Wednesdays observations: Otley street, Rolleston Ave, Worcester Boulevard

Otley Street

EMT79 puffer jacket, yeah it is a bit chilly today

RY2324 unnaturally clean

AFT414 two pairs of sunglasses and a stack of re-usuable bags. Also Guano –that stuff actually etches the paint if you don’t clean it off quickly (or is that an urban myth?)

TG6Ø21 sunscreen and an eraser...the eraser is unusual kit for a car, do you often need to revise your notes while driving? Or is this the car of someone who sketches?

EBN181 tasteful tartan umbrella and a set of non slip mats, here is a person always prepared for too much water above and below.

DUY332 there is a Sponge Bob Square Pants fan in this family

MU998 there is a carburettor and drive chain sitting in the tray, they look like they have been there for a while.

TG4983 food wrappers

EPA529 ‘V’ drinker who stores there shopping receipts in the console, petrol discount vouchers I would think.

XG8536 AA member and sugar addict

AMZ747 the only sign of personality is a red oak leaf decoration hanging on the rear vision mirror

BQU2Ø5 there is an MP3 player plugged in, obviously likes music while they are driving

BHB473 there is LOTS of stuff in the back, obviously likes Diet Coke in industrial quantities

PX9221 petrol can in the back seat, is that for the lawn mower or does the petrol gauge not work properly?

PJ9664 this is a working man’s car; gumboots, tools and rain gear

TM7753 Gym kit complete with used towel

XB9948 passenger foot well is used as a rubbish bin

ASU74Ø soup pan and towel. Interesting combination!

UR8Ø18

CTY1ØØ Child booster seat

RP8266 child seat, maps and shopping dockets

DZZ674 a copy of “Leaving the World” by Douglas Kennedy with a bookmark halfway through.

DNB931 torn seat covers, serious off-roader with exhaust extension for river crossing

Rolleston Ave

BKB631 child's chair in the boot – not a plastic K Mart one but a well made miniature of a lounge chair. Also a box of toys.

DTQ94

NX9070

BK5515 stretched canvas in a big plastic bag in the boot, looks like a commercial print, I can’t see the image but it has a lot of pinks and lavenders. There are also purple floral designs on the seat covers

DSE383 heavy duty people mover -7 seater- clean as a whistle

CUK537 two soft drink cups with straws in the back seat cup holders, someone has taken the kids out for a treat

BWK3Ø2 two child seats, a basinet and a toddler size

DQN333 has crotcheted seat covers on all the seats -9 in all a neatly bundled bag of food rubbish inside- looks like a tour bus of people have gone to the Botanic Gardens

Worcester Boulevard

XK14Ø3 muddy 4WD with big tidy bins in the back, they listen to The Rock 93.7FM

I JOC I just a tidy kit of maps on the passenger seat

ZZ1178 tartan picnic blanket, lots of food crumbs on the seats but no rubbish

ZY3Ø93 there is a model racing car on the back seat, maybe a Lamborghini, it’s white with go faster red stripes

AJR764 organised people mover, it has a pink toy bag hanging on the back of the passenger seat where the toddler in the booster seat can reach it.

DD7964 silver, big, expensive. Still got that new car smell I bet.

CET193 silver saloon

EHC21Ø another silver saloon

BMJ151 a plumbing contractor with lots of lengths of pipe on the roof rack

YH6336 A double cab with exhaust extension and serious bull-bars

DDQ5Ø silver people mover

DDG88 silver saloon

FBC862 ANOTHER silver people mover

XU74Ø8 antimacassar headrest covers and ribbon decoration, like an extension of the sitting room at home. ..climbing roses or a dried flower arrangement of some sort would not be out of place.

RF6Ø31 a novel by Larsson on the seat and a floral mat in drivers foot well

BRH33Ø a big Griffin’s Biscuit tin and Glade air freshener

WX3637 sports cap and a box of gear

UQ9756 has got a roof rack kitted out to carry Kayaks, has been converted to LPG...do people still do that?

ALK579 ubiquitous silver saloon

CSF714 this vehicle has four booster seats in it...FOUR! that is just heroic.

DEP743 a battery kit on the back seat and a none too clean hanky

EGG2Ø5 poser 4WD for going shopping in

WJG610 a little white hatchback

JP5183 this is a rarity, a little classic white mini (with a dented front bumper and a few spots of rust, but still a wee beauty). The problem with having classic and unusual cars is that the parking attendants’ also notice them...this one has a parking ticket. None of the MANY silver saloons in this block do, is this a coincidence? I vote anyone who maintains a classic car on the road should get automatic free parking -as long as they are driving that car.

