It's important to document at this time I'm finding it hard to balance everything and have largely put my solo performance process aside as I grapple with my Winterschool tasks, arches proposal and the electro acoustic gig performance.
Without trying to justify that, I'm hoping that a little mental space is also a valid way of working. I think I'm definately worried about my showing at my hour long tutorial on Tuesday, and that my project is on my mind, especially subconsciously...I lay half awake for two hours on Wednesday night exploring ideas in a stream of conciousness style. I was flitting around the idea of installation, inspired by both Ernst Fischer and Hancock and Kelly. By the time I could really rest, I had settled on an installation idea for my garden shed, predominantly featuring the texts I don't want to clutter my show but a very important to process and might be very beautiful with a little editing.
I have set myself the Automatic writing task as a reaction to panicking about writing last year during the Garland process. I will start on 20 minutes a day, with different starting thoughts, and work up to 30 and 45 minutes in the coming weeks. I think I need to set up a formal space and time in which to do this to find rhythm and routine. I'm determined to examine this idea of routine and explore it untill I can find some sort of routine I can maintain (or at least explore untill I can rule routine out of my working practice).
In the circle of everything being connected, routine is something I rail against (naturally or subconciously?) and routine is very much part of stability and home. Perhaps this is why I need to move on, feel restless, haven't found this elusive quality of peace yet?
I have to go, spend at least four hours on my making task for my final day of Winter School now.
WS has been a circular distraction, an opportunity to unwind, feed different parts of my creative psyche, and yet it's part of my process so intertwined with my performance making. I have been able to let go of the worry that I'm wasting time at points. In some respects I have been the most focused and present in the now ever in my RSAMD career. I'm a bit more chilled out compared to last year, I know this week is for the greater good of my performance training and it has been really intresting and informative. I have taken real pleasure in some of the tasks. I very much like Andrew and Julia, their teaching style is relaxed and humane.
Friday, 16 February 2007
Tuesday, 13 February 2007
Show me the way to go home...
...I'm tired and I wana go to bed.
Another great day in workshop today.
Thoughts to take away;
1. Is juxtaposition cliched? If I create some juxtaposed images in my show with these new found skills/muscles (like me reading a text about smashing furniture and throwing from a 6th story window with the quality of a Home TV presenter), will this look niaeve? I guess it depends on how processed it is.
2. Can I spend some time really thinking about score and structure of the work? YES, shall I aim to do this on the weekend, along with majorly updating my timetable for the remaining weeks. This is a MUST!
3. Perhaps I can spend some time looking, listening and exploring the objects I'm already using. When I examined my coat and shoes today, I realised that I haven't really investigated their qualities, only considered what they might project as a costume/image.
4. Costume is a MASSIVE signifier (See NRLA Saturday blog). It is so important to get right, I think this workshop is going to help me learn about costume and exercises to use costume but I need to be clearer about what I'm trying to create in my work.
Looked over the old Into The New brochures...think I might highlight Matt's blurb as text which is important to me. See page 6 on the following http://www.rsamd.ac.uk/drama/pdf/into_the_new_2004.pdf
Also the Polish performance artist Wladyslaw Kazmierczak considers a performer to be
'a philosopher, teacher, rebel, initiator, organiser, nomad, traveller, partner, and a bearer of moral values. And characterises the struggle of the work as ...a silent, heroic fight for freedom of
expressing momentous and significant ideas.'
Hitting the sack early now, going home, in case I get ill.
Another great day in workshop today.
Thoughts to take away;
1. Is juxtaposition cliched? If I create some juxtaposed images in my show with these new found skills/muscles (like me reading a text about smashing furniture and throwing from a 6th story window with the quality of a Home TV presenter), will this look niaeve? I guess it depends on how processed it is.
2. Can I spend some time really thinking about score and structure of the work? YES, shall I aim to do this on the weekend, along with majorly updating my timetable for the remaining weeks. This is a MUST!
3. Perhaps I can spend some time looking, listening and exploring the objects I'm already using. When I examined my coat and shoes today, I realised that I haven't really investigated their qualities, only considered what they might project as a costume/image.
4. Costume is a MASSIVE signifier (See NRLA Saturday blog). It is so important to get right, I think this workshop is going to help me learn about costume and exercises to use costume but I need to be clearer about what I'm trying to create in my work.
Looked over the old Into The New brochures...think I might highlight Matt's blurb as text which is important to me. See page 6 on the following http://www.rsamd.ac.uk/drama/pdf/into_the_new_2004.pdf
Also the Polish performance artist Wladyslaw Kazmierczak considers a performer to be
'a philosopher, teacher, rebel, initiator, organiser, nomad, traveller, partner, and a bearer of moral values. And characterises the struggle of the work as ...a silent, heroic fight for freedom of
expressing momentous and significant ideas.'
Hitting the sack early now, going home, in case I get ill.
Monday, 12 February 2007
Winter Wonderland
Started my fabulous winterschool workshop today...so much to document.
I feel very excited about the injection of new methodology/exercises/ideas/art into my practice.
Some of the key things that were examined today were:
* How we get away from describing the source of a sound and use language to describe the sound, get a handle on it (I think of describing source as a short-cut to understanding, knowing that maybe the other person has a completely different idea of what an air conditioning unit or a chair sound like but we agree that we are in the same field.)
