Newspaper House Taking Shape
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03. 7.08
Gillian McIver- Photos used with permission of Creative City
Newspaper House is a public art installation: a “house” of newspapers. The public will be encouraged to collect newspapers they find lying around on the tube, bus, streets, public spaces, in their homes and bring them on location. Sumer Erek will lead the public to follow his instructions: including their personal news within the newspaper, rolling and adding it to the structure, hence contributing to building the house." It is now under construction in Gillett Square, and is being filled now for its official opening on March 8.
Volunteers bundling paper Gillian McIver
"We all believed that moving into the digital era would diminish the use of paper. On the contrary, there seems to be a resurgence of printed material and newspapers, much of it free and everywhere - yet we don't think much about where paper comes from and where it goes after we've used it."
Artist Sumer Erek installing papers. Image Credit George Torode
"Newspapers pile up in our houses, lie on the streets and on public transport. The issue is not likely to disappear ; we must find creative ways to deal with it. We are urged to consume without thinking about how to discard. The first step is inviting people to think about and value the material itself, and to consider the issue of “waste”.
Gillian McIver
We don't know what the R value of all that newspaper is but suspect that it is significant. This will be a warm little shed! ::Newspaper House
Isn't this a fire hazard?
1. Alot of things are fire hazards such as not cleaning out your crumb tray in your toaster. (I need to go clean my toaster)
2. If you had propper drywall on the inside, and propper sheething on the outside why would a fire get in there. Unless of course you don't know how to do wiring.
3. Have you ever tried to light a tightly wound newspaper? It isn't that easy.
I agree with you that it Might be. But alot of things could be fire hazards, so I don't think it's fair to write it off right away.