CHRIS FREMANTLE

Lauren Bon and other members of the Metabolic Studio led a dive into the ‘Concrete is Fluid’ exhibition at Honor Fraser Gallery.

After discussing the installed work the afternoon moved into even more Hacktivist mode: the aim was to explore the possibilities of ‘undevelopment’ on a different scale from the undevelopment projects at Metabolic – this was about what opening up one car parking space behind the gallery might do.

One member of the team took us through the soil testing, how much lead and arsenic are under the tarmac, another member of the team talked about how Sunflowers and dandelions are really good at taking up heavy metals, Lauren pointed out that the new patch could capture oily water running from the adjacent car mechanics’ shop. They talked about indigenous and invasive species… though in the context of undevelopment and climate change thinking in terms of ‘novel assemblages’… There was also discussion of the community that would be needed to work with this undevelopment, who as inhabitants might be involved.