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Read about the outplacers' experiences of the performance at the Art hall:

" When the figure was given to me I didn't know at first where to put it.

But then walking with him in my arms I felt that he was my grandfather.

When he passed away my mother found him "asleep" in a foetus position because he died in his sleep.

My grandpa comes from Växjö. In Växjö is our family tomb with his cousins, etc.

As he is buried in a memorial place in Skåne I wanted him to have a place here too. I wanted to close the circle.

Finding out all this I had a strong sensation that I should bury my grandpa.

My experience was very solemn and sad and it was hard to leave the place after I had put him down.

I was only 12 when my grandpa died so at that time I didn't really understand what it's all about when

someone disappears. I placed the figure with his back towards the tomb among the flowers,

constituting a protective roof. I have checked him out a few times and last time he was lying on top of the grave

as someone had planted new flowers.

E "

The reaction from a citizen of Växjö who has observed the figure on the churchyard:

" Anna Hesselgren

I want to express my and my family's disgust for desecration of our family tomb which I consider that we have

been exposed to through this macabre malefigure which has been placed on our tombstone.

You should have conditioned the outplacement better!

We don't see that our tombstone belongs to the public space. We place ourselves figures if the embellish,

something this ugly and grotesque figure does not do.

Citizen of Växjö who consider himself to decide what is appropriate on the familytomb."

"Family offended by art object in Växjö" - Article in Smålandsposten Friday, July 3rd, 2009

Click here to read the article and the readers' comments.

I chose to lay my figure on the churchyard by the vegetation, close to a well where one fetches water for

tombcare, a small but open place. There were 2 pair of benches and I often come to sit here.

It was important for me that he shouldn't be too exposed but protected.

A churchyard is something many paople are afraid of and don't want to enter if they don't have to,

so they haste past it. I see the churchyard as a very secure and protecting place.

A place with both very much presence and solitude / peacefulness, and I have been drawn to different churchyards

as long as I can remember. The churchyard has the dual role of being very private and in the same time public.

And in the city a natural path in lack of real cityparks. At least in daylight.

The churchyard gives me mental rest in the middle of the town. A quite windy place with trees and a lot of birds.

The figure seemed in need of rest.

N "

" I participate in an exciting art project with a big A. The artist Anna Hesselgren gave us instructions to place

an object at a site near a protecting roof and wall. 20 objects are spread all over the city of Växjö.

Pay attention and you might find one of them! "

" Important project and in the same time interesting and generous as one can choose to actively participate in it.

I liked that one is allowed to touch the art and that it was like a ceremony around the performance when we

fetched our objects. The art project carries also a serious question that made it important as it pays attention to

exposed, vulnerable people in society, a thought and discussion that I passed on to friends and family.

I also like that the project continues long after the performance day.

Elin "

http://vennerbring.blogspot.com/2009/05/ar-med-i-ett-spannande-konstprojekt-med.html

www.elinvennerbring.com

” Växjö is a nice city with a strong villagefeeling that works both pro and against the town.

It can be really hard to affect a change when everybody thinks we live in a small village.

It took some time to figure out the best place to put the figure, but it wasn´t that difficult.

I wanted to find a good place that fit the description.

The building where I put it is a sort of paradox in that you can see it from all over the city and also it has a

well-known silhouette. But the place I chose is both rare and open. I thought it was a nice project in that one can

encounter an artobject on an unusual place, move it and then adopt if one feels doing so.

Traditional public art usually is something sacral and the visitors should keep a distance.

This project ruins that idea in a very good way.

Art is something that shouldn't be isolated, packaged or only to be seen in galleries and museums.

Dan "

” It is an exciting project with many levels. How is the effect on the outplacer?

How will the visitors / founders react ?-both those that passes by and the ones that take care of the figure?

It´s an exciting project with many layers. You feel like placing filmcameras to see the reactions...

Art in the public space is an important strategy to reach out to unaccustomed visitors of art and to regain

the public space. My own reaction surprised me. It was difficult to put him down and leave him.

Not that I wanted to keep him, but because I felt personally responsable for his future.

When I at last put him down , I left the place quickly.

Afterwards I went back now and then to look after him.

I didn't want to bring him home with me, but wished him still to be where I left him.

After a week and a half he was gone and I felt empty inside.

Frida "

” I think it's a very interesting project because anyone is allowed to participate.

For me the scupture is a drugaddict and in the night when he glows it's his cry for help.

I think people need something that breaks the normal now and then.

André "

” This art project in particular is among the best ones I have encountered .

There is so much in it- the relational aesthetics, traditional sculpture, performance art,

art inte public sphere...an art that teaches us what it is to be human beings.

Art in the public space is fun, it's alive and including.

Anita "

min tanke

” It was not a difficult task. Enough to get involved in.

And such a lovely atmosphere when we all fetch our little man and carried him away.

It felt like carrying a secret in the bag and it was exciting to be sent on a secret mission.

I wanted to put my figure close to the railway station as I travel so much by train all the time.

I travel daily between Malmoe and my present job in Helsingborg. I often travel to Växjö and to my parents in

Västergötland. An neverending tour by train in the south of Sweden without a firm place.

But I really want to is to stay in Växjö so I placed him so he can see the railway.

I have not participated in such a project before, but as a child I often carried out toys into the woods

and placed them in similar ways. I wanted it to look like small people that had hidden themselves in different places.

I think it's a good art project. Maybe mostly for us that were involved because we felt strongly included.

Jt was so sad to leave the little vulnerable figure.

I had a strong feeling of being abandoned when I left it on a dark and lonely place where someone else

would find it. And what will that person do with it? Maybe destroy it and I don't want that!

There was immediately a concern over what would happen to the abandoned little human being and the next day

when I went to look after him he was gone...

The project was fun and sharing. Otherwise I'm quite dubious about some public art projects.

At least when it's about secret actions to "embellish" the town.

The latest years of all that streetart is quite annoying. I mean in particular those knitted socks around lampposts,

pearlbeds glued onto different public places and similar installations. They all feel meningless most of the time.

I don't understand the purpose with them. But everything that is made with a thought behind is meaningful

and that is what I liked with this project. I'm happy to have been invited to participate!

Åsa "

” The public space is my living room and I like to participate and leave my footprints there.

Especially if I'm allowed in such a project like this one! I saw the vulnerability in the figure and found a place

with the corresponding character. Exciting project to follow before and after...it did'nt feel like it would end after

our performance at the Art hall, rather it was then it all started and that the process as such is allowed to be infinite!

Johan "

” Leaving to find a good place to put the little man I thought about the theme"protected / protecting".

At the begginning I only thought to place him anywhere but the longer I had him in my arms the more protective

I became. I began to worry about what would happen to him if I placed him on the wrong place.

Think if someone would hurt him, break him? The place I chose is perfect.

It's a public place where nature is the architect.

I think it's a very interesting art project including more people than only the artist.

It creates an interesting discussion about art and its accessibility.

Ellen " www.oobnelle.blogg.se

” Thank you for letting me participate in the performance of your art objects. I liked the idea very much!

I often appreciate public art and it is positive to try to reach out to many.

The art should try more to surprise and be placed in unexpected environments not only in parks and marketplaces.

Patrik "

” I think this project was very interesting. It was both fun when people got involved and went looking for

figures and also that there is a profound message. It arouses many thoughts and the one that finds the figure

can help others by a donation. I think we need the art in the public space to make us stop and think in our daily life.

It's not so pretentious as going to an art exhibition but can give as much.

The performance ritual in the art hall made it a solemn ceremony around the event and one felt being an

important person with a certain responsability.

Helene

Helé