Artistic Practice for Increased Awareness

• Main Author: Byrne, Kayla
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: University of Oregon 2016
• Subjects: Art; Landscape; Design; Post-industrial; Day Island
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1794/20127

108 pages. Examining committee chair: Liska Chan The question I intend to answer with this project is: Can artistic practice stimulate the designer and the public to interact in ways that will promote public awareness of a local post-industrial site? The aim of this project is to show the potential of artistic practice to stimulate awareness in the design of parks on post-industrial sites. The case-study site is Alton Baker Park in Eugene, Oregon a large park with a layered and multivalent history. Considering these layers of historical complexity and the timeline of this project, I have specifically chosen to narrow this inquiry further by creating art works that only reflect the industrial past of the Whilamut Natural Area, formerly known as the Day Island Landfill. At the public showing of the created works, I asked visitors to complete a brief survey that focused on their experience at the exhibit and their knowledge of postindustrial landscapes. The results of this project demonstrate how art can enhance and sharpen awareness of post-industrial landscapes while learning.