Dott 07

Does your postcode define who you are? Statistical models of communities based on postcode areas are often used in the design and planning of public services and regeneration projects. Landscape/Portrait confronts people living in the North East with their demographic ‘stereotype’ based on these statistics and asks them ‘Is this you?’.

Landscape/Portrait will contrast the statistical and demographic profiles of three locations across the region with self-portraits generated with inhabitants of each location. These models of communities based on postcode area are used frequently in the design and planning of our environment - in housing, retail and service development - Landscape/Portrait asks if these stereotypes used to define communities represent the lifestyles and characteristics of the real people living in them.

Artist Kevin Carter, working with production company Media 19, presented three communities across the region with demographic stereotypes about their own area. In response, people from within these communities worked with Kevin and Media 19 to create a series of video self-portraits. These portraits are presented as an online community, alongside the official statistical data and 'stereotypes' currently held by market research agencies about each location. The website invites the public in the North East to create and upload their own video-portraits.



In contrasting these stereotypes with real-life identities, Landscape/Portrait poses the question ‘is this you?’, inviting us to think about who we are, how we live and what we want the places we live to be like. Landscape/Portrait will create a new and alternative ‘portrait’ of the region - presenting the real identities, ideas and aspirations of North East communities.

Check out the Landscape/Portrait website and see if your postcode reflects who you are, and if it doesn't, why not create your own self-portrait and upload it to the website?

Landscape/Portrait is a collaboration between artist Kevin Carter, Media 19 and the University of Teesside. The project is commissioned by Dott 07 and produced by Forma.

Landscape/Portrait formed part of North East England's world-class festival and events programme.