Sophie Jerram

Sophie's research investigates the relationship between specific artistic encounters and commoning.

After ten years as a curator and activist within urban spaces, Sophie's research investigates the relationship between specific artistic encounters and commoning.

The last 15 years has seen a growth of interest in discussion on the commons since the publication of Economics Nobel laureate Elinor Ostrom’s work, concerned with ways in which groups manage shared resources (Common Pool Resources).

Through a post-resource view on commons this research examines commoning: the relations and governance approaches to shared space that are formed and transformed through artistic agency, and its relationship to collective Māori land practices in New Zealand/Aotearoa.

Using assemblage methodology and working to emphasise the agency of land, this PhD research aims to theorise a local approach to commons, and to unpick the role of the artistic intervention, as a relational operator for sharing space in an open network.

Through an examination of her social practice as activist-curator, and with developing cases within European and New Zealand urban, suburban and forest environments, this research aims to produce an account of human and non-human agents producing shared environments that offer alternatives to public or private land ownership, through what Jerram terms spatial commoning.

Jerram co-founded public art programme www.lettingspace.org and www.urbandreambrokerage.

She is also trustee of the Vogelmorn Community Charitable Trust and a founder Trustee of the Wellington Independent Arts Trust.

Her PhD is being undertaken in a cotutelle partnership with the University of Copenhagen.