F. A. Q.
Introduction
Hello?
Hi there! Welcome in. I’m glad you’ve joined us.
What is this? What did I just get myself into?
If you are reading this, you are participating in a project called L’Art Du Treillageur. This is a project that draws from traditions of participatory performance, conceptual art, and social practice.
Participating…what exactly am I going to be doing?
As a treillageur, you are being asked to construct your own miniature trellis and reflect on a few short questions. Your documentation and thoughts will be shared to a community archive based online and housed in a sculptural installation.
Trell – a – what? What is that, French?
Yes, actually, it is! It’s the word that was used to refer to French trellis carpenters during the late 18th century.
Trellis…I feel like I know what that is…
You probably do! I’m sure you’ve seen it all over. Trellis has been used as a structure to support plant growth for thousands of years, from the gardens of ancient Rome to the back patio pergolas frequently found in suburban settings today.
But why trellis?
Just as vines and other climbing plants rely on trellis as a structure to support their growth, we too rely on a myriad of structures to support ours. These are social, financial, legal, and infrastructural in nature, just to name a few examples. Right now is a crucial moment to think together about these support structures.
The global COVID-19 pandemic, for example, continues to foreground the structures that we rely on for support and growth, from the loved ones we connect to on video calls to the networks of essential labor that drive our economy. Other current crises like ongoing racial injustice and severe climate change are challenging how we think about things like community support, care, and mutual aid.
So what do I do next?
- Follow THIS LINK for an INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO on how to BUILD and DOCUMENT your miniature trellis
- UPLOAD your DOCUMENTATION to THIS LINK
- ANSWER a few short REFLECTION QUESTIONS at THIS LINK
- POST your photos, TAG and FOLLOW the project @treillageur on Instagram. There are lots of exciting updates happening there, including project images, surprise drops, and mutual aid opportunities.
Thanks for your participation, and we hope you look forward to seeing this project unfold.