Thousands become ‘citizens’ of ideal nation

[Darren]

I remember linking to this project here months back but had forgotten 
all about it in the interim.

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Nearly 17,000 people have signed up to be ‘citizens’ of a small island 
nation, as part of an innovative arts project visiting the south west 
coast of England this summer.

The nation, known as Nowhereisland, is a real island, 44 by 9 metres in 
size, from Svalbard, an Arctic region of Norway.
Alex Hartley, the artist behind the initiative, excavated the island 
after it was discovered from within the melting ice of a retreating 
glacier during an expedition. With permission from the Governor of 
Svalbard, in 2011 Hartley’s team towed the island into international 
waters where Nowhereisland was declared a new nation.

Hartley is one of 12 artists asked to create a public art project for 
the Artists Taking the Lead initiative – part of the Cultural Olympiad. 
Behind the Nowhereisland project is a key question: “If we were to start 
a new nation, how might we begin?”

Many of the islands new citizens have given their ideas for the 
constitution of the nation. Some of the ideas include paying less tax if 
you walk or cycle and that every citizen should get two days a month to 
follow their dreams.

Fifty-two resident thinkers for the project, including artist and 
musician Yoko Ono, ethical food chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and 
founder of the Eden Project, Tim Smit, have joined members of the public 
in putting forward ideas on how a fictional idyllic island could be run. 
Views have been offered on environmentalism, peace activism, politics, 
art, sustainable farming, human rights and more.

Nowhereisland will not be inhabited, but is being towed around the south 
west coast during the summer. Having left Weymouth on 25 June, the 
island is visiting ports including Exmouth, Torquay, Plymouth, 
Mevagissey, Newquay and Ilfracombe, before arriving in Bristol harbour 
on 7 September.

Events and activities will take place on land at each location where the 
island is moored, including with the involvement of local schools. The 
team has created an embassy for the island – a mobile museum of 
documents and objects explaining the story of the project, which is 
travelling on land to each location.

The island will be dispersed between its citizens when the tour ends.

http://positivenews.org.uk/2012/culture/art/8216/join-yoko-ono-designing-perfect-nation/