Vital Signs: Town Crying + Landscape/Portrait

Vital Signs is a series of projects in which invited artists engage with communities across North East England to provoke discussion about how the designed environment affects everyday life and could be improved, whilst exploring the aspirations people hold for their lives and for the places in which they live.

The first project presents a series of unique Town Crying performances created by performance artists Lone Twin working in collaboration with an award winning Town Crier.

The second project, entitled Landscape/Portrait, sees the launch of an ambitious interactive website and public campaign that will contrast the statistical, demographic profiles of communities in three locations across the region with self–portraits generated with inhabitants of each location.

Both projects will engage local communities in their creation and presentation, encouraging wider discussion and debate about what places, products, or experiences need to be re–designed, and how, in the region.

Town Crying and Landscape/Portrait are part of Vital Signs. These projects are produced by Forma and commissioned by Dott 07 (Designs of the time 2007), a year of community projects, events and exhibitions based in North East England that explore what life in sustainable region could be like – and how design can help us get there.

Vital Signs forms part of North East England's world class festivals and events programme.

Vital Signs programme

19 – 29 Jul 07 | Town Crying live performances | Taking place across North East England
Oct 07 | Landscape Portrait | Online and at Dott 07 Festival, Gateshead Quays, UK
16 – 28 Oct 07 | Town Crying exhibition | Dott 07 Festival, Gateshead Quays, UK
17 Oct 07 | Landscape/Portrait panel discussion, 18:00–20:00 | Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Level 1, Gateshead Quays, UK
20 Oct 07 | Town Crying live performance, 11:00–15:00 | Dott 07 Festival, Gateshead Quays, UK
20 Oct 07 | Town Crying artists’ talk & book launch, 15:00–16:30 | Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Level 1, Gateshead Quays, UK

Produced by Forma
Commissioned by Dott 07
Funded by Design Council and One North East

North East England's programme of world-class festivals and events is supported by: Arts Council England, Gateshead Council, Newcastle City Council, North Rock Foundation, One Northeast, TyneWear Partnership.
Photo: Mark Pinder (L)