CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
4.6 THE ART CENTRE
4.6.2 ART CENTRES AND THE THEORY OF SOCIAL CAPITAL
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Neville Dubow looks at the interactions between art and architecture. Dubow’s literature states there is an alienation between artists and architects; the artwork should be physically imbedded in its host, the artwork should be planned and
executed as part of the specific context. The context is said to be an extension of the work itself, art should not be thought of as being in architecture or on architecture but rather architecture as art, (Dubow, 1978).
Therefore perception is a unique experience to each individual however the design of art centres needs to include a variety of sensory experiences, an art centre cannot be perceived without reference to its context. Art centres provide a home for the arts and society, this home should help to promote and encourage the arts thereby
contributing to the positive perception of the arts in society. Art centres should provide a home for the freedom of expression, a functional community space which enables city users to feel a sense of place, explore social identities and feel a sense of significance within the space.
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The process of people categorically known to one another, meeting at a common place falls under the routinized relationships of social capital, as previously
explained. People who have a particular relationship with a public place such as an art centre, through the theory of social capital, are said to be able to forge a
relationship with other individuals with the same relationship to the anchor node such as public place, this is referred to as a person to place connection under the theory of social capital. Such as during the apartheid period, community art centres are able to provide a safe place where diverse groups of people can meet and connect, share ideas, thoughts, teach one another and forget the troubles that surrounded them.
These centres aid individuals in meeting people with common interests, thereby aiding in creating social capital, a sense of community, a social revitalisation. Art spaces are able to function as a centre for building networks which can contribute to both community revitalization and artistic development, (Grodach, 2010).
Public art and architecture can become symbols of civic pride. They can embody the values and identity of the community in which they are situated, (Tepper, 2009).
Gordon states that art centres should exist to help improve the cultural life of a district, the centre can work amongst a network of art and other art centres by
providing a place for people to meet and socialise whilst participating in the activities throughout the centre.
FIGURE 20: IMAGE REPRESENTING INTERCOMMUNITY CONNECTIONS This image is a representation of intercommunity connections which bring a diversity of individuals
together in order to network and create.
(Source: author.)
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The incorporation of social capital through architecture looks at the design of social space. Arnheim states that the plan of a building is the area for human behaviour and the verticality of the building is the diagram of human perceptions. The plan of the building is an arrangement of social spaces, the sequence of social spaces are arranged according to a level of privacy, (Alexander, 1977), as shown in figure 21.
This privacy gradient ensures that each space has the correct degree of enclosure and comfort according to its position in the building and the privacy gradient. The incorporation of mural art in these different social spaces could have different effects;
a greater amount of people would experience the artwork placed in areas 1 and 2 in figure 21, whereas areas 3 and 4 would have less users and therefore less viewers of the mural art.
South African cities are made up of a wide variety of different people; many people work in the city without their families and networks, it is therefore important to have social capital in one’s life which will provide these fundamental support systems. Art centres can provide a public space for people to meet and interact in order to expand their social networks as well as their networks to other components of art and art centres through the theory of social capital. This has the potential to improve the lives of individuals, communities and nations through the networks surrounding us in everyday life.
FIGURE 21: IMAGE REPRESENTING THE PRIVACY GARDIENT OF SOCIAL SPACES WITHIN A TYPICAL BUILDING.
This image represents the privacy gradient of social spaces, 1 represents a public outdoor space,
2 represents a public indoor space, 3 represents a semi-private indoor space and
4 represents a private indoor space.
(Source: author.)
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Therefore the design of an art centre is a complex multi-space venue which creates opportunities for a wide variety of city users. The art centre works amongst a
network; a network of art and a network of people. These centres can act as a gathering place around art, a place of safety for people to network; share their knowledge, experiences and opinions. In so doing people are able to express
themselves and help other people in the process. The art centre can therefore act as a catalyst for social revitalisation.
The art centre is a representation of the community and the context in which it is situated. The art centre should be an extension of the artwork itself, a multi-sensory home for mural art as well as the context and the city users. The art centre should provide a home for the freedom of expression, a functional community space which will enable city users to feel a sense of place, explore social identities and feel a sense of significance within the space as well as promoting the positive perceptions of mural art to city users.
The design of an art centre provides a place for intercommunity connections to take place. These intercommunity connections bring a wide variety of community
members together in order to network and create, thereby aiding in creating social capital, a sense of community, a social revitalisation. Art spaces are able to function as a centre for building social networks which can contribute to both community revitalization and artistic development.
The design of an art centre should provide a variety of social spaces for a variety of city users through the active and passive participation in mural art, thereby allowing the plan to act as an area for human behaviour through the theory of social capital and the structure to act as a diagram of human perceptions through the theory of perception. The design of an art centre should provide a home for mural art as well as the city users, this home should facilitate a variety of social interactions through the active and passive participation in mural art in order to create networks between the city users. These networks will in turn provide a variety of social benefits to the city users, thereby creating a social revitalisation.
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