* How to get a fresh perspective on performing actions...Julia gave us some great little exercises to explore status, and we did some group work which was largely the same exercise for three groups but with a fresh motivatation (like intellect, feelings, and will)
* Using objects to explore characterisation/persona. Taking on some of the qualities of an object in a basic task like having a conversation. (Julia mentioned the idea of this being like exercising a muscle or practicing an instrument, that the more you practised this, the more it could be used in all sorts of sticky situations- not just in performance)
They showed and played some of their work and had conversations about their influences and areas of practice/concern. I love the theatricality of Julia's performance...she is a technical master as well, branching out into film, editing etc.
I stated some of my influences were Opera Circus's King Stag performance, the film work of Jean-Pierre Jeunet and surrealism/dadaism occupying more than one discipline - the epherera of their performances and the objects/traces left behind.
More tomorrrow, possibly relevant reflection comments too
I feel very excited about the injection of new methodology/exercises/ideas/art into my practice.
Some of the key things that were examined today were:
* How we get away from describing the source of a sound and use language to describe the sound, get a handle on it (I think of describing source as a short-cut to understanding, knowing that maybe the other person has a completely different idea of what an air conditioning unit or a chair sound like but we agree that we are in the same field.)
* How to get a fresh perspective on performing actions...Julia gave us some great little exercises to explore status, and we did some group work which was largely the same exercise for three groups but with a fresh motivatation (like intellect, feelings, and will)
* Using objects to explore characterisation/persona. Taking on some of the qualities of an object in a basic task like having a conversation. (Julia mentioned the idea of this being like exercising a muscle or practicing an instrument, that the more you practised this, the more it could be used in all sorts of sticky situations- not just in performance)
They showed and played some of their work and had conversations about their influences and areas of practice/concern. I love the theatricality of Julia's performance...she is a technical master as well, branching out into film, editing etc.
I stated some of my influences were Opera Circus's King Stag performance, the film work of Jean-Pierre Jeunet and surrealism/dadaism occupying more than one discipline - the epherera of their performances and the objects/traces left behind.
More tomorrrow, possibly relevant reflection comments too
Sunday, 11 February 2007
So much to think about
Just taking a window of time to dump thoughts as I have been dumping photos from my camera. I have about 5 minutes, and three sups of coffee left, and I should be at Tramway already!
Good chat with Fraser Gilmour - re Drag acts, devising burlesque shows and thinking about showmanship. There was an event at the Tron called Lazy Caberet - look into
Gomez Pena is god! Need to think about all the images, thoughts, cultural and sexual statements - but jeez, whit a performer
Got some clarity on Anthony Schrag's/It's Not Hard point of view of live art - vs. our understanding
Have seen some amazing work, lots of female solo's and some real theatrical strands. Have seen everything in T4, which is helping me think about designing the space, and inspiring me...
Need to look up the work of the High Heel sisters, Jimmy Durham, Silvia Ziranek, Marcia Farquar and Rajni Shah...particularly good talk from Andre Stitt, re his Cardiff gallery/space Trace > look up www.tracegallery.com
Nope, ran outta time, gotta go,
Good chat with Fraser Gilmour - re Drag acts, devising burlesque shows and thinking about showmanship. There was an event at the Tron called Lazy Caberet - look into
Gomez Pena is god! Need to think about all the images, thoughts, cultural and sexual statements - but jeez, whit a performer
Got some clarity on Anthony Schrag's/It's Not Hard point of view of live art - vs. our understanding
Have seen some amazing work, lots of female solo's and some real theatrical strands. Have seen everything in T4, which is helping me think about designing the space, and inspiring me...
Need to look up the work of the High Heel sisters, Jimmy Durham, Silvia Ziranek, Marcia Farquar and Rajni Shah...particularly good talk from Andre Stitt, re his Cardiff gallery/space Trace > look up www.tracegallery.com
Nope, ran outta time, gotta go,
Saturday NRLA
In performance where every detail is combed for meaning, it’s interesting to observe expression outside the performing arena. Is it costume that’s sported? Alternative modes of fashion, hair sculpture, body modification. Life and art are interchangeable; artists express at pedestrian level too.
Bizarrely, there is still proliferation of black. It throws bright blue sweat-shirts, red retro-cut coats, yellow sling bags into relief. Is it easy to make a bold statement here? Maybe it’s easier because you are among friends, friendly artists. The live art community support anyone who is on the edge, even if you are on the edge of the fashion precipice!
Installations happen throughout the building:
* Black T-shirt impregnated with hundreds of safety-pins charting the spine
* Ziranek maintains her place as British eccentric and long serving pink performance artist, with baubles and bangles galore
* Emerald green shoes clip past (perhaps this is the way to change perspective on the world? I wanted to lie on the floor, watch their progress)
Some expressive outfits may have been obscured by the necessity to wrap up warm. Even I made provision for the weather, having skipped around in my mini-dress yesterday, I wore hat throughout Sat.
Bizarrely, there is still proliferation of black. It throws bright blue sweat-shirts, red retro-cut coats, yellow sling bags into relief. Is it easy to make a bold statement here? Maybe it’s easier because you are among friends, friendly artists. The live art community support anyone who is on the edge, even if you are on the edge of the fashion precipice!
Installations happen throughout the building:
* Black T-shirt impregnated with hundreds of safety-pins charting the spine
* Ziranek maintains her place as British eccentric and long serving pink performance artist, with baubles and bangles galore
* Emerald green shoes clip past (perhaps this is the way to change perspective on the world? I wanted to lie on the floor, watch their progress)
Some expressive outfits may have been obscured by the necessity to wrap up warm. Even I made provision for the weather, having skipped around in my mini-dress yesterday, I wore hat throughout Sat.
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