See 'Leftovers: Spaces, Materials, People' at SMWC gallery
Issue date: 1/28/10 Section: News
By Colleen Daum
Staff writer
The current exhibition in the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College art gallery asks the question is there something to be learned about urban planning from slums and squatters.
The show, "Leftovers: Spaces, Materials, People" is a part of Wes Janz's book and website, Onesmallproject, which features the idea of leftover space and how small organizations and projects respond to it in urban settings such as Detroit, Gary and St. Louis, and global ones like Mumbai, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Janz, a professor in the architectural program at Ball State University, explained his work during the opening reception from 5-7 p.m. Jan. 21 at SMWC.
Ten years ago Janz was recruited to take a group of students to South Asia and there he began to think that maybe there was more to do than just working.
"I began to adjust my thinking from, architects are powerful and should work for powerful people, to maybe we can change the world," said Janz in an interview conducted during the opening reception.
The enormous percentage of homeless people or "squatters" make use of this space and build dwellings out of scraps and left behind materials; thus what we call the slums.
Janz's travels to these places have shown him that these people are actually their own sort of urban planner and maybe today's architects have something to learn from them.
His exhibition at SMWC reflects small initiatives throughout the world -- including some of his own in Indianapolis -- who work with these leftover spaces and the squatters who dwell in them to renew, reuse, and learn from each other.
The gallery showcases photographs of urban projects from various places along with excerpts from his book describing the transformations. Since his initial trip to Sri Lanka 10 years ago, Janz has taken groups of students all over Asia and the Americas to share and learn in these leftover spaces.
"Leftovers: Spaces, Materials, People" can be seen at SMWC through Feb. 17. The gallery is located in Hulman Hall, room 132. Hours are Monday-Friday, noon to 4 p.m.
Staff writer
The current exhibition in the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College art gallery asks the question is there something to be learned about urban planning from slums and squatters.
The show, "Leftovers: Spaces, Materials, People" is a part of Wes Janz's book and website, Onesmallproject, which features the idea of leftover space and how small organizations and projects respond to it in urban settings such as Detroit, Gary and St. Louis, and global ones like Mumbai, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Janz, a professor in the architectural program at Ball State University, explained his work during the opening reception from 5-7 p.m. Jan. 21 at SMWC.
Ten years ago Janz was recruited to take a group of students to South Asia and there he began to think that maybe there was more to do than just working.
"I began to adjust my thinking from, architects are powerful and should work for powerful people, to maybe we can change the world," said Janz in an interview conducted during the opening reception.
The enormous percentage of homeless people or "squatters" make use of this space and build dwellings out of scraps and left behind materials; thus what we call the slums.
Janz's travels to these places have shown him that these people are actually their own sort of urban planner and maybe today's architects have something to learn from them.
His exhibition at SMWC reflects small initiatives throughout the world -- including some of his own in Indianapolis -- who work with these leftover spaces and the squatters who dwell in them to renew, reuse, and learn from each other.
The gallery showcases photographs of urban projects from various places along with excerpts from his book describing the transformations. Since his initial trip to Sri Lanka 10 years ago, Janz has taken groups of students all over Asia and the Americas to share and learn in these leftover spaces.
"Leftovers: Spaces, Materials, People" can be seen at SMWC through Feb. 17. The gallery is located in Hulman Hall, room 132. Hours are Monday-Friday, noon to 4 p.m.
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