Not posted for a while as I have been promoted at work so my retail job is taking over. The post is a six month secondment and I am enjoying learning new things and taking on extra responsibilities. Unfortunately it means I have less time for art although it is making me think long and hard about what to make next. Having less time is pushing me to be more selective with my ideas and I feel I need to develop a new strand of work. I want to make a new performance with the video pieces I filmed in Finland. The first video is of an orange interior blind, which reveals shadows of leaves. Secondly the video is simply of a hanging cloth with the initials T.V at the bottom blowing in the wind. I envisage having the videos playing in front and behind me using my body to create the illusion that I am operating the action on screen. I intend to create the illusion through a system of a wheel and ropes, blowing sound effects into a microphone. Through a discussion with my husband about the work he suggested a third element such as a switch that changed images on another screen. I think my frustration with technology is coming out in this piece feeling out of touch and desperately trying to keep up with the changes. As an artist and using technology I can feel defunct and in this piece I think I am trying to make myself useful in a small way.
Blogging@11 11 11, In Remembrance, Platt Chapel, Manchester
It was decided that I would use word press and that this would then feed into exchange radical moments website. The night before the event I got my head around how to make regular posts on both and felt I had the basics to get going at the day of the event. Please follow the links below to see the word press blog and radical moments website that posted projects happening all over Europe on the day of the 11 11 11:
http://mm1111.wordpress.com/
http://exchangeradicalmoments.wordpress.com/
At the start of the day I felt I could ease my way into writing although as more performances began and the sound in the chapel kicked off I found it difficult to keep up. On reflection it would have been easier to work with more people although we all had the freedom to document as we wished. Once the event started there was an atmosphere of silence, which made it hard to speak to people. The more was happening in the Chapel I started to use tweets with images to catch up with what was going on to post as close to the moment as possible. Half way through I got a major headache from the sound and the realization that I was always going to be behind with what was going on. I did question: what was the point of blogging a live art event?
The nature of working in real time forced me to change the way I published such as shorter posts, using images, combining texts and letting other people contribute. Two audience members gave me images they had taken of the performances to use on the blog. Another documenter Jess also contributed her writing and support until the end of the eleven performances. We laughed at some of my mobile phone images as they looked like the performers were in a prison and not the chapel. I still used the images although later when I saw the professional photographic pictures they just looked like they had been shot in a studio, so which is more a truer reflection? Anyway I gave it a go not sure if it was a success, failure or something in-between but then maybe that’s all it can ever be.
Nicola Smith Response #6
Hello Michael,
It was really good to meet you last night I know you must be really busy.
Struggling to find 11 11 11 on twitter could you forward me the name and the host site for blogging.
Speak soon
Nicola
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Nicola
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I will arrange the information re: blogging for the event to be forwarded to you regards
http://exchangeradicalmoments.wordpress.com/
blog
http://11moments.org
site
I would suggest having a look at them before writing in their site – getting to know the location kind of matters
We have web access in the chapel
talk soon
Michael
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Hello Michael,
That’s fantastic news. I really like the radical moments website. From what I can see it is already set-up for the eleven projects that are on it. I am interested to find out what the other documentors think about blogging and if they know of any other host sites. If we have access to the Internet at the church it feels right that a blog account is set-up on site on Thursday. Is there anyway of setting up a blog and twitter feed on the In Rememberance 11 11 11 website? I have seen twitter feeds on other websites which come up in real time, and blog posts.
I am not going to set-up an account I just want to have a look at it.
I am feeling your worry about when this blog should start.
Who starts it?
When should it end?
I feel this is a group decision/discussion.
I am writing on my own blog for now.
Let me know your thoughts.
Nicola
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There is also this
www.facebook.com/11moments
Related to the exchange radical moments blog site but face book
When we get into the chapel I was going to suggest you locate yourself on the balcony the room for a table an mac will be in the way in the main space – you can leave and be in the main space and go back to work on uploads – interesting relationship to the work as you can watch it from above – but practically its a best place – please bring an extension cable with you for your computer power – we’ll supply the plug point and electricity –
Talk soon
Michael
Michael Mayhew Response #5
Hello Nicola,
Passing some sites that have been directed to me –
They maybe of interest
http://www.onedayonearth.org/
also
http://www.indiegogo.com/11-**11-11 <http://www.indiegogo.com/11-11-11>
We might be able to hook into these systems exposing the artists work and the process of this practice – that has an existence of 11 hours
We can include this in our chat – Friday?
Which needs to be booked in as I am getting booked out –
Wednesday might still be possible – there is something booked but its not confirmed solid – if you have a location in the city – you want to meet –
Regards for now
Michael
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Hello Michael,
I have been working today at the shop, it’s been really busy and this is the first chance I have had to get back to you. I have had a look at the first link you suggested although I found it a bit confusing as it has the same title as your project although I know it’s part of a wider outreach project. However for this to work we need access to the Internet at the church or nearby the venue as it is in real time so would not work after the event. I need to re-look at the second link my brain cant cope with all the structure within it, I think it’s because I’m tired. I think it would be good to meet Wednesday night if you are free? I live just by Mancunian way so it it very easy for me to walk up to jam street.
Hope all your preparations are going well.
Nicola
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Hello Nicola
Yes all going well –
I will touch base later re: time and place – but yes we will meet
its just where as yet –
The suggested links just came my way and thought could be interesting – they’re options – which at this stage we need – talk later
regards
Michael
Nicola Smith Response #4
Hello Michael,
I would be happy to assist with getting the audience to tweet at the event. I’m pleased that you like the idea of publishing the emails, although as part of the process all correspondence may not be intelligent or on track. I guess that’s what makes it interesting? or else it could just be seen as a controlled way of marketing the event.
I agree not to publish before we meet. There is still so much to discuss. For example when I blog I just do it for myself and try not the judge it too much. Am I writing as the official 11 11 11 reporter? Is the blog simply a diary from the days activity? Could the blog be open to a number of participants in the project such as the performers, yourself, the documentors, and the audience?
Just putting a few thoughts out there. I am free Wednesday night or Friday morning or lunchtime.
Let me know when you are free
All the best
Nicola
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Hello
I don’t think your the 11 11 11 reporter – you are part of something slightky bigger – but you are a very public face of this process – outside the walls of the event –
In away everything produced following 11 11 11 will be edited and made for a web site – your communicating within several bubbles – the ether of the web – the stoic existence of 140 characters – for tweet – not sure it is stoic in general – but the precision of the 140 I really enjoy – one of the processes I am interested in putting into place is that we exchange tools – so you might end up with a camera in your hands – experience filming – how wold your brain and eye edit – would the framing and editing of material be influenced and informed by the writing systems you under go as a blogger –
Text will also be made real – on paper and employed as a process of mapping existence – throughout the space –
Presently I want to leave it as performers performing and fellows documenting – but this is a present structure and is flexible to expand and contract – a structure enables for a fluid interaction with change if not stuck to as a ridged pattern –
We begin and see where t takes us – I am sure some of the artists will engage with a blog or two – but lets see if we can all work together to begin – i was thinking that if we established a blog on something like blogger – 11 11 11 – inremembrance – manchester – would this then feed into your other systems of AN and NWNW – But 11 11 11 – has its own platform dedicated to the event – friday would be good for me – lets keep circulating thinking on emails – developing ideas – we can then meet and ignite some action – get real with the ideas we begin during the week – is it just the time of lunch you have – do you work in the city?
Thanks
michael
