Monday 24th, October – Sunday 30th, October
Reflection, Experimentation and Research
Reflection
Feedback from Miranda: “this is a really playful and vibrant post, really fantastic to see you experimenting with no clear sense of where you are going, just booking the space, taking a few props, setting a few things up…and letting things happen. Just keep doing this; reflect on the strongest elements of each experimental session, extrapolate the strongest elements and take them forward into the next experimental session and so on…the documentation is excellent, the quality of the documentation gives a strong sense of your intentions, your deliberateness, your exactness which balances with the playfulness, you are striking a perfect balance.”
From my last week’s experimentation work and Miranda’s feedback on my week three notebook post I learnt and decided to continue with the same method of learning through making and letting the process lead you. I’m taking things forward which I like from my previous experimentation sessions particularly the idea of circle (THE EVERYDAY) and rotational/repetitive movements.
Experimentation
Documentation of my experimentation work in week 4
This week I finally got the time and opportunity to use my single-use cup / cups from the previous week. I’m using oats instead of water or charcoal to experiment with different sounds. I’m also playing around with lightning and its impact on surroundings.
Conclusion
My experimentation is taking me forward, but I don’t know if this is going to be a solid performance, installation or video projection etc… I’m trying not to think about the conclusion or the end result too much. I feel like I am not there yet, but this process is taking some kind of form. I just need to connect this form to the everyday or if I get lucky it will become the everyday inspired art.
Research
This week I explored the artist Mona Hatoum who was born in 1952, to a Palestinian family based in Beirut. I felt deep connection to her art and parts of her journey, the element of moving from one place to another sometime by choice and sometime by force of circumstances. Her performance pieces and her work around the human body is very inspirational to me.
Her work Van Gogh’s back and performance still speaks volumes.
Click on the link to read more: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/mona-hatoum-2365
Class work
Just like last week’s class work this week my class exercise got me thinking:
What is live art?
I did a little research and found out that live art is closely connected to performance Art.
LIVE ART
“The term live art refers to performances or events undertaken or staged by an artist or a group of artists as a work of art, usually innovative and exploratory in nature.” (From Tate website)
What is Art in general?
Who got to decide the parameters of Art? The artist or the spectator?
Can mass produced objects be Art?
Art in everyday life or life is Art of everyday?
Can simple actions of everyday life be Art?
I still don’t have many answers instead I have more questions. I will keep thinking and keep searching for answers, but I will also keep reminding myself that it’s okay not to have precise answers or answers at all, sometimes questions are enough.
Reflection, Experimentation and Research
I have Allan Kaprow’s seminal text Art & Life in my office if you want to read it, I wonder how you are getting on with the philosophy books I leant you? ‘This is Not Art’ by Alana Jelinkek is an interesting text and good for putting live art in some context alongside Activist and ‘non – Art’, I have this book in my office too. I am working with LADA, Live Art Development Agency, have a look at them and their archive. Also I am not sure if I have introduced you to Marie Cool and Fabio Balducci https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy_o-WCq2Cc&ab_channel=TheMuseumofModernArt, I think their work will resonate with you. These experiments are great, I had a few running at the same time, the cyclical nature of the actions and the alarm really had an impact when all running simultaneously and out of time, I can imagine a multi screen projection of this simple gesture repeated over many screens. Look at Bruce Nauman’s early videos. Great Abidish, keep going exactly as you are and as you say do not worry about the conclusion, you are definitely moving..exciting