As philosopher Jacques Rancière argues, aesthetics is political because aesthetics governs what appears visible or hidden, what appears normal or abnormal, and what appears possible or impossible. According to Rancière, the “distribution of the sensible” defines the political sphere of society, and who belongs to that society. However, Rancière suggests that our sensible experience can be reorganized to create a new perception of the social world, to validate new social subjects, and to afford the possibility of new actions.
Philosopher Judith Butler similarly articulates that social subjectivity requires consideration of an aesthetic context. For Butler, the political capacity of those other subjects that do not conform to social norms depends upon the social recognition of their right to appear. While the marginalizing aesthetic of marginal space stands in the way of such social recognition, it is possible that such spaces can be aesthetically transformed in a manner that facilitates the reconsideration of marginalized subjects as co-equal members of society. Architectural interventions based on the premise of urban camping could enact this transformation.
Marginalization is a social phenomenon that is especially common for individuals experiencing precarity.
Oftentimes, these individuals inhabit infrastructural spaces in the city that are categorized as “marginal space,” which enforces the idea of marginal preconception due to an aesthetic aspect. These spaces in the city are specifically intended for the efficient circulation of people and the utilities that serve them, and are consequently not considered as social space. Therefore, as marginal space is aesthetically coded as being outside of the social realm, those individuals occupying such space are likewise viewed as outside of society. Thus, individuals that seek refuge in these “marginal spaces” risk being stigmatized.
Urban Camping
Helen Wu
Urban camping has the potential to re-organize our sensible experience of the city because recreational camping is recognized as a valid form of marginal occupation. Although “camping” is not currently associated with the urban environment, the notion of an urban form of camping for city dwellers (potential urban campers), could “normalize” the marginal occupation of urban space. In fact, this re-organization has the potential to re-frame other forms of marginal occupation, and create a new urban aesthetic that is inclusive towards, and validating of, individuals currently experiencing precarity.
Los Angeles River
Section
Residential Vs. Marginal Space
