Participatory Public Art — Community project. A collaboration between center for contemporary art and Steirischer Herbst. In coopeartion with different associations of “Annenviertel” and the surroundings. Nayarí Castillo co-curator with Anton Lederer, Margarethe Makovec, Daniela Brasil , Maryam Mohammadi, Mário Soares et al. With the valuable contributions of Studio Magic, Samowar Activity Café /Daily Rhythms Collective, Heidenspass, jukus, Mafalda, TU Graz, UniT.
Different communities and active groups were hosted and invited to realize multiple activities in an open-to-all safe environment — independent of nationality, background, or belief. The House of Open Gates was designed under the motto of “transcultural hospitality”. A space to foster the most diverse, horizontal, and warm-hearted gatherings. For an entire year and with the help of many partners, the project looked to change the city’s perspective in terms of arrival and immigration of the zone, giving voice and stage to many coexisting populations in an overwhelming human synergy. More than 400 persons were involved in the organization. The curatorial group created the program. We dreamt of a dialogical space where different people meet. An area where relationships interweave, and prejudices can be deconstructed, and humanity’s idea as diverse and egalitarian could be cultivated – while guests shared a free cup of coffee or tea.
