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01. Improvisation Notes: Tune in Urban Villages
The definition of 'urban villages' bewilders people in much the same way as the definition of art. Yet, when we 'read/write' about art, we do not begin with ONE firm definition as the foundation but with matters at hand, i.e. what we see, talk, hear, smell, think... or in a single word: sense. Similarly, when we 'read/write' about urban villages, it is not the whirlpool of definitions we immerse in but the field. Thus, what is significant is what we have sensed and experienced in the field and how we can hone, expand, and refine our sensorium and attunement.
However, in this nascent phase where we are remote from the field, we will simply start with readings, searching for and collecting things that relate to urban villages in China, giving off-site matters equal weight, in hopes that the interlinkage between matters and the methods they demand will slowly reveal themselves as the work progresses. Therefore, what this work-in-progress will illustrate are notes of a process—the process of search and approach—rather than notes from the field.
02. On-site
In the period between February and June 2023, we embarked on two month-long expeditions to China, revisiting the urban landscapes of Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou. These journeys were both enlightening and poignant, especially given that our last time in China was at the end of 2019. The transformation we witnessed was both rapid and profound, with the urban fabric of these cities undergoing significant metamorphoses.
Shanghai, in particular, bore the marks of astonishing urban renewal. Areas that were once familiar have been replaced, with many streets in the inner city now characterised by vacant edifices and bustling construction sites. One cannot traverse these urban precincts without encountering bold red banners proclaiming the virtues of urban regeneration.
What we have seen instilled in us a profound urgency; an imperative to delve deeper and understand the forces at play...
03. Everyday ‘Making-Do’
You can imagine that living in urban villages, the first question is how can you settle in such density?
In this ongoing project, we intend to anchor ourselves in the lived experiences and investigate transformations within urban villages as a process of spatial (re)production performed by residents through adaptive practices in their daily lives. Or as what Michel de Certeau called everyday ‘making-do’.
Here we ask in what ways residents in urban villages utilise any available resources and materials to adapt and respond to various spatial constraints and regulations? We care about what they are using, making, and talking about. As they are always making something out of something, what can we learn from them about issues of informal architecture, sustainable urban developement, and most importanly, matters of survival, resistance, and adaptive tactices? Is there a potential for the temporary "daily coping" within these spaces to transform into sculptures?
