Kom je buitenspelen? | Playingsessions in Public Space | 2022
Playing sessions are a way to investigate ways for adults of playing in public space. Together with different groups of people I organised a playing sessions. We played on the simple agreement of playing for exactly 60 minutes. Between April and June 2022 I organized 4 sessions. The sessions helped me to understand the difficulties to play for adults. It made my own awareness grow. All sessions are documented and brought together into a publication, order by mail. A brief summary will follow underneath.
The first session was an exploration on ways and spots to play in the public space of Wittenburg. This exploration I did one on one with Gijs Velsink. Gijs Velsink is specialist in play in his work as a visual artist, radiomaker for Radio Noord and as an employee of the Gemeente Amsterdam. We investigated role play, founded objects as playing tools and how architecture helps to involve others in public space. It was the foundation for a dramaturgie which developed the following sessions.
The second session was hold in collaboration with three professionals in play who didnt knew each other beforehand: Marina Kaptijn, Sandra Deningman and again Gijs Velsink. This session we researched how we could focus on playing together. I structured the path we took beforehand. Again roleplay and found object were used to play, but also competition and games were part of the session.
In the third session I worked with a bigger group of family members. The group consistes of civel servants, bankers, a mathematician and a pedicure. They new each other before hand.
The fourth session was part of a public event. Most people didn’t know each other. People weren’t specificaly invited but joined out of curiousity.
About the research
The playing sessions serve as a research tool in my ongoing research into play. How as adults we could play more in this over structured and ruled society. What we could gain of art as a space to play. And how this space is related to an object, an environment or an attitude in our head. The research consists out of a theoretical and practical layer. During workshops in the neighborhood house I research play in relation to the neighborhood. During presentations in the Culture Club I share my research into play to get inspired by others.
This research started in 2021. It was made possible by the Art & Society Program of the Amsterdamse Hogeschool van de Kunsten. A postgraduate program for AHK alumni researching the connections between art and society. I’m continuing the research at my residency spot at primary school de Vindplaats. I will work from here till July 2023.
Special Thanks to Kim Krijnen for capturing sessions 2 & 3.
