an ordinary experience made…

Catching words…

I was trying to think of accessible ways for people with limited mobility to make dada poems because ripping paper was not working for some. I took a description of an abstract artwork and made a Dada poem online using Dada poetry generator:

http://www.poemofquotes.com/tools/dada.php

Tissue paper fortunes

The group put the words into individual scented tissue papers – different scent for yellow and blue. This was to allow people to choose their words by scent rather than language..however the scents had nothing to do with the words.

It was great fun putting all the scrunched up tissue papers (idea came from fortune cookies) onto large fabric and tossing up into the air for people to catch. The caught words became the Dada poem.

Colour

Toss with sheets of printed paper

Repeat

Brush with rhythm and pace

What makes a creative democratic workshop with people? I often contradict myself in having planned the objects and materials I bring to a group against wanting to facilitate an open-ended experience. How can you get this balance so people are unrestricted in the way they use materials? Last week I had presented apple slices and cocktail sticks and what happened was pure pleasure to observe. Two participants inspired each other and totally unprompted by myself. Why am I there? Is it to simply present materials and become invisible? Can you be an invisible artist? And if so what is your role? I find by providing space and silences things sometimes happen in very imaginative ways….