testsite 4.2: Jennifer Jankauskas, Tom Harris, and Ian Pedigo

testsite 4.2

Tom Harris and Ian Pedigo and Jennifer Jankauskas

March 28th - May 2nd, 2004

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Montage of installation views from testsite 4.2, Austin, TX, 2004. Image courtesy of the artists.

Project Details


Shifting the interior space of testsite into a small city, the collaboration between Jennifer, Ian, and Tom investigates the process of building structures while tearing down power positions in an ethical, legal, and visual vocabulary. With their first artistic collaboration Tom and Ian imagined and built a city, New Dursley, that adapts existing features of the space (architectural elements and furniture) to define and classify various aspects in correlation to different parts of a cityóresidential, commercial and industrial zones. The formation of a city map on the floor created from colored vinyl tape functions as a method of leading the viewer to the Home Office wherein the residue of the planning and building of the city in the form of plans, sketches, and construction debris remains.

Working with a qualified town planner during the design of the project, Tom and Ianís environment appears to be fully functional, yet is to scale in the house setting. As an expression of the insurmountable nature this task poses in reality, the two artists, self-appointed as city officials, willingly infringed upon and broke various legal and ethical codes during the designing and building process. Consequently, a lawsuit has been initiated which highlights the artistsí lack of qualifications and knowledge relating to their official positions. Jenniferís contribution to the project is comprised of an investigation into the artistsí background and knowledge in regard to city planning, fabrication of an official report to the city council on the unlawful activities perpetrated, and the creation of additional written materials displayed within the site.

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