Month: March 2016

Today we had a group meeting in the library. Steve suggested last week that the sites we has chosen last week might not be totally suitable for our performance, because they didn’t have relevant history relating to our performance. Thus, we did some research on “Speakers corner” to find that there wasn’t much history on “Speakers corner” at all, and it had only been called Speakers corner for less than 10 years. Luckily we found information on “The Elanor cross” which completely related to our theme of love in Lincoln. We used this story, did some more in depth research and came up with some really interesting ideas to show Steve, and experiment with later on in the session. We’ve decided to use the Elinor cross as an inspiration for our piece, as we’ll be creating our own version of the cross out of pieces of wood. We have managed to gather a large amount of images and information on different couples (E.G where they met, amount of time they’ve been together and one particular memory that reminds them of Lincoln as a couple), then used this information to place on our replica of the Elinor Cross. We’ve also came up with the idea of using a town crier effect, where one of the group members (preferably someone with a loud voice) shouts the relationships information on the couples we’ve gathered. In the session, we set out into the town center to experiment with our ideas. We typed out the relationship information, for Chris to shout out in the middle of the high street.  Rayanne and Mary Jane bought some paper, and created a version of the Elinor Cross and stuck it on floor on the high street. We’ve decided that I will be situated on the high street, asking couples about there relationship (How long they’ve been together, where they met, memories fond to them in Lincoln), writing the information I’ve gathered, and handing it to Mary Jane and Rayanne for them to carve the names into the wooden Elinor cross.  I bought some plane rectangular cards,  for me to write the information down and hand to Mary Jane and Rayanne. The information I gather will also be used for Chris to use, shouting out the information in the street.

Below is an image of information on the Elinor cross, explaining the history and the love story between Edward I’s and Elinor .

 

This is the Elinor Cross now.                          This is what the Elinor cross looked

like when it was first made.

     

 

 

An image of the Elinor cross created out of paper.

 

 

Below is a image of the basic structure of how we’ll be set out in Lincolns city centre.

 

 

READINGS FROM WEEK 8 SESSION

• “Certain Fragments” Tim Etchelles
• The beginning for Live Art can be traced back as early as the 1950’s and had a complete rationale and group of Practitioners by 1970.
• Introducing this style of performance into this era could have been a difficult task for British society as the 1950’s was post WW2. The British public where constantly reminded by the skeletons of what was once their brilliant empire. Whether it be in London with the bomb broken buildings or in the fields that were scattered by military bases.
• This controlled style of society distinguished any kind of imagination the public. So creating a new style of anything would have meant a new style of change for everyone. Which was something that the British had been through enough of already.
• However, as Britain began to re-build its greatness and people started to develop their own opinions again Live Art began to attract attention because of its difference.
• A loosely founded group, Fluxus, were a global collection of practitioners but mostly based in New York City. The founding man of this group; George Maciunas. He describes his rationale for FLUXUS as; “A fusion of Spike Jones, Gag’s, Games, Vaudaville, Cage and Duchamp.”
• FLUXUS wanted to change the world not just the Art world – Destroy the boundaries between both Life and Art.
• ‘FLUXUS is anti-art’ – to underscore the revolutionary mode of thinking about the practise and process of thinking.
• This Art group wanted to mock ‘high art’ and they used influences from such as DADA for his use of humour to present their true intent on the piece.
• The playful manner of this groups pieces they were however serious about the true context for their group, about gaining the right balance that is deserved for the Arts.
• Their performance mainly relied on the audience’s individual interpretations to change and mould the outcome. Their performances were based on the process and development of creating the piece rather than the actually performance.
• John Cage was a heavy influence on the group due to his beliefs of the art world – Art should be work that doesn’t have a definite end. The development stages count not the finish product.
• The most important piece that the group did together was called “Total Art Matchbox” – This performance was a matchbox that contained matches which also had instructions on. These instructions read;
• “USE THESE MATCHES TO DESTROY ALL ART – MUSEUMS AST LIBRARY’S – READY-MADE-POP-ART-AND AS I BEN SIGNED EVERYTHING WORK OF ART- BURN-ANYTHING-KEEP-LAST MATCH FOR THIS MATCH.”
• FLUXUS – commonly created performances that created identical objects that they used in their performances to devalue the object.

