Secondary Residence is an artistic project developed by the Rennes-based association (France) L'âge de la Tortue.

The title of the project, Secondary Residence, refers to the holiday destinations people go to recharge their batteries, get away from everyday life, or take time to reflect. Here, the concept is applied to areas that are not traditionally perceived in the collective imagination as places where people go to spend a few days relaxing. This shift in perspective forces us to take a step back and look at the issues raised with fresh eyes.

The concept consists of bringing together, for a week, in an apartment immersed in a particular area, a unique team composed of:

• an artist
• a person who lives or works in the area in question
• a person who works in local government (elected representative or local authority official)

Together, they live for a week, sharing both work time and more informal moments of daily life.
Based on a theme submitted to them, they will produce a collective reflection that will feed into a future artistic creation. This reflection is enriched by their exploration of the neighbourhood and their encounters with the people who live and work there on a daily basis. A logbook is used to document the creative process and keep track of the exchanges, encounters and trains of thought that take place in this "common" endeavour.

After a week of collective work, the artist is responsible for producing, within three months, a work based on the trio's collective reflection during the residency. This work must then be presented in a public space.

This protocol has been carried out five times: in France, Belgium, Portugal, Spain and Austria.

The book compiles a series of transdisciplinary scientific articles that shed light on the project. Each of the authors participated in the week-long residency in their country, producing reflections within their scientific fields. Each article presents an analysis of each week of the artistic residency, as well as the project in general. The entire book is in French and English.

On the Cifas website, find the section of the book that focuses on the project in Brussels. To read the rest of the book, click here.