Sarah Barness: Re:REBAR

Art is not limited to a canvas and a paintbrush, but what about the age old question, "Where do you draw the line?"

Is a monochromatic canvas art? Was Marina Abramovic's decision to sit in MoMA for 736 hours, 30 minutes in a silent, static pose art? Is public self-mutilation art? These questions test the sands of time, so in the meantime we can do nothing but agree on the subjectivity of art -- the viewer has the right to judge a piece as gallery worthy for her own taste. Out of frustration of being disempowered to make this judgment for all those around her, the viewer might create her own art commenting on the art she doesn't consider art! While some push the envelope to its questionable limitations, those working with the Rebar Project manage to expand the meaning of expression, while still making their projects relatable to the average San Franciscan.

The Rebar Project, based in San Francisco, is an art collective that attracts visionaries of all types -- performers, musicians, painters, builders, etc. They do everything from conceptual public art to installations to print design, but their main imperative is to re-vision the ordinary to create the extraordinary. Their motto "Re" says it all: "Re:mix. Re:make. Re:configure. Re:consider," and I think their 2005 project entitled Park(ing) demonstrates this motto best. Park(ing) is an effort to make spaces that are otherwise private, public. In San Francisco there is a vast amount of space allotted to a private person (i.e. a parking space), while the space meant for actual public activity is next to nil, comparatively. The Rebar project decided to level the playing field by reclaiming some of those private spots and turning them into public spaces. For a few sunny hours, artists "lease" a parking spot, and install a park in its place -- with nature, seating, shade and all -- at least until the meter runs out.

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Follow Sarah Barness on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sbarness1

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-barness/rerebar_b_2979122.html

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