Revisiting the Giants project sits in relationship to transdisciplinary as a triad approach to transdisciplinarity because according to Michael Gibbons, Helga Nowotny, and Christian Pohl ‘transdisciplinarity, characterized by the refusal of formulating any methodology and by its exclusive concentration on joint problem solving of problems pertaining to the science-technology-society triad’. (Basarab, 2014 p.7) Whilst I agree with this reference because the project deals with social sciences, geographical borders and societal concerns. The project also takes a creative approach and uses public art as a lens to look at those truths and deal with them. Dr Jenna C. Ashton, Dr Amy Barron, and Dr Laura Pottinger discuses a range of methods for change using social practice art as research and some of those methods are creative transdisciplinary approaches through art making and exhibitions. (Ashton. Barron, Pottinger, 2021)

 

Revisiting the Giants project has the potential to be a more in-depth transdisciplinary project due to other bodies working with me on the project in the future. For example, Patrick from Art in Liverpool, Culture Liverpool, and Liverpool City Council. This is necessary for the project because in order to have a public art festival that tackles geographical borders and societal issues the project needs to have ‘an open-ness to the perspectives of other disciplines’ (Giri, 2002 p.1) and without the perspectives of other disciplines Revisiting the Giants won’t have the proper resources or discipline to achieve the dismantle of geographical borders.

 

Long term benefits to Revisiting the Giants as a transdisciplinary project is boosting regional growth, creating opportunities and experiences for working class people of Liverpool, and reduction in inequalities which leads to an increase in economic productivity. Revisiting the Giants will develop into a deeper transdisciplinary when more bodies are in involved. Ananta Kumar Giri suggests that a single discipline is likely to fade on its own. However, with a combination of skills and ideas from multiple fields and disciplines produces a new mode of engagement and I would argue that this is the very heart of calling for a creative transdisciplinary. (Giri, 2002) There will be value and importance in public art that aims to foster social inclusion and opportunities for local people in the public to experience art. During the Liverpool Giants visit in 2018 local people from the community had the opportunity to take part in the production and support of the event and this meant that the spectacle advanced a deeper connection to our city through involvement. (Liverpool Echo, 2018) As someone who attended the Liverpool Giants public art festival, it led me to feel located and proud through crowd interaction and collaboration. This is what Revisiting the Giants project wants to achieve, and this will be done through collaboration with Culture Liverpool, Art in Liverpool, and Liverpool City Council when the project resumes. This is discussed more in the projects next steps page.

 

The benefits to making this project transdisciplinary is to encompass a number of art mediums, methods, and languages to accomplish the correct social practice and art research. (Ashton. Barron. Pottinger, 2021) I would make this happen by researching effective methods for positive change. This will start with creating a table for focus on inclusion and collaboration for specific methods and responsibilities. (Polk, 2015) Patrick from Art in Liverpool and I will resume to the table after the Liverpool Independents Biennial with the steps of research, focus groups, practical and effective methodologies, and critical focus to implement phases that encourage project leadership and in-depth collaboration. (Polk, 2015)