Urban Homestead

Sustainability and self-sufficiency? Not quite sure what that means in an urban setting, maybe growing your own herb garden for rats and black squirrels to feast on, picking up OPP "other people's property" that has a lot of character off the sidewalks, riding a bicycle over the Williamsburg bridge or cross-town to get to work, inadvertently taking a brisk cold shower to save the buildings cost on heat, going to whole foods and sampling for lunch, or heading to openings for free culture, beer and wine. Keep it simple and oscillate between the lesser evil of time and money.

The group Urban Homesteading Project has created a collaborative sculpture of items that is aesthetic as it is utilitarian. Take a break from the city anonymity and flee from your artist, freelancing holes and walk, ride public transportation or ride to the Union Street corner and check out the sculpture on the street corner. You may discover what you need and don't need for your apartment and perhaps your lifestyle.

Brought to you by Laura Chipley, Francisca Caporali and Pilar Ortiz:

The Urban Homesteading Project www.urbanhomesteadingproject.org

The Urban Homesteading Project explores the act of making temporary public living areas as a means for creating positive interactions within a community.

Through the creative utilization of discarded, donated and traded living resources, the UHP seeks to promote non-exclusive spaces for public discourse and leisure, while maximizing the potential of our city's vital street economy.

The Urban Homesteading Project will create a temporary residence on the sidewalk near Union Docs for twenty-four hours, starting at dawn on Saturday November 3rd, 2007.

Please join us for a day and night of collective relaxation, discussion, games, storytelling, cooking, crafts, aerobics, napping and celebration of our vibrant community.

We will be arranging a temporary living room, dining room, kitchen and sleeping area and we need your help to fully furnish our public living space. We urge you to bring furniture and household items that you want to discard or trade, as well as food, beverages and artwork that you want to share.

Starting at dawn on Sunday, November 4th, every single item brought to the temporary living space will be available to all for the taking.

Below is a list of suggested items to bring: - blankets, pillows and sleeping bags
- tables and chairs
- lamps, extension cords and power strips
- rugs
- forks, knives, plates and cups
- pots and pans
- books
- games
- musical instruments
- personal artwork
- food and beverages
- working televisions, stereos and DVD players

Laura Chipley, Francisca Caporali and Pilar Ortiz created the UHP in 2007. Hillevi Loven and Union Docs curated this event.

When: Saturday, November 3rd, starting at 7am, until
Sunday, November 4th, 7am

Where: On the sidewalk in front of Union Docs ( http://uniondocs.org)
322 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211

Directions: L train to Lorimer Street / G to Metropolitan Aver Exit subway and walk south on Union Ave (away from the BQE)

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