EDF79Ø a commercial cleaners van, obviously hard at work somewhere around here

XG59Ø9 there is a lot of guano marking an otherwise exceptionally beautiful high tech paint finish...deep rich green

DRU205 another poser 4WD, no sign of any recreational or work use

EMA440 an AA member with a disability parking permit

EMA896 Silver people mover AAAAARGH!!!

BMJ225 its a hatchback not a saloon...but it is silver
I give up

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Tuesday’s observations: South City Mall carpark

UJI793  this person likes animals, they have a sheep toy dangling from their rear vision mirror and paw print seat covers

ZF8884  a work horse of a wagon, the back is clearly used regularly to haul stuff around. It looks like it has had a load of firewood recently

BAE221  Black glossy paintwork and maroon velour seat covers. There are muddy little cat footprints all over the bonnet.

AWL143  the car of a very practical person; loaded with sacks bags and other potentially useful objects

DYL715  stylish little hatchback with a disability permit

ZQ338ø Big roomy comfortable looking seats, a car for somebody who likes to drive on the open road.

TANA  a whimsical touch in the form of a plastic daffodil tucked into the dash

EYY778  very clean, no rubbish or any personal belongings, just a small bag on the back seat

BP5572  brand new High Definition TV in the boot and a lovely pacific woven bag in the passenger foot-well...perhaps a hedonist?

CEP776  adventure junkies: headlight covers for off-road and jet-ski on the roof-rack, mud spattered from a recent trip. Big 4wd is a bit overkill for a trip to the supermarket...lots of adventure to be had in this carpark. Not.

DAA315  these people can’t have driven far, there are still white blossom petals stuck to the bonnet and roof. I guess they park under a tree at home.

ZL4666  likes the colour burgundy. There are a lot of tissues, papers and old water bottles on every seat except the drivers –I would guess they don’t usually have passengers.

ZI3358  very sunburned trim, the front bumper almost looks sandblasted from miles of driving.

AFS417  is covered in yellow stamen pollen and petals front to back, like a dusty haze of gold over the black paintwork. Also lots of small stones embedded in the tyre tread.

UB4ø1ø  there is a botanical theme developing today, this one has large kowhai petals on it; bright yellow on midnight blue paintwork...nice.

SF34ø9  another family wagon

ESL825  This big low slung van looks like a refugee from ‘Pimp my Ride’ it has a body kit and custom pin-striping.

SK6826  Cat footprints, children’s drawings, a pile of film books on the back seat with a copy of ‘Post production’ on top and a harmonica. I’d like to meet this person.

DMH3ø6  passed it’s AA inspection and got shat on by a couple of birds.

OP7974  needs a clean but looks homely there are papers strewn on the parcel tray

EJC826  contains one box of tissues and a car seat, recently cleaned inside and out.

EQZ252  this car is so new it has no personality at all. It is the first hybrid I have ever seen though.

AZM927  a rumpled pile of clothes in the back seat, I wonder who got changed in the car and why?

BZZ2ø2

UA9287 empty

BKD268  has a steering lock. It’s very muddy and has interesting looking equipment cases in the back...some kind of agricultural fieldwork?

AMG839  fluffy seat covers, blanket and babyseat combination, looks very cosy

AWE331  Asian Kitsch -probably Korean because there is Hangul text on the seat cushion shaped like a bear. Also has sparkly love heart chimes hanging off the rear vision mirror. Some garden tools in the back.

DNQ497  Another plastic daffodil in the front console –I guess the cancer Society has been collecting recently.

EDJ885  there is a half consumed fruit smoothie and some cloth reusable bags

ELU957  there is a mileage sheet on the passenger seat, business trip obviously

AS75ø5 completely clean and empty

TJ3965 electrical tradesmen stopping at the supermarket...it is smoko time so his boss shouldn’t mind

EF5819  a small yellow elephant toy is sticking its trunk out of the console

BSG514  contains the usual set of things to make a driver more comfortable

RSS681  there is a cushion on the driver’s seat and a scrunchy hair tie on the gearstick. I’m guessing a female driver of short stature with long hair.

XL8277  several parking dockets on the dashboard, obviously been running a few errands around town. There is a very nice woven bag.

ZI9755  another very nice woven shopping bag

DJC382  recent rust work, someone is going to a lot of effort to keep this lovely little Triumph Toledo on the road. Not so many people bother to fix up older cars anymore.

DQC971  unusual green colour. A very organised person with a diary and file box on the back seat.

