This last project I’ve mentioned, Space // Movement, has been really engaging for me. I got to a point where I felt I had so much material to deal with, I didn’t know how to approach it, how to edit it and make it into a final piece/final pieces.
I went back in my research and sketchbooks a little bit and felt the need to interpret and explore space on my own terms. Almost everything I did with the dancers, I had tried previously myself, and recorded it all – but only viewed it as a necessary exercise to gain familiarity with the subjects of moving/dancing and space. Looking back, I realised I needed to look into these personal explorations in more detail and start developing them, aside from my collaboration with the dancers.
I reflected on the notions of positive and negative space, applied to real life objects and spaces. Through this, I started a series of performative exercises in which I would become the negative space around everyday, homely objects, wrapping myself around them and engaging with them. This resulted in a series of photographs – which, for some reason I have yet to fully understand, I seem to prefer over videos.
Following these exercises, I moved on to different objects and spaces – I became interested in those I see and use everyday (like the bathroom, and the kitchen). All of these experiments resulted in photographs too.
From the photographs, I’ve been analysing the shape of my body when adapting myself to different spaces/objects. At first I made a very simple analysis, just by tracing the outlines of my body with a pencil onto tracing paper – obtained an unrecognisable shape. I then observed these shapes and attempted to discover some sort of geometry in them, by drawing straight lines where I felt they would be (if I were a geometric shape).
I obtained a series of geometric compositions, on paper – and suddenly felt everything had become incredibly 2-dimensional. Reacting to this, I recreated these geometries in space, using yarn and tape onto the walls and floor.
I am pleased with the sculptural pieces I have achieved, but feel they need further experimentation and development. I plan on reconstructing them as freestanding pieces and exploring the new shapes from there.
Last week was a good week. I’ve been at my favourite stage of my projects – experimentation and production. I have surpassed the stresses of idea generation and have, at least temporarily, silenced most of my self-doubt.
