Public Confessions

In an urban scenario where the language of consumerism and its ‘values’ have seeped into the way we understand public spaces, how do we make sense of what it is that constitutes the public domain? How do we envisage new ways of reclaiming unrestricted interaction, sharing and access that are based on the notion of diversity? How do we nurture empathic socialization and open circulation of information and narratives?

The consumerism-led ‘development’ of public spaces has slowly, yet persistently, eroded the notion of collectivity: people have become individuals, categories and groups to target — they have turned into passive consumers (and therefore agents and citizens) of desires and narratives created by others (corporations, commercial groups, and far-reaching marketing teams).

‘Public confessions’ invites the passerby to interact with the board, creating intimacy with it, with those who have interacted previously and others who will interact with it in the future.

A questions is displayed on the board through an LED panel, instigating the audience to come and write their answere on it. The questions themselves will be pertaining to public spaces and public domain, and will change every month in relation to the anwsers, creating a free flowing narrative.

While one is visible in public when interacting, the answeres themselves will remain anonymous. The board also has a QR code that links to a friendly CCTV camera nearby where one can watch themselves.

Date: 28th May 2021 - ongoing Venue: Walkin Studios, Bangalore Live streamed: publicdomain.garden | youtube.com

‘Public confessions’ is conceptualised and produced by the Walkin Studios team.