OUTHOUSE
Long Drop. Dunny. Biffy. Thunderbox. These are all Australian terms for the place where some of our best thinking is done- in the Outhouse. A participatory research tool & interactive installation, Outhouse turns the old style photo booth on its head by replacing it with custom built digital media technology.
Once inside users are presented with six open questions which act as prompts. Each one is presented in an ornate picture frame. On the reverse side of each frame is a follow up question designed to unpack the response from the first question.
The user is presented with two choices- push the red button to record a private testimonial, but pushing the green button risks comfort & anonymity by triggering a live public broadcast. The feed is sent to a projector which is trained on the largest building or wall in the vicinity. Although no one can see you, you are being watched.
What began as a bit of a curiosity has all of the sudden revealed the human face behind the status update, a public testimonial, a soapbox, a confessional. How has our risk-averse culture gorged itself on safety & control? How has public anxiety compromised our social flexibility? When do we front up? This is a foray into putting the two worlds of safety & risk back to back. Outhouse is where the accidental pedestrian can close the door to the outside world, whilst sitting in the midst of it.
The Outhouse is designed to flirt with notions of intimacy & exposure, but it’s content is ultimately determined by the context it is in. It does not predispose a response from the user, instead it functions as a tool to engage communities through narrative. From this there are many possibilities for concrete outcomes; the seeds of great artworks can be collaboratively generated, or qualitative data can be used to affect planning & policy.
Outhouse developed from a three month Artist in Residence project initiated by Outback Theatre for Young People in partnership with West Darling Arts, which Brian Cohen and Tara Prowse undertook in Ivanhoe from June 2009.
TRAX is an arts company based in Melbourne, Australia that produces live performance & new media projects often in partnership with people in communities. We also partner with organisations, government agencies, businesses and individuals who seek to build authentic relationships through cultural enquiry. Live performance & new media tend to be our mediums of choice. The company began in 2004 as a family partnership and has grown to work with some of the biggest organisations in Australia. It’s award winning performances & films have earned industry wide recognition.
Outhouse | Portugal Team
Designer: Brian Cohen
Social Researchers: Tara Prowse + Mandy Field
Master Builder: David Whitchurch
Software Designer: Samuel Van Ransbeeck
Live Musicians: Jorge Costa & Cecilia Peçanha
Visual Artists: Costah, Luis Ferreira, Filipa Cruz, Maria
