Shelter 1, 2 & 3
Lucy Orta, Andy Ray & Chris Drury
Collective Dwelling is an installation in constant evolution that invites different members of the public to participate in its construction.
Collective Dwelling Act -V
Lucy Orta was the first of three artists to create an installation on the theme of shelter for Fabrica’s 1999 Summer exhibition.
Lucy Orta’s Magic Carpet has travelled the world inspiring visitors to add new designs to the exhibition. The Magic Carpet was available to ride and explore throughout the exhibition period. Utility fabrics and primary colours were used to encourage a playful exploration of the theme of shelter.
In this exciting and interactive exhibition, visitors of all ages were invited to come and see the work, then climb aboard Lucy’s Magic Carpet and join in. The Magic Carpet travels around the world collecting designs and responses from the audience – which are then made into panels using utility fabrics and bright colours – to add to this continually evolving show.
About The Artist
Lucy Orta's visual arts practice investigates the interrelations between the individual body and community structures, exploring their diverse identities and means of cohabitation.
She uses the mediums of drawing, textile sculpting, photography, film and performance to realise singular bodies of work, these include: 'Refuge Wear' and 'Body Architecture', portable and autonomous habitats that reflect on issues of mobility and human survival; 'Nexus Architecture', clothing and accessories that shape modular and collective bodies through the metaphor of the social link; and 'Life Guards' and 'Genius Loci', wearable structures that portray both human vulnerability and resilience.
Her process of representing community voices incorporates co-creation and inclusive methods and she has collaborated with a wide range of people, often those on the margins of exclusion such as prison residents, asylum seekers, homeless and care hostel residents, to empower participants through shared creative practice.
