Greetings from the end of the world
Using the boardwalk as a metaphor for people coming together from different worlds and spaces, Kastor & Pollux will resurrect a series of classic tourist booths along the waterfront. A food stall, a performance stand, and a postcard stand complete with a mailbox will explore what the boardwalk means for the community and tourism now and into the future. // En utilisant la promenade du front de mer comme métaphore rassemblant des personnes venant de mondes et d’espaces différents, Kastor & Pollux donneront vie à une série de stands touristiques classiques : un stand de restauration, un kiosque à musique et un présentoir à cartes postales avec une boîte aux lettres, permettant ainsi d'explorer ce que la promenade signifie pour la communauté et le tourisme d’aujourd'hui et du futur.
Within metropolitan cities and beyond, gentrification disbands communities and erases what once was. While its theory on paper alludes to inclusivity, gentrification is ultimately a process that excludes, annihilates, and marginalizes. To call to mind the issue of what is lost and what can be found is a challenge: what is displacement and what is modernization? And furthermore, how can cities break down boundaries in class, race and beyond to spread equal opportunities for all?
In Halifax, gentrification has inspired “end of the world” sentiments with locals. Amid a zigzag of new developments and proposals for rezoning are local pleas that ring out: Break down systems! Consider alternatives! Don’t perpetuate the problem! As the city transforms, vibrancy looks different than it once did. In fact, nestled among shiny surfaces and high rises are shadows of the apocalypse. In a tumultuous world, it’s already overwhelming to pause and pose questions about our place within it. But what does this mean for a small city? Will community tensions evolve into togetherness?
To foster and protect togetherness during this time of change, we rely on a physical space for our community to congregate. In Halifax, that place is the boardwalk. Though cityscapes may be in constant flux, the boardwalk holds its place as a cornerstone for tourism. Using it as a metaphor for convergence, Kastor & Pollux recontextualizes this old space for a familiar purpose; urging people from different worlds to come together.
The artists gather to this crossroads of Haligonian culture as tourists themselves. Traveling from Toronto, the boardwalk welcomes them to the East Coast. In an unfamiliar city, they know that this is a community space for all.
This installation resurrects a series of classic tourist booths along the waterfront, claiming space for direct experience and personal agency. A food stall, a performance stand, and postcard kiosk complete with a mailbox explores what the boardwalk means for the community and tourism: now and into the future. In a time of disparity and change, a trip down to the boardwalk will be something to write home about.
