COLLECTIVE STRINGS – Participatory Performance Installation.

From 2019. All yarn for Collective Strings is recycled-cotton leftovers from t-shirt production.

After take down of the participatory installation all yarn is given away and reused by local organisers. Thanks.

Artist Karoline H Larsen explains: “Collective Strings is a participatory performance installation. It is an invitation both for people living in the city and for people visiting to come take part in the collective making of an art piece. The art piece is about movement, sensousness and connecting in public space.

Usually, we move from A to B with a purpose. This time, can we have movement that is more spontaneous, sensousness, more intuitive, coming from the heart, connecting?

A string has two ends; One end of string coming from me and I am throwing the other end to you. Will you catch it? How can we make this public place into an art piece together? So how can we connect in public space?”

Artist Karoline H Larsen explains: “I have developed Collective Strings as a participatory creative way for people to be physically drawing and sculpting the public space in a free movement, tracking colored strings in traces across public space and between the city structures. Collective Strings began with my own need to move and express myself in new ways cheating tricking my body and mind with a roll of string in order to begin playing in public spaces. I wanted to stop taking the same but efficient route from A to B and to find forgotten pathways and new traces in my mind and body as I moved through the city. I was curious to experience myself from a new angle, to open new impulses inside me, and feel something different. I was adamant that the experimental character of art was necessary for change and personal development. AND it was urgent that art was allowed to make me feel fun” (Larsen 2008)

Collective Strings by Karoline H Larsen. Helsinki Festival 2014. Photographer: Karoline H Larsen

Performancekunstner Karoline H Larsen fortæller: “Jeg har udviklet Collective Strings som en måde for folk til fysisk at tegne og forme det offentlige rum i en fri bevægelighed, ved at trække farvede spor med snor på tværs imellem bystrukturer. Collective Strings begyndte med mit eget behov for at bevæge og udtrykke mig på nye måder. At drille min krop og sind ved at dreje mit hoved med en rulle snor for at begynde at lege i det offentlige rum. Jeg ønskede at stoppe med at tage det samme, men effektive rute fra A til B og finde glemte stier og nye spor i mit sind og krop, imens jeg bevægede mig gennem byen. Jeg var nysgerrig efter at opleve mig selv fra en ny vinkel, at åbne nye impulser inde i mig, og føle noget andet. Jeg var overbevist om at den eksperimentelle karakter af kunst var nødvendig for forandring og personlig udvikling. ” (Larsen 2008)

Reference / locations
2022 Stockholm City Museum, Sweden
2021 Brandts Art Museum, Amfipladsen, Odense, Dk
2021 Vejleåparken, Ishøj, Dk
2020 Festa di Roma, Rome, Italy
2020 Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, Croatia
2020 Fredericia og Middelfart, 50året for Lillebæltsbroen, Dk
2020 Bymidten Haderslev, Kunsthal6100, Dk
2020 Lindholmkvarteret, udsat boligkvarter, Nykøbing Falser, Dk
2019 Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia
2019 Grønningen NV, Copenhagen, Dk
2019 Aarhus Børnekulturhus, Dk
2018 Beijing Design Week, China
2018 B-fit in the Street International Theater Festival, Bucharest
2017 Holstebro Kunstmuseum, Dk
2017 Festival des 7 Collines, Saint Etienne, France
2017 Scenes des Rues Festival, Mulhouse, France
2017 Museum Rijswijk, Holland
2017 Trapholt Kunstmuseum, Dk
2016 Stenhus Gymnasium, Holbæk, Dk
2016 Åben Dans, Musicon Square, Roskilde, Dk
2015 Metropolis Festival, Skt Thomas Plads, Frederiksberg
2015 Passage Festival, Boliggården Nøjsomhed, Helsingør
2015 ARKEN Museum, 3 places: Ishøj Station, Vejleåparken, Ishøj Strandpark
2014 Helsinki Festival, Helsinki, Finland
2014 Spotlight Vejle, Mariaparken, Vejle, Dk
2013 Haninge Konsthal, Haninge, Stockholm, Sweden
2013 Magnus Stenbock statue, Konsten’s vecka, Helsingborg,
with Konstskolan Munka, Sweden Blog-link
2012 ReARTtheURBAN konference, Zürich Link
2012 Giro d’Italia, Horsens habour, Horsens, Dk
2011 Din ungefestival, Helsingør, Dk
2010 Børnekulturdag, Sundbyøster Amager, Dk
2010 Lieux Publics festival and In-Situ network, Marseilles, France
2009 Gladsaxedagen Rådhusparken, Gladsaxe http://vimeo.com/59478642
2009 Distortion Festival, Skt.Hansgade, Copenhagen
2009 Kulturdage Albertslund, Dk
2009 Summercamp Rødovre, Dk
2009 Kulturkaravanen Mørket, Velling, Bækmarksbro, Dk
2009 Skandinavisk Designhøjskole Randers, Dk
2009 Krabbesholm Højskole, Skive, Dk
2009 Charlottenborg Arthall with Lysholmgård Udslusningspension, Copenhagen
http://issuu.com/charlottenborg/docs/sommerudstilling09/3
http://www.kunsten.nu/artikler/artikel.php?collective+strings+kgs+nytorv+Karoline+H+Larsen
2009 SAPR social art in the public realm, Bangalore, India
2008 Nørrebro Library, Blågårdsplads, Copenhagen
2008 Holstebro byrum, BGK workshop, Dk
2007 Metropolis Laboratory, KIT Kopenhagen International Theater, Enghave Plads, Copenhagen
2007 Central Park, McCarren Park, Prospect Park, Times Square, Danish Art Councils DaNY Arts, New York city, USA
http://vimeo.com/52481883
2006 Roskilde Festival, Roskilde, Dk http://vimeo.com/52469756
2006 Julius Blomsgade, Copenhagen, Dk
2006 Esbjerg Art Museum and Esbjerg city, Dk
2005 AFUK Festival, Amager, Dk
2005 Night Vision Festival, Cape Town trains and squares, Rondebosch Boy School, Cape Town http://vimeo.com/52469757

Photos of Collective Strings