Categorisation supporting the implementation of Universal Design in Sweden_What if och scenen Zoom20_Categorisation supporting the implementation of Universal Design in Sweden

Överraska, variera och Förändra 2022-2024
Public commission for the municipality of Jönköping

Images from the public commission I did for the project Överraska, variera och förändra by Jönköping municipality. It included two art assignments where I got the performative, temporary assignment and Jenny Normark the permanent. The purpose of the project was to test the possibilities for public art in Jönköping municipality in relation to the Urban Environment Program ‘City Art’.

Based on Jönköping municipality as a location also a hub for transportation and infrastructure, I chose to focus on the rest areas intended for commercial traffic and professional drivers. The starting point for me throughout the project has been an interest in aesthetics and care and equal opportunities in public space.The rest areas play a vital role within the gig economy and infrastructure, supporting the flow of goods and the safety of drivers. Rest areas intended for commercial traffic and professional drivers. The planning of these spaces balances accessibility, practical necessity, and the imperative to reduce fatal accidents.

Through the project I have worked with Rasta in Ödeshög, Gyllene uttern, Circle K in Bottnaryd and LogPoint South in Hyltena.

During the research I notice that on most of them there was nothing, not even a bench and usually not toilets, just an asphalt surface. Apart from the parking lots, there is usually nothing organized for the drivers - no sidewalks, pavement markings or seating. The feeling was that here access is at your own risk. It was evident that the drivers—the true protagonists of these rest areas—were largely invisible in the political vision plans for new cargo terminals, and revealed a striking disconnect between abstract political ideas and the lived realities of those who depend on these spaces.

It was necessary to find an action that allowed me to both blend in and stand out as an odd element. The litter-picking activity felt like the most natural activity in this context, given the extreme amount of waste in these areas. It also enabled the body as a tool for greater understanding. The more senses we engage in an experience, the faster and deeper our comprehension becomes. Using physical body movement as a tool, I sought to bridge this gap and inspire change. My idea was to invite stakeholders —those responsible for these spaces—into a dialog with the site and its overlooked realities. Together, through litter-picking activities we would physically engage with the rest areas, to hopefully develop a deeper, embodied understanding of them and anchoring an awareness of the drivers’ challenges. I have been in contact with everyone from drivers, to the Transport Union’s various actors, the Swedish Traffic Administration, middle managers at Circle K, municipal ecologists, environmental activists, free driving spirits and police officers... During the last one, we for example filled ten garbage bags with rubbish in an hour and more than 20 pet bottles filled with urine, which speaks its clear language. Neither the work environment nor the rest area itself felt cared for or pleasant. The drivers we met simply said they wanted somewhere to sit and said laughing that some Christmas decorations would have been nice.

As the project progressed, I decided it would encompass both temporary performative elements and permanent ones. Given the acute nature of the work and the catastrophic conditions faced by professional drivers, I felt it was essential to leave a lasting mark—something that would continue to make these issues visible over time. I shared these thoughts with Jönköping municipality and Åsa-Viktoria (ArtPlatform), and one of the most rewarding aspects of this project has been experiencing their genuine engagement with the process and their willingness to support my artistic vision.

The core of the permanent conceptual installation was information, rest and health and highlights the improvements that I consider necessary to improve the often harsh and inadequate conditions professional drivers face during their legally required rest periods.

Through temporary actions, performance and permanent installations, I have wanted to create a platform for dialogue on overlooked social issues linked to professional traffic.

When I made the concrete furniture, the idea was that you would see that it was made by a human hand, a bit clumsy, but with love. I thought of the fairy tale of the three little bears. The spray stencil is inspired by several of the drivers’ cabs, especially those from Eastern Europe are covered in crocheted cloths. I wanted a ‘raw’ home feeling.

Approximately 30% of the workforce originates from Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, and India. Many of these workers are transported to the Nordic countries for an intense three-month work period, others drives between Germany, Greece to here regurlarly.

Over the years, my work has been expressed in various forms, including Scenes 2022-2023 a film and installation at Jönköping's City Library, the performance Redlisted Societal Function #1, performative actions such as Scene 2, 3 Litter-Picking activites, and a permanent installation Redlisted Societal Function #2 at the sites.

Överraska, variera och förändra >

Scenes 2022-2023 >

Scene 2, 3 Litter-Picking activites >

Redlisted Societal Function #2 >

Redlisted Societal Function #1 >

The whole project have engaged both invited and temporary audiences. (The American artist Suzanne Lacy’s audience map is a helpful reference for understanding the range of audiences and their roles in this work.)

Assistance:
Olle Helin >
Damla Kilickiran (film) >

Drone:
Palle Linqvist >

Project leader:
Åsa-Viktoria Wihlborg | ArtPlatform >

Jönköping municipality's description of project >

Special thanks to Amir Faqiris (Keep Jönköping Clean), Tommy Jonsson (Transport) and Eva-Karin Andén, Filip Zezovski Lind, Joel Albinsson (Jönköping municipality) and Åsa-Viktoria Wihlborg ArtPlatform.

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