BTT426  kids smeary finger-marks on the back windows, looks like a messy ice-cream adventure.

RR9953  remains of many outings in every part of the car, not rubbish –just stuff: books toys sandals and water bottles.

DWG5øø  they like MacDonald’s food and the car to smell nice...seems to me it might be difficult to manage both of these things at once

YX4821  an older VW, someone’s workhorse of a car . It’s neat but has torn seat-covers –no time to worry about such things maybe.

AAF2ø7

BUB371

YA9657  this is third characterless silver saloon in a row. Banality is excellent camouflage.

EUH496

EGJ857  there is a huge box of toys in the back of this work truck, is the kid coming to stay for the holidays?

CYM452  has a monkey toy hanging from the rear vision mirror and several suits hanging in the back...a professional man with a sense of humour, or maybe just grandkids.

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Mondays observations: Madras St to High St

DTN479 people mover, children's drawings on the front seat, they'll be going on the fridge later I bet
 

CWA898
 

AFA7 Ø9
 

EZU864 these people obviously car about keeping their nice new car clean, there are plastic seat protectors, the car is amazingly immaculate.

XE5934 shabby sunburned paintwork but generally tidy inside, a music lover maybe, good sized speakers on the rear dash

BKK714 has at least one child, regulation car seat installed

AUC264

UH1985 has personalised their car with bright novelty seat covers. There is a coathanger hanging in the back

67YDE a little black step through bike with a broken indicator switch, the damage looks recent

DEU292 this one is a bit unloved, there is missing trim all over the car inside and out; no ashtray, speaker covers, rear bumper...in fact it looks like it has been methodically stripped for parts. Boot is a different color the seat covers are ruined with foam hanging out...last nights dinner wrappers are on the back seat. Otherwise there is nothing personal in the car whatsoever.

CBP773 looks like it belongs to an organised single person, there is a folded peice of paper on one seat and a pen. Do they like to make lists?

RS36 Ø1 uses their car as a mobile rubbish bin/ handbag. most of the stuff is in the passenger foot-well where the driver obviously chucks it for later. All sorts of things, bottles lollie wrappers coffee cups... and that looks like a pencil case

CKD151 is a very organised and responsible person, they have a tidy bag for rubbish hanging on the gear stick, a water bottle, a set of reusable shopping bags and a set of elastic bungy cords in the back. Love the fire engine red color, go faster red on a station wagon.

CHK88 clean impersonal car with a lot of stone chips on the front, looks like the car does long distances on the road...maybe this person lives a bit out of town.

CTN795 there is a tiny brightly colored childs scooter in the back, suitable for 3-5 years

YN6583 judging from the clothes and used towel in the back someone has been to the gym or the swimming pool today

AHG817 there is nothing personal in this car, but evidence of someone practical; clean rags and milk cartons in the back, a lockbar on the steering wheel

BWB33  Ø food crumbs on passenger seat and a lot of maps. There is a beautiful very new skateboard on the rear dash and a pair of aviator sunglasses. The board is the kind you might use for acrobatic maneuvers and stunts but it hasn't been used much yet.

RD4634 there is a towel spread on the back seat, is this because of a leaking window seal or a wet passenger? I think a dog is the most likely reason

Manchester street

YO6458 another impersonal car with practical things in it, there are several heavy duty ratchet tiedowns in the back that look like they have never been used.

LOLIES baby basinet in front and novelty sunscreen stuck on rear passenger window, there is a cuddly blanket and some reusable shopping bags. The car itself is a bit of a boyracer kit out, with snazzy air intakes and an impressive rear spoiler. the mixture of the cosy doemstic debris inside the car and the sleek silver built for speed body suggests someone with young kids who still dreams of a faster life

XT984  Ø completely clean and empty except for a notebook and some sunglasses

EFH162 boring

Gloucester street

DUG61Ø Vitamin supplement on the back seat and map open on passenger seat, glasses and MP3 player, this looks like a corporate travellor's car, maybe a rental.

EQJ534 a big people mover with dark tinted windows the back seats are folded away and there is half a toilet roll on the passenger seat

EUY721 a seat of cookbooks on the rear seat and a big red tin toolbox in the boot. Leaving an expensive toolkit like that in sight is going to be a temptation for someone.

EUM534 childseat and blanket combination and a brown paperbag lunch

BEG996 Used towel on back seat and a box of muesli bars. There are big bull bars on the front and extra spotlights for off-roading or night shooting, could be an outdoors person who likes hunting and fishing or just a serious poser.

