2nd Year Art Student

Conjunction

This door symbolises much more than its simple appearance, which is blue, chipped rusty warn weathered and heavy. I think when I saw the door it symbolised a passage way or cellar entrance the size and shape reminded me of stables. What happened to the other half? Ultimately a door is an entranceway to something…

By doing absurd (Absurdist) things, it is often classes as illogical but in fact it may be logical in the terms of enlightenment and moving forward and development.

 “above all, it should not waste time trying to effect some sort of synthesis or reconciliation between the manifest and scientific images […] Enlightenment consists in expediting science’s demolition of the manifest image by kicking away whatever pseudo-transcendental props are being used to shore it up or otherwise inhibit corrosive potency of science’s metaphysical subtractions.” (Brassier, 2007)

Rock, Paper, Scissors

I give the bottle and umbrella, there is always the potential of the ‘Scissors’ been open and closed.

I looked at the potential that the abnormal or absurd, by posing the questions and enabling the audience to partake, I can also encourage that whim upon them, by demonstrating an absurd act or acts it allows the audience to feel secure in their response to the work.

 ‘of course, having conceded that the notion of a non-manifest apperance is not entierly oxymoronic.’  (Brassier, 2007)

On the 07/01/2015 I performed Rock, paper, Scissors for Breeze Creatives in Newcastle, for an exhibition called Act without Expectation curated by Jade Currie. (http://breezecreatives.com/abject-gallery/act-without-expectation).

Figures 1-4 display the opening moments to the performance much like The Garage (Fig 5), I gave the props out to the audience as an exchange.

The problem with the Garage version was that I didn’t give people the invitation to join in clearly, I performed a repetitive task, and I didn’t add changes nor play with the objects.

The Video for the Breeze Creatives performance can be found (here http://www.robinlkwoodward.com/#!rock-paper/kdif9) I gave some people water some umbrellas, some both; I also gave some more than one object. In one instance, actually making a sculpture, surrounding one couple in umbrellas.

When I finally finished like the Garage PiLOT performance I donned my head and sat down, but this time people became involved. (Fig 6, 7, 8, 9) the audience built sculptures, poured water on my head and on the floor; some helped me by giving me the means to protect myself.

What did I learn from PiLOT?

1) Experiment with the objects, use them as a material.

2) Interact, subtly.

3) Allow the performance to take its course.

What did I do differently?

I experimented allot more with the objects, I almost played with them, I used the materiality of the water, I used it as a fluid almost demonstrating the use of the prop. By doing this it subtly allowed the audience to interact with me the performer. This intern with allowing the performance to take its course helped towards the final outcome.

What did I learn from Breeze Creatives?

Surrealism

I learned by using the right costume or clothing makes a massive difference, it was more clear the links between surrealism (Magritte)and the performance, a modern contemporary twist on the business man seen within Magritte’s painting.

Nature via Nurture

 ‘Genes are designed to take their cues from nurture.’ (Ridley 2004)

By prompting the audience, showing them what to do with the material like a mother would with a baby, I was able to subtlety cohere the audience to perform acts for me.