conducts creative, participatory research that aims to temporarily transform public spaces and instigate dialogue about democracy, spatial justice and everyday life. The Institute’s projects use performance, conversation and unexpected interventions to investigate social and political “tiny things”. Based mostly in Boston, MA, and occasionally under the leadership of kanarinka, James Manning, Jaimes Mayhew, Forest Purnell or Nicole Siggins the group’s membership is varied and interdisciplinary.
Subscribe to the Institute email list
Follow
us
The Border Crossed Us
2011. A temporary public art installation at UMass Amherst to re-stage the US-Mexico border fence on the Tohono O'odham reservation.
Tiny Tent-Making @ Mobius
2012. The Institute and the Occupy Boston Tiny Tents Task Force held a tiny tent-making workshop at the Mobius Art Space in Cambridge, MA. The Tiny Tents Task Force "seeks to fill every city with minuscule reminders of Occupy’s continuing presence."
No One Has Yet Determined What the Body Can Do
2011. The Institute joined with Occupy Boston in the 6th HONK! Parade to carry signs bearing two related messages. Later, the Institute installed similar signs over a Boston highway.
Failure Support Group
2011. The Institute hosted an event to discuss failed art projects, asking is there, actually, a recipe for failure? Are certain methodologies more prone to failure than others? How? What is at stake in acknowledging failure in one’s process, one’s community, or one’s career?
Transgender Bathroom Dedication
2010. Transgender Bathroom Dedication dedicates bathrooms at MFA Boston to Chrissy Pollis and Dean Spade, both victims of transgender hate crimes that took plate in bathrooms in Maryland and New York, respectively.
Digging for Happiness
2009. The Institute for Infinitely Small Things sought happiness through the labor of digging an enormous hole in the front yard of a Cambridge family who volunteered their land for this purposelessness.
Origami Stimulus Package
2009. The Institute and members of the MIT Origami Club held a party to make origami creations out of the 600-page economic stimulus package.
THE WORKING IS THE WORK
2008. The Institute relieves various ICA laborers. While they go on a paid break the Institute does their jobs. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition "The World as a Stage". Performance schedule: Thursdays - Feb 28, Mar 27, Apr 24; 6:30 - 8:30 PM at the ICA Boston.
Everything is in Order
2008. Performances at the DeCordova museum as part of the 2008 DeCordova Annual Exhibition. Also featured will be installations of Corporate Commands, Unmarked Package, The New American Dictionary, and Transferring Patriotism.
THE CITY FORMERLY KNOWN AS CAMBRIDGE
2006-8. What would the city look like if we could rename all of our public spaces, right now? The Institute invited members of the public to RENAME places in Cambridge, MA, for the 2008 publication of a new map of "The City Formerly Known as Cambridge".
Unmarked Package
2007. The Institute toted hundred packages (marked "UNMARKED PACKAGE") around Chicago sites including the South Side, Daley Plaza, Millennium Park, Little Village, Douglas Park and Hyde Park. We interviewed the public about insecurity and fear in public spaces and produced a video research report.
The New American dictionary
2006. This dictionary catalogs over 60 terms related to fear and security which have entered American English since 9/11, including new terms ("freedom fries", "islamofascist") and old terms which have been redefined ("torture").
The dictionary is available on amazon.com for $19.95.
free fear from the usa
2007. A reverse shoplifting experiment to bring American fear & insecurity to Canadian bookstores. The Institute for Infinitely Small Things deposited over 40 copies of the self-published "New American Dictionary: Security/Fear Edition" into Vancouver bookstores & educational institutions.
57 things to do for free in harvard square
2005. A video guidebook that presents 57 things that someone can do for leisure, entertainment, enjoyment or relaxation in Harvard Square, but none of them involve money. Designed for public video screens above the tourist kiosk in Harvard Square.
corporate commands
2004 - present. Performances of corporate commands (ads in the imperative) where they occur in the urban landscape. We try to perform each command as literally as possible. There have been more than 15 performances of corporate commands in the U.S. and Canada in public and private urban spaces.
100(11) Instruction Works
2004. Every day for 11 days, the Institute/iKatun chose to perform an instruction submitted by collaborators from around the world via the project website. 100(11) Instruction Works was part of the 7a*11d International Performance Art Festival in Toronto, Canada, October 2004.
transferring patriotism
(proposed) The Institute for Infinitely Small Things is selling its patriotism to any interested buyers. Once the sale is made, the full transfer of our patriotism to you will occur via a performance. This can only occur if both parties are fully intoxicated.
how do you take your coffee/kakvu pijeŠ kafu?
(Seeking funding) A proposal to do five public performances to research the "development" and "modernization" accompanying the rise of the tourism economy in Podgorica, Montenegro, a country on track to be part of the EU.