 

 

• This reading was written with colloquial language.
• EXPLORATION:
• The writer went on a tour in a van – the van parked up on an evening – When he woke the next morning he realised he was in a seaside resort due to the waves he could hear.
• HARBBISSON – Spoke of the process of arriving somewhere at night and exploring in the day- This term is called VEILD ARRIVAL – ‘Acting out and allegory of knowledge’

 

The next example given was:

• Describes a city and every detail he saw he documented – “walking and talking was named a part of the process … crowds of cider boys gathering laughing … Gateways supermarket … In the streets we’d see the old guy directing traffic … Cardboard houses under the bridge … the old advertising slogans … all of these things made our performance.”
• A smart dressed male – busy city- he began running through the streets between the bustling people and stood himself flat on the side of a building as if to hold up the building – He then tilted his head backwards and looked up to the building as if to check for curvature of the building.
• People of the public commented and said that he looked to be keeping the city alive by checking the movements of each building – This man repeats this same route of the city checking every building he comes across – JEREMY WOOD / DANIELLE RODGERS – Every day at the same time.
• Burned out buildings that had the words “GET WELL SOON” wrote all over the – a telephone box that all fang at the same time of day for no one – ARE ALL OF THESE LINKED?
• He as a spectator is left to make his own opinions, speculations and connections to create an ending for the piece.

 

MAPPING

• Created am instillation gallery piece names “Ground Plans for Paradise”
• This piece was created using a model city that was completely deserted and made of 1’000 balsa wood blocks that were situated on top of a breves block plinth – Above these toweres are photos of sleeping faces take by HUGO GLENDINNING – Can be perceived many ways but most commonly are thought to be angles that’s are looking/dreaming of the streets bellow.
• The reading also mentioned that cities are made of places created from passion, fears and narrative echoes of the 21^st century. ( Dave’s Shirtless Chip shop, Love street, The Blood Club, Hope Street)
• GROUP DISCUSSION
• Discussed the to-do for the day, which didn’t partake as we had to peer view our entire group workings. This did help slightly to give us all insight into how others perceived Site specific workings.
• We did want to rehearse the giving and receiving of flowers between our group and the audience.
• However we did manage to get in some library research and planning of our performance before this happened.
• GROUP SESSION
• We spoke about Nick Kaye’s introduction to Site Specific.
• Michael Fried and his theory of how sculptures can become performances in their own way.
• We watched a video based on Fried and Greenburg’s ideals and arguments for Site specific.
• Both of these men agreed that Art of this style should be kept in the same space and that there was distinct difference between abstract art and Minimalism. Neither like Minimalistic art because of its simplicity.
• Greensburg’s theory was that art should be superior to normal life and when it was superior it then became good art.
• Embracing Object hood – By this they mean that objects are in the same time zone as us – that art can be seen every second.
• Donald Judd – a practitioner of minimalism – He didn’t like the time zone theory – He wanted real space because he believed that it was more realistic to look at and art shouldn’t be a lie. This style of art needed an audience to be completed.
• Abstract art on the other hand was more about the process of getting their rather than focussing on the end result.

Monday 14th March

Today we were able to go and view other group’s work in progress. Getting a fresh pair of eyes on the piece meant that issues were raised that we hadn’t previously seen. It also meant that we could confidently explain and justify our piece using practitioners and methodologies.

 

After discussing with the group we know have a greater understanding of how Mark Auge’s concept of place and non place influences our piece. Whilst the high street as a whole has lots of history people don’t engage with it and as Sue Palmer says ‘it’s the people that normally inhabit that place’ having a relational connection with each other and the place which creates significance. When we were talking to Steve and the group our site was full of people sitting on the benches and socialising. This created a potential problem but we were able to show Steve how we would move around the space to accommodate people. In fact having people in the space creates a more naturalistic looking piece which helps us in the effect we are attempting to create.

 

Over the next three weeks we are going to finish creating the script, recording the voices and creating the sound file which gives us a four week rehearsal period to perfect the actual performance. Something we are now going to experiment with is having headphones in instead of/as well as the speakers to aid us in keeping in time with the track and each other.

Joe Turner

Monday 7^th March

 

After discussing progressions in our work with Steve, he sent us on our way to develop our pieces further giving us a set time later on in the day for a tutorial. Unfortunately I and Holly were unable to be in most of the lesson because of a teaching drama observation but this did not mean that the work did not continue. Before me and Holly left we went to a coffee shop and started writing a manuscript of the conversations we collected the previous week. These included sections where we would mime along (Menial conversations like ‘I’m not even joking that’s actually what happened) as well as sections where we intend to speak over the track to create a thicker textured sound (during the phone call conversations).

 

After I and Holly left Lucy and Emma began creating a example sound file to see whether the concept was feasible for performance. They used their own voices in order to save time which made sense considering it was not the final thing. The two of them then spoke to Steve in the space and asked him practical questions regarding things such as the speakers, the space, the audience etc. When Steve listened to the recording he was really positive and gave us the feedback that we need to listen to the inflection in the voices to inspire our movements rather than the other way around. He also mentioned a theory called the Cocktail Party Effect in which random words of the dialogue stood out above the general hubbub. After me and Holly returned we spoke as a group and he reiterated what he had previously said to the two girls.

 

Since then we have gone out into the community and began recording voices for our final piece, some of which we hope to have ready for Monday to show Steve, the group and potentially Conan. Attached is the example sound file we used to determine whether our idea would initially work.

