To Whom Do You Beautifully Belong?

A year-long exhibition exploring the relationship between urban ecology, public space, and community through the transformation of an underutilized parcel of land in Columbus, Ohio.

Curated by James Voorhies

Tongsue Ly

Olde Towne East neighborhood, Columbus, OH
May 1, 2008–Apr 30, 2009

Made possible with support from Columbus College of Art & Design; realized within my responsibilities as Director of Exhibitions at Columbus College of Art & Design

Organized by Bureau for Open Culture, with land leased from the city by Tongsue Ly and Matthew Flegle

To Whom Do You Beautifully Belong? approached an unused city plot as a site for learning, collaboration, and experimentation. Leased for $1, the land offered a setting for organic gardening, learning about plants, and exchanging knowledge with neighbors. The project invited participants to contribute ideas and experience, considering how open access to urban space could strengthen community and generate interest in the ecological life of the city.

Drawing on histories of community-based art, land art, process art, and public art, the exhibition connected the practical work of cultivating land with questions of sovereignty and responsibility: to whom does this land belong, who can use it, who is responsible for it, and why is it available for $1? A blog and the Bureau for Open Culture's website documented the evolving site and provided access to activities, extending participation beyond the physical plot.