Becky Neil

Living Room / Das Wohnzimmer
2015
Created by Becky Neil

“Living Room” asks, how has such dramatic technological change altered the traditional notion of “home” as a private, fixed space?  What do movement and moving have in common? “Living Room” explores the tension between the basic human desire to create a meaningful home, and the pressures of global economy which demands mobility.  How can we express ourselves, remember our stories, and know who we are, when we are constantly changing where we live?  It reactivates the nomad for the 21st century, and nesting becomes an ongoing evolutionary process.

The “Living Room” project (“Wohnzimmer” in German) transforms a transitional public space into a comfortable home environment. The U-Bahn is constantly in motion, but we can experience a stillness, peacefulness, and comfort during our commute by augmenting the sterile space with softer environmental cues such as curtains, rugs, pillows, trinkets, and games. In addition to simply creating for riders a relaxed transit experience, this intervention toys with the boundary between public and private space – a line becoming increasingly indistinct in this digital age of surveillance and a global economy. 

Exhibited: Berlin, Germany