Uncommon Commons: Crisis State

As the global Covid-19 pandemic continues to force many of us to conduct much of our lives outdoors, we at MOCA believe that it is an opportune time to focus our programming on outdoor art in the public sphere. In doing so, we aim to call attention to the spaces that host these artworks and the ways that art, site, and public may work in tandem to create civic discourse. As part of this effort, we have organized Uncommon Commons, a series of virtual panel discussions that investigate the relationship between outdoor artworks, public sites, and the people that visit them.

2020 was a year that wrought havoc on the urban landscape of Los Angeles. The Covid-19 pandemic continues to exact a harrowing toll on the citizens of the city as we experience increasing levels of poverty, illness, and death. Moreover, the pandemic has exacerbated the civic crises that were already plaguing Los Angeles; namely homelessness, social injustice and police brutality, and mental health and well-being.

The city’s public parks and civic spaces have risen to the challenge, providing necessary space and resources to combat these mounting threats. This month’s Uncommon Common panel will investigate how public space is being put to use to tackle these multiple crises. Each of the panelists involved will discuss how they are using their positions is organizing, building, and bringing together in an effort to overcome these issues and utilizing public space to do so.