During an 8-month residency in New York City the streets and public interiors were my canvas.
I found a hand truck and bought cans of paint for 1 Dollar each in a hardware shop in Brooklyn.
I chose a public place and painted for one day, sometimes only for a few hours. A few days later, I would go back to see how the site had changed.
During my stay in New York I came to understand that using public place for personal thoughts is not permitted. Graffiti, posters or any other kind of notes are immediately removed, or painted over. As the same color is never used twice to erase the notes, a lot of abstract painting comes into being all over the city. The notes thus become even more visible under layers of paint.
I am interested in the swift changes that occur in public spaces.
Silke Kästner
