STATEMENT

Our goal is to develop a comprehensive system that is practical, inclusive and informative for identifying places that have architectural, historical, and cultural significance throughout the five New York City Boroughs.

As artists practicing in New York City we find inspiration in the physical and historical shape of our urban spaces. We use the cityscape as form and content in our works. The richness and range of ever changing places is particularly important to our practice. Therefore, we wish to celebrate and to share our experiences of place without making physical alterations to the sites. Instead, we wish to create lasting artifacts marking the importance of places to our communities that will be distributed by an existing system and collected and preserved by individuals.

Our approach bypasses many of the political, economic and legal pitfalls that plague permanent and temporary site works. We feel that bringing the public to an awareness of the multitude of such places is an important first step in defining community and site issues that are the foundation of meaningful public art.

In Europe, limited edition phone cards have been successfully issued and traded as collectable artifacts. In New York City, the MTA has periodically issued special edition MetroCards designed to introduce or familiarize the public with changes in the public transportation system. Using these prototypes, we propose collaborating with the MTA to produce limited edition collectable MetroCards, as well as Subtalk and Bustalk co-operative ads. These three components are designed to compliment and correspond with the placement and timely release of the other two.

"A map of the five boroughs indicating the Place Matters sites will be published to help people find sites. Some might be right around the corner from where they live or work. Other sites may be near friends and family that they visit. This small convenient map folds up to the size of a Metrocard and has a pocket to conveniently hold Place Matters cards for easy reference while exploring a new neighborhood."

HOW IT WORKS

PlaceMatters/MTA MetroCards would be purchased randomly from MTA vending machines. These cards would be distributed in each of the five boroughs. Each card celebrates a place in that borough containing a simple description and subway/bus information for getting to the site. Collecting all the cards requires the individual to travel to each borough or to trade cards. Subway cars and buses throughout the system would have co-op ads featuring the large maps with site history and information so that people could learn about featured places before visiting them. All sites will be accessible on the Place Matters website.

Public participation currently involves proposing sites on the Place Matters website. We would contact community-based organizations affiliated with each site. Historical information would be updated on the website prior to the release of each card. A timetable for release of each card would be established with the MTA and Place Matters. Our suggestion is for the release of five new cards every one or two months for a total of thirty to sixty places each year for five years. This would cover 150 to 300 sites in all five boroughs.