Reflection
I’m both nervous and excited to start this new project. Last week I was looking through the powerpoint that was used in our first lecture/seminar not realising that Miranda was going to go through it with us. I took notes, trying to figure out what all was expected for this module. After taking notes I started to feel a bit more comforted with everything that I was expected to do and I immediately started pondering on what I could do for my self-directed project. I was repeating the words ‘The Everyday’ over and over in my mind until it hit me… ‘LONELINESS’. That is what I want to do my project on.
Not to get too deep or anything but loneliness has hit me hard this past year that I have been in Aber; I have lost many of my long time friends, I feel really separated from my family and haven’t actually made many friends or close relationships with those here in Aber. I feel that although loneliness might feel like its hitting me hard, there are hundreds of people here in Aberystwyth feeling the same way or worse. Loneliness happens to all of us, at many points in our lives and affects people everyday. Its something that everyone can relate to at least once in their lives.
Now that I had something to base my project on I began to brainstorm a few ideas. I chatted to Miranda during the tutor session on Monday. She helped me to fully distinguish the beginning of my project plan, motivated me to go out and start the project; and to stop thinking about planning further.
Research and Experimentation
During my tutor session, miranda gave me a few artists to research. I think I might look into them weekly, taking from their work and seeing how i might incorporate it into my loneliness project. This week I looked at Haley Newman and was intrigued by her solo performance ‘Facing’.
I enjoy how Newman got the audience to partake by giving them t-shirts to wear with punctuation marks on them. I was thinking about incorporating a top into my project and from watching this performance I can see how the audience responds to the t-shirts.
Here are some of the notes I took when first thinking about my self-directed project…
I spoke to Miranda about my initial ideas of my project and I was happy from her feedback. I was initially thinking of how I would put my project into an exhibit so I thought of painting the words, ‘I’m lonely, can I have a hug’ on the back of a t-shirt and standing facing the wall to get the audiences reactions. After speaking to Miranda about this, she loved the idea of the top but thought I could bring this outside of the exhibit area into the town. At first I was a bit skeptical, being shy and all, but then the idea began to appeal to me. I would get everyday peoples’ raw reactions.
I began planning, all I need now is to find someone to take the pictures and videos and then I’ll be ready to go.
A great start, a good reflective post, I wonder if you have ‘got out there yet’? great Hayley Newman did a T shirt project! I would recommend you look at the artists I gave you now because others will come up as the project twists and turns and they can all influence you now, other artists work become your vocabulary, their ideas make your ideas possible, so feed on them! you can use your ‘shyness’ in the work, find strategies that work for you..you do not need to change or be an extrovert to work with the public. Yes everyone has had a lonely period, this must be true, perhaps interview people, find out..its a good starter question..