The purpose of this project is the documentation of the curation and design of an interactive exhibition, Locally Grown.

As the lobby display of the newly renovated Palo Art Center’s reopening exhibition Community Creates!, the design of Locally Grown was inspired by close association with four of its artists, reflecting the organization’s mission.

Focusing on East Palo Alto and Palo Alto neighborhoods, Locally Grown was a hands-on participatory exhibit that aspired to engage audiences in the making of leaves. In order to support the curatorial approach taken in Locally Grown, current concepts of exhibition design and curatorial interventions are examined, and the Community Creates! artists’ co-creation with community is documented.

The curatorial and design actions used in implementing Locally Grown are detailed, and the challenges of the interactive activity explored.

Finally, from the lessons learned from this exhibition, recommendations are made for the design of future participatory displays.

Susan O’Malley

Community Advice!

What advice would you give your 8 year-old self?

What advice would you give your 80 year-old self?

Community Creates!

Susan O’Malley

Community Creates!

Paz de la Calzada

Community Creates!

Paz de la Calzada

Community Creates!

The Design

• Long Wall: – Using the image of a large Oak tree, draw/paint its trunk and branches; cut out colored neighborhoods and

hang these in clusters are if they were hanging from the branches (depending upon the number of neighborhoods from East Palo Alto, this may require two Oak trees); set the neighborhoods randomly, not in their actual relationships.

– Below the tree, install a hook for each neighborhood for the hanging of leaves.

• Short wall left:– Create didactic panels from above.

• Short wall right:– Install 3 maps:

Palo Alto neighborhoods with key to hooks;

East Alto Alto neighborhoods with key to hooks;

Bay Area counties with hooks.

• Interactive: create leaves on a 4’ table (with stools) in niche area:– Choose colored paper;– Choose type of leaf to “punch;”– “Punch” leaf;– Write advice for your neighborhood, Palo Alto or the world;– Locate your neighborhood, and hang your leaf.

The Exhibition Plan

Layout and Design

Layout and Design

Layout and Design

Maps City of Palo Alto City of East Palo Alto

Map-Version 1

Map-Exhibition Panel

Didactic

Didactic-Exhibition Panel

Installation

Installation

Installation

Exhibition

Exhibition-Interactive

Exhibition Interactive

Exhibition Interactive

Visitor Study-Quantitative

Visitor Study-Qualitative• Happiness; We want to be safe; I want to live in happiness and peace;

Gorgeous PAAC; May our new art center last forever; Thank you for such a wonderful place; Wish that everyone becomes princesses and fairies; For the Palo Alto Art Center, I wish that all will have fun; To not litter; Respect our country;

• Happy art!; David likes this place; Have a good life trees; Cars drive slow where children are present; Happy Art Day Smile :); I wish everyone in Palo Alto have fun in the center; Grow strong trees in midtown!; To be free; Have fun and enjoy; More trees and to help the environment; I wish to see more people walking and fewer cars

• Thank you for this wonderful art center; Less rushed and enjoy life; My wish is be always happy; Street trees should be two or three different species on each block! Best wishes

• Thank you for all the art that you share with all of us; Peace on earth; We love the new art center

• In memoriam of our glorious oak; May our oak live on in dreams and memories; More trees

• Respect your gift and talents

Challenges:

• There had been no time to prototype the Interactive• The Interactive presented challenges to users and to

the staff of PAAC• PAAC had not anticipated maintenance of the exhibit

Lesson Learned:

Design takes time, Do not skip steps