EPW421 another tidy car, practical items like a box of tissues and a neatly folded windscreen sun shade. On the back seat is an instrument case of some kind, long and thin...a flute? intriguing.

CGQ526 big van with blacked out windows, not much in the cab brown bag lunch, floor a bit muddy...the most intriguing thing about this one is a pair of shoes sitting on the footpath looking as if someone has taken them off before getting in the back. There is noone around and the shoes are getting wet in the rain. They dont look as if they have been there for very long.

YY6561 empty clean and impersonal with nothing inside

High Street RZ8  Ø47 Lavender shawl on the floor in the rear foot well and a cd with no case on the seat. The last passenger in the front seat was very tall...the seat is pushed right back as far as it will go.

UJ725 odd mixture of things on the back seat; several spray cans, a pile of wooden coat hangers (the old-fashioned kind that are really good for hanging suits on), some speaker cables and a lot of mail. Looks a bit like someone has just picked up the last lot of stuff from a house they moved out of last week...

APB491 this looks like another commercial travellor's car, expensive black wool coat, open map on passenger seat, leather driving gloves and some takeaway food containers (deli rather than Macdonalds) in the foot-well on the passenger side.

US7499 a van kitted out for the road that has obviously been putting in the miles, carrying an impressive coating of road grime and mud spatter. bed in the back and random personal items strewn around. A hippy special, but more Wellington bohemian chic than Golden Bay tie-dye the curtains are Black and white floral and there is a Hawaiian hula doll stuck to the dash

DJM128 boring and impersonal, especially after that last one.

CLR372 a promising pile of picnic blankets in the back (the practical ones with vinyl on the back so no-one gets a wet behind sitting on the grass). There is a folder of documents on the passenger seat so I guess the picnics will have to wait until the weekend.

UN9282 tidy

AUA148 taking the remote control to get fixed? a broken remote is on the passenger seat, held together with electrical tape. This is the first car I have seen today where the person is obviously doing shopping errands, there is a parcel on the back seat.

BQD186 another eco-conscious shopper with a set of reusable cloth bags in the boot ready

and waiting

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Recreational Bureaucracy

28 September–2 October 2009

Recreational Bureaucracy is a project that calls attention to the invisible and shifting line that separates 'public' from 'private' by collecting data from individuals' vehicles parked in public inner city parking zones and republishing it anonymously. Car owners often regard their cars as an extension of their private space to the degree of completely forgetting what kinds of information may be gleaned by those who may be observing and recording their movements around the city. In this instance, the 'data' collected is only that which is already in public view, the bureaucrat will be recording car registration numbers, making notes about the condition and contents of the car and taking graphite impressions of the right front tyre tread. This material will then be reproduced and pasted en masse on walls and bollards around the city by Phantom Billstickers. The documentation and the way it is republished is intended to mimic various existing classification and surveillance activities, governmental, commercial, voyeuristic and vigilante.

The main conceptual focus of this work is on the role of the individual in governmental forms of control, as this amateur pencil pusher takes on a pseudo-authoritative position illegitimately. The action also confronts the behaviour of commercial data harvesters and community action groups alike, who consistently employ data collection and 'data matching' methods putatively for the benefit of the public. The commercial use of private material is an increasing part of the political and economic landscape that remains largely invisible, and the bureaucrat's technique of collection also imitates the methodologies of surveillance most often associated with governmental control. However an important facet of this project will be how the Christchurch community reacts to the presence of this 'amateur bureaucrat'.

Versions of this work have been performed in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Wasserberg, Germany, and in each location the community reaction was different. In Sarajevo security officials accosted the artist for not having the correct authority, with her activities apparently perceived as subversive, threatening or potentially dangerous. However, in Wasserberg civil authorities predominantly ignored the bureaucrat and it was the individual car owners who were defensive of their personal property being documented by a stranger. The revelation of how this specific community deals with unknown threats and bureaucratic imposition of Recreational Bureaucracy will illuminate the relationship between control systems, social agreement and community.

By adopting specific methodologies of data collection and classification every day over a one week period in Christchurch, amateur bureaucrat will continue their ongoing investigation into urban control systems and how this occurs as social collaboration in public spaces. The forensic findings will also be broadcast through a dedicated website for this project, causing the project to slide interstitially between accepted forms of behaviour and security roles, exaggerating and subverting modes of surveillance and data classification. The web address for the project is bureaucrat.geek.nz and the site will go live on 2 October 2009. Please also check The Physics Room website for updates.


Recreational Bureaucracy is being aided and abetted by Phantom Billstickers and Physics Room.

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