What kind of box are you?
I am an old shoebox that isn’t used to store shoes but instead other knick knacks- a deceptive box.
Friday 4th November
In class this week we thought about boxes and different types of boxes before we picked our own box. On this box we had to draw reflections of last weeks workshop and write down words that we thought related and resonated with us.
Pola and I were making the sauce in last weeks workshop. We followed the recipe but the flavours just weren’t enough for our likings. We took it upon ourselves to keep adding ingredients to the sauce until it finally tasted delicious. We were throwing this and that in, in hopes of pulling the flavours together and creating a rich curry sauce, which I think I can say we did perfectly. For some reason that moment really resonated with me, I believe it was due to the teamwork between us and just letting loose a little and straying on our own path away from the recipe.
Towards the end of the workshop we were all comfortable with one another, singing, dancing, making little additions to produce a more personal final outcome of the curry. ‘Music and Harmony’ is how i described it. I think it was a perfect ending to a great workshop in which we were all quite satisfied from.
Another big moment in the workshop is when we all took a minute to just stare at Richard. As soon as we began this “task” there was quite a shift in the atmosphere, whether that was from Richard having a strong feeling of discomfort or whether that was from all of our eyes being directed to one person. For anyone else to walk into the room at that time it would have been quite amusing. I think this moment actually just encouraged us to step back a little have a glance at all the other individuals in the room and see how they were faring.
It was interesting to see how each of us approached this task of doodling and planning on our boxes. Each persons’ box was so different which I think made them look so much better together. I wouldn’t have thought to take those other approaches if I hadn’t seen them. I really liked how Sofia and Abidish added colour with the red paint, it really contrasted against everyone else’s boxes that were just drawn in black sharpie.
Presentation Idea
This was our next task. We all had to come up with an idea that we could present and potentially carry out in the future workshops. It didn’t really take me too long to come up with an initial idea. I really wanted to build on the Richard watching from week 4’s workshop as I thought it was really interesting. From this i spawned the idea of people watching. At first my plan was just many bullet points that weren’t quite meshing together yet but with the help of having a quick one-on-one with Miranda to discuss, she helped me to make my idea flow much more smoothly.
After speaking to miranda I got back to putting my more completed ideas onto my box.
Part 1 (roughly 5ish minutes): Quick explanation of what the workshop will contain, and possibly giving a quick example by making a story up about the other students. I will make it clear that this is a writing project with the outcome of mixed media.
Part 2 (15 minutes): Everyone will be split into groups of 3. Each group will have about 5 minutes to compose a short 1 minute story of another group (it can be as far fetched and imaginative as they want). After this each group will present their ideas.
Part 3: The groups all go out, likely into town but not too far away as they don’t have long outside. They will target an individual, couple or a family, whoever they choose. They will watch them, take photos, draw them, discuss amongst their group their initial thoughts on their chosen person(s). After that they will come up with a few quick ideas of stories about them.
Part 4: We all gather back at the studio with our initial thoughts and ideas on those each group targeted. From here we want to develop the stories and characters. DEFINE, EXAGGERATE, EXPAND, STORY TELL. Groups can create mind maps, story boards or whatever they find the most helpful to piece their story together, onto a large surface.
Part 5: Once all the groups have established their stories, each group will pick a station to transform their story into the art. They can pick from writing, drawing, painting or modelling. At each station they will create a scene or a quick overview of their story.
Part 6: Show and tell. Each group will present their piece, they can tell us the whole process of how they got to their final product and explain their story.
If there is time and the end we could have a group discussion on all of the pieces.
Now all I need to do is finalise on times each part will be given as we only have 3 hours in this workshop.
Loneliness
This week instead of filming or being photographed I simply just walked around the town by myself with my lonely top on. It maybe wasn’t the best weather to do it this week but I wanted to give it a trial without all the faffing about of getting someone to film me. I will say that this was a very different experience that I will be up for trying again in the next few weeks.
Since the weather was horrendous people weren’t really for stopping and staring, and I actually think that this added to the feeling of loneliness. I felt invisible, no eyes were upon me, I’m unsure if this was solely due to the weather or simply because there was no one behind me filming (I shall have to try this on less wet days to compare). This experience no longer felt like a performance or a piece of art but rather a reality that some people go through from day to day. It was a sad sight to look upon.
Since I had no cameraman I did feel fully alone, my thoughts being my only friend. There was more realness to this performance.
Although I was alone, in the wet and cold, at times I felt a form of comfort. I don’t know if this was due to my religious thoughts or not but in the midst of all the darkness I felt a calming presence that was with me, that was holding my hand, guiding me through the flocks of people fleeing to get out of the rain. There was something quite poetic in those moments, something that could never be caught on camera but only explained through words and feelings.
I’m unsure what more to say about these experiences as nothing fully happened: I didn’t feel the glaring eyes of the public down my back nor did I feel truly alone at all moments. There is definitely something to take from these experiences but as of yet I am not completely sure what that is. I need longer to reflect and likely more time trying this out.