The Islands

Dr. Alex Schweder, aschwede@pratt.edu

The Islands is an architectural performance that will take place in New Taipei City in the summer of 2023. When performed, this work will be occupied for two weeks by a total of eight artists including myself and longtime collaborator Ward Shelley. Each of the five islands will be made from a wooden platform raised two meters off the ground by scaffolding. Atop each platform will be wooden framing that can receive panels to form an improvised enclosure. Every day, these cladding panels will be taken down and used to make a bridge to the next island where a new improvised welling will be built from the existing parts. With each move from island to island, one performer will depart and another will arrive until the original members are completely replaced by those who have had to learn the works concept from their predecessors.

Development of this work was supported by Dean Anita Cooney’s office through the funding of research assistants Hsiao Chien Hung and Sean Lin, who are graduate students in the Department of Industrial Design.