RG ReSolutions presents: thinking small
2005 (in collaboration with Adriane Herman)
The Map Room, Portland, ME
Working from the belief that making a difference in someone's day does change the world for at least two people, RG ReSolutions has worked to vanquish inertia and facilitate meaningful human dialogue since late Spring 2005. Visitors to RG ReSolutions presents: thinking small at the Map Room could choose from three distinct activities: Take-a-Problem, Leave-a-Problem, and/or ReSolve-a-Problem. The atmosphere might be described as “casual bureaucratic,” with minimal and inexpensive furniture, a water cooler, filing cabinet, notebooks, color-coded forms, and other assorted tools and props of a bureaucratic process.
In preparation for the installation, we collected over fifty problems from the people we encountered in public spaces in Portland, Maine. As we began our process, we attempted to resolve each problem we encountered. As time passed, we realized that it would be both practical and more empowering for potential audience members if they created a substantial role for those who visited the space and ultimately became our collaborators. As such, we created a “problem-resolving” clinic whereby visitors could participate by writing and filing resolutions for future visitors to read or leaving a problem of their own.