Participants: Karolin Tampere and Åse Løvgren are curators for an upcoming temporary art project in the former harbour area called Bjørvika in Oslo. The project will investigate, intervene and comment upon this major development of the down town city part of Oslo, turning the former industrial harbour into a site planned for living, working and recreation. The temporary project sets fourth to investigate some of the processes taking place in the postindustrial cities, where a redefinition of the waterfront is taking place. From being the major transport channel around which cities were founded, the meeting between land and sea is in many cities today viewed upon as a source of recreation and a place for culture. What visions are there for functions of this ‘new city’ and how is this manifested in the plans, architecture and power relations of the site? The area around Bjørvika will during the next years be transformed into what is called ‘The Fjord City’, which today is more of a virtual place considering that the identity of this place is situated in visions and interests among politicians, commercial developers, architects, city planners and the rest of the population. Sparwasser HQ was selected to be a starting site for this temporary art project, given the space's position and focus. Sparwasser HQ offers a public service providing a space where art is discussed and discourse is developed. Especially the relationsship between art and the public arena has been a focus of Sparwasser HQ. Recently Sparwasser HQ has been under the threat of closure due to lack of funding. In a city like Berlin where the private art-market is ever more ubiquitous, we see Sparwasser HQ as an interesting backdrop to start the discussions around art's role in city development. Tampere and Løvgren are commissioned by Bjørvika Utvikling AS. Tone Hansen and Per Gunnar Eeg-Tverbakk will function as advisors.
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