas and conceptual art in the city that invites active, cultural participation (interchange), in front of everybody, or is it just something that belongs in museums, galleries, universities and journals?
Another intention is to create community and cultural interchanges including open-minded discussion, dialogue, creative/critical thinking, and creative interaction. With this in mind, Islands of LA creates and curates art on traffic islands that invites or challenges us to have fun and think...perhaps considering ideas we normally would dismiss or not consider. This use of traffic islands is not meant to be exclusive; Islands of LA views them as community space that can be used by anybody including street vendors and artists.
In short, Islands of LA is questioning how we use public land and what role art can play in that. It raises and responds to this question by using traffic islands as areas of art to stimulate open discussion and community. Islands of LA believes that this revitalizes public space and makes communities more livable.
Society is a sculpture.
- Joseph Beuys
