In the Field 05 - May 4th 2013 - Jane Jacobs Walk by Occupy

Every architect, urbanist, city planner, real estate developer, urban activist and community artist should read "The life and death of great american cities" written by Jane Jacobs in 1961. And most of them did. Jane Jacobs loved the city and that's why she explored it not on paper but in real life on foot walking through the neighborhoods. She is known as the saviour of many great building in New York City. But her greatest contribution was the insight that to develop a city we need to develope its community, starting with public awareness.

Jane Jacobs demonstrating for the preservation of New York's Penn Station

In the US the Jane Jacobs is a phenomenon. All over the country so called Jane Walks are held. These are informative tours led by locals to raise awareness about the community and its urban living conditions. There is a national organization called "Jane Jacobs Walk" that is trying to keep track of these walks and organizing a nation wide city exploration festival on the 4th of May, Jane Jacobs birthday.

This Year I took part in such a walk held in one of Jane's favorite neighborhoods, the Meat Packing District at the west side of Manhattan. The walk was part of a city wide event organized by the Municipal Art Society of New York, and was led and designed (!) by a team of artists participating in the Occupy movement.

Considering my interest in situated art and informal public education I definitely wanted to take part in this. I considered it a great, peaceful and constructive way to participate as a citizen in politics. So I was completely surprised when there were almost as many police men turning up at the meeting point for this walk then there were citizen participants.

Anyhow we had a great walk with low profile ludic performances of professional actors like Kim Fraczek, Marina Tsaplina, & Monica Hunken together with lots of dedicated locals in a heart warming get together. (Watch my short video report) (Watch their online full length version)

I must say that americans have their way of giving a theatrical and dramatic turn to the things they do in public. And when singing the classic protest song "We shall overcome" I realized that there is a living tradition of democratic action in this country. The tour ended with a collective declamation of the famous poem "Don't go gentle into that good night" by Dylan Thomas. I must admit a had to swallow a sentimental sob to stand there speaking out that beautiful poem at the border of the river hudson.

So why on earth were these coppers following us? Well the tour was to raise awareness about the dangers of the fracking of natural gas near New York City. So the coppers were not protecting public order but the interest of the oil companies I concluded and I can not think of any other reason. Do you?