Commons Come to Liezen

Liezen is a town geographically located right in the center of Austria (at the same time being far away from the major Austrian cities), defined by a large area of shopping malls which has continuously emptied the town center. transparadiso developed Commons Come to Liezen as an art project discussing and realizing new forms of societal acting based on commons – reconsidering neo-liberal economical structures still prevalent. “This concept leaves the conventional categories of sculpture, painting or graphic design behind and turns art into a space of thinking and acting by inserting dialogical settings directly into the everyday space of people.” (Werner Fenz).

The pavillon

In the central park of Liezen (an orchard traditionally functioning as common) a pavillon serves as „storage“ for layers of large size tangram-pieces out of wood. Tangram is an old chinese game which was transformed into similar games in the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy at the end of the 19th century and is currently used for educational aspects in order to enhance concentration and patience. transparadiso organized public game sessions in their project space in Liezen, introducing a modified tangram game as collective art project. The game sessions also served for discussing vital topics like new forms of commons and collecting art (not just by the wealthy) – as well as the future of Liezen.

Collect Art – Acquire Shares of Commons Come to Liezen

The tangram pieces are sold as art pieces (referring to minimal sculpture). Thus the storage space/ pavillon will be emptied and ready for use for future activities by the community by August 2011. The earnings will be reinvested in Commons Come to Liezen and the further programming of the pavillon.

Commons Come to Liezen was initiated by Kirchenviertel Liezen and funded by Public Art Styria. The production of the Tangram-pieces/art objects was made possible through the generous support of Jugend am Werk.

Commons kommen nach Liezen_folder.pdf

CommonsLiezen_Public Art Styria 2016_p.68-75