THE RSVP CYCLES: Creative Processes in the Human Environment

You might approach this book with distaste if you have an inherent dislike for jargon and acronyms in an age where both have multiplied. RSVP stands for Resource, Score, Valuation and Performance, seen as a cycle of processes involving inventories, plans, options, judgments and activity--the total representing a ""response"" the creator or creators make. However the author, an environmental designer and planner married to a dancer-choreographer, has many good and sensible things to say about the current preoccupations of thoughtful people--both in regard to changing ideas of creativity in art (chance and audience participation) and ecological crises. Halprin's main thrust is in delineating through countless examples what he means by ""scores"" as dynamic open-ended all-people participating processes out of which, and with feedback from R and V above, some sort of ""performance"" may emerge--be it a happening, the establishment of a new community, or the redesign of a downtown shopping area. The message is that all of us must participate through this medium of the creative process if we are to survive in balance with nature. The book's own typographical ""score"" is interesting, making use of ragged right lines (open-endedness?), varying-sized sans serif type, and many illustrations and photographs which were unfortunately not available to the reviewer.