Joe Turner

Group Meeting Pre-session

• Discussion started between the groups about Lincoln town’s crier. Surprisingly Lincoln’s town crier was appointed in 2010. This was the only record from the 21^st century that we could find based on town criers.
• The criers place to stand was right at the top of the high street. (Where our perimeter ends) This site is nowhere near speaker’s corner which we found surprising due to the irony of all the speaking’s that this location had seen throughout the years.
• However, Speaker’s Corner was only officially named this in 2010.
• In the history of the 1300’s, Romance was emphasised by a specific couple that has major significance within this time period. Edward I and Queen Eleanor. The pair’s undivided love for each other was unbreakable. This situation is a real life and love documentation with evidence.
• The couple travelled to Lincoln from their home in London making 12 stops along the way. Once they had gotten to Lincoln they were separated by means that no one could answer for. When they found each other again Queen Eleanor died shortly afterwards. This act of everyday life shatter Edwards’s heart. To prove his love and as a sense of memory to his deceased wife he decided to create 12 ‘cross’ statues to be placed in every single village/town/city that the couple stayed in on their last journey together.
• These ‘crosses’ were built from four tiers on top of one another:
• 1^st – Plinth of stairs
• 2^nd – Her Shields
• 3^rd – Platform for her Statue
• 4^th – Colum and the Cross

 

• The ‘cross’ for Lincoln was originally situated in St. Katherine’s Church. This cross was disfigured during the Civil War. However, the remains of Queen Eleanor’s cross is kept inside the quarters of Lincoln Cathedral.
• Members of the 1300’s public were all aware to pray for Queen Eleanor whenever they were in the presence of her crosses in respect for the monarchs and country’s loss.
• After this discussion as a group we decided that this solid link between love, life and Lincoln had to be incorporated to our piece.
• We decided on the idea to build a structure that resembled the cross for Queen Eleanor. However our structure would-be a lot more detailed and mouldable towards our performance. Our 1^st and 2^nd tier will not consist of stairs put columns that on the date of the performance shall be etched on with the details of the couples we’ve gathered evidence on as a group.
• The 3^rd tier is going to be a reminder of the original cross because it shall continue to be a platform for her statue. In this case a portrait etched onto it. In remembrance to Eleanor and Edwards passionate connection that they cherished in Lincoln.
• We discussed as a group about how we actually wanted to structure the performance. We all referred back to the first brainstorm we had in week three about having three collaborative sites. The pictures available following this post show how we had planned this to be laid out.
• When we went out into the site to rehearse our ideas so far, we had to improvise due to not having the time to build the structure. So we gathered A3 sizes of paper that we stuck to the floor and wrote on the bottom two tiers with pens of the data we had gathered so far. We also had Chris stand in the middle of the high street and preach from his data. Whilst Dequan gathered immediate information from passers-by about their relationships.
• After relaying this rehearsal for half an hour we had a few public members come and ask what we were doing. When our tutor Steve fossey came to discuss with our group how things were going he introduced us with the idea of making it more of a performance whilst still incorporating the instillation we wanted.
• To achieve this I situated myself on the right hand side of a kite shape we had assembled, once we all were in position we all began preaching the data, in exactly the same style as Chris did during rehearsal.
• As we started this rehearsal the atmosphere created by the public previously had been completely change to a more intense and intimidating due to the shouting we were creating. Although firstly the public were intimidated and unsure, when they familiarised themselves with the shouting they began listening to the words we were actually saying.
• We realised that this style of performance could complement our already formed structure of performance. There was a specific reason that wanted to keep the piece as completely minimalistic as we could. This reason being from the first brainstorm of ideas we had and how many there was, we wanted to keep the performance simple rather than having to many components.
• By this time of this session we had run out of time to rehearse and made or way back to the studio. Where as a group we created a list of influences that our piece has so far.
• OUR INFLUENCES
• BOB WOLLY & LEE MILLER – Slightly cloudy, chance of Rain. – Giving to receive – Rose for memory.
• MARK AUGE – Place and Non-Place – giving a place on the highstreets significance to the public.
• ST. KATHERINES CHURCH – Original resting place for QUEEN ELEANORS cross in Lincoln.
• MICHEAL FRIED – Marrying of places – Lincoln to London – Romance to Katherine’s Church.
• DEODRY HEDDON – Our stories and experiences and others.
• BLAST THEORY – Phone calling instructions – Receiving data from Dequaine, Chris and Laura.
• ADRIAN HAUS – Bonding with the audience – Myself, Mary-Jane’s, Laura’s, Dequaine’s and Chris’s connection to the public through action or voice.
• RECKLESS SLEEPERS – This influence came from the sound instillation they use in most of their art works.
• ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• In relation to deciding wether or not as a group we were all comfortable with going forth with this idea brought forward to us by Steven. But we did leave on the note that we would consider it as a group and decided next week.