This project consists of a series of photographs of the inner courtyard of the building where the artist lived during his 6 months stay in Sweden. In a way, to photograph this plain inner space – a kind of big community courtyard – means looking into a given social policy in a specific context, and reflecting about it. The photographs are shown in a two channel slide projection (COMMUNITY COURTYARD II). Of these, a selection of 10 was printed and presented in pairs (4 diptychs of 40x60 cm, and an introductory diptych of 21x31.50 cm – COMMUNITY COURTYARD III). The photographs should ideally be accompanied by a light box (COMMUNITY COURTYARD I) with the following text (in English):

“The buildings in my neighbourhood don’t have doorbells, buzzers or intercom systems. Instead they have a keypad. Only those people who know the security code can enter. However, all the buildings have inner courtyards. Those courtyards are big spaces, safe from the outside street. They are surrounded on all sides by hundreds of back windows. My bedroom window faces one of those courtyards. Whenever I am in my bedroom and I look out the window, I see my neighbour’s windows. My neighbours and I don’t have curtains, so I can see and be seen. The place recalls a kind of panoptical space, but it functions in the opposite way that the panoptical system, conceived for prisons, does. Here, there is not a dominant authority looking at and controlling all. Instead, each individual produces a gaze and, at the same time, a gaze that is produced by everyone and by no one. Instead each individual produces a gaze, a gaze that is at the same time produced by everyone and by no one.

The main function of these courtyards seems to be the development of relational and shared activities. My courtyard has a community garden complete with tables, chairs, and even a grill. There is also community garbage and recycling spot, a community bicycle-parking area and a community laundry. Thus, it is a public space for a private community. It is a space conceived to create a sense of the collective among individuals. It is a space divided by fences and walls, often empty of people.”

Diptych 1:

8278
(photograph | dimensions: 21cm x 31.50cm)
A public space for a private community
(photograph | dimensions: 21cm x 29.50cm)

Diptych 2:

The window
(photograph | dimensions: 40cm x 58cm)
Back garbage
(photograph | dimensions: 40cm x 61cm)

Diptych 3:

Inside gaze
(photograph | dimensions: 40cm x 60,60cm)
Basement entrance
(photograph | dimensions: 40cm x 60cm)

Diptych 4:

Outside gaze
(photograph | dimensions: 40cm x 60,50cm)
Concealed fences
(photograph | dimensions: 40cm x 60cm)

Diptych 5:

Community laundry
(photograph | dimensions: 40cm x 60cm)
Community laundry (empty machine)
(photograph | dimensions: 40cm x 60cm)