Left to Right; Rhema Mangus, Francis Kéré, Cathy Halstead, Shannon Jackson, Ronald Rael, and Pete Hinmon
Relevance of Place
Relevance of Place is an online series of site-specific dialogues that explore the meaning of place at Tippet Rise Art Center.
Guided by Shannon Jackson, Chair of the History of Art Department at UC-Berkeley and a scholar of socially-engaged art, this platform invites artists, architects, designers, and creative thinkers to engage in conversation about the ethics, aesthetics, and relevance of place. These conversations explore “place” as a global, local, and personal concept as well as “place” as it refers specifically to Tippet Rise, a site that brings together “art, music, land, sky, and poetry” creating an “algorithm that is greater than the sum of its parts.” In individual interviews and group dialogues, each guest offers stories and insights from their own practice. Together, they reflect on the historic past and sustainable future of Tippet Rise—as an environmental site, as a wide-ranging art center, and as a creative gathering space.
Relevance of Place: Cathy Halstead
Tippet Rise Co-Founder Cathy Halstead speaks about the power of artistic metaphor at Tippet Rise and the importance of facing the history and future of the site with a spirit of love.
Relevance of Place: Francis Kéré
Architect and artist Francis Kéré discusses how the community spaces in his village in Burkina Faso inspire his award-winning international designs, including Xylem at Tippet Rise.
Relevance of Place: Ronald Rael
Designer, artist, and architect Ronald Rael speaks about how an indigenous understanding of land and materials inspires his contemporary innovations in art, design, and new technology, and shares his response to Tippet Rise.
Relevance of Place: Cathy Halstead, Francis Kéré, Ronald Rael, & Ben Wynthein
Shannon Jackson moderates a dialogue among local and international luminaries on what it means to honor the history of a landscape such as Tippet Rise and to sustain its future health — artistically, socially, and environmentally.
Relevance of Place: Walter Hood
Artist and designer Walter Hood discusses how his unique process reimagines the ethical and artistic possibilities of a landscape, and how he responds to sculpture within the landscape of Tippet Rise.
Relevance of Place: Suzanne Lacy
Artist Suzanne Lacy discusses the principles of community and relationality and how they inform her public art and activism, as well as her response to Tippet Rise.
Relevance of Place: Laura Viklund
Architect Laura Viklund talks about the community principles of timber-framing and how they have informed her architectural designs as well as her role as an interpreter between artists and the Tippet Rise site.
Relevance of Place: Walter Hood, Suzanne Lacy, & Laura Viklund
Shannon Jackson moderates a dialogue among three leading public artists and architects about how socially relevant art emerges from local communities and offers new perspectives on the places we live and the lives we lead.