Moving into ‘realisation’ means a change of gear. Last term for me was all about process and play – and now there is outcome to consider.
This has meant clarifying and re-clarifying the key themes that I want to be at the heart of my show. So, as I continue to experiment I go back to base each time and think about how much the most recent emerging idea or image complements my key theme. Key themes are extension, freedom to move, age and gender.
Some of the questions about my performance are –
Day light or Spot light ?
What Activities?
Relationship between stills and video from previous performances and planned live performance.
Video or stills – separate or together – either or both and ? Why layer the images?
Projected images or photographic ones -and where in relation to the performance.
So far I am drawn to spot light – how many mature women are relegated to the shadows?
I can perform extension and freedom while standing – but would anyone other than a fellow alexander teacher be able to see it?
If I try other everyday activities or movements – How many and what kind? Contenders so far are sports ball crochet ball and sorting out stuff. These activities all have the potential to extend and constrict – and my trial performances suggested that things were working for me when I worked with objects. Working in this sense was getting engaged in a way that allowed communication with an audience.
My three performances made for interesting video footage visually – but the sorting out stuff element wasn’t fitting conceptually – the two kinds of balls juxtaposing in the stills – sport and crotchet – offer two domains of activity that resonated for me and after discussion – with an audience.
Creating stills from the video footage enabled me to layer up the balls in juxtaposition – this together with the sense of movement that emerged from the stills – was exciting as the images fitted with the key themes and started to interest me their own right. There was something sensuous about the colours and shapes – and when I showed them to people it got them talking about the issues I had in mind when I was making the piece. It reminded me of Ali Smith’s novel How to be Both – which I plan to re read.
I am continuing to struggle with the relationship between what I have done already and what I plan to do in performance – I have in mind that visitors may be drawn in more by seeing images in the space where I am going to perform – but the transition between that and the performance would have to be simple and clear – could I indicate absence with a spot light on the unaccompanied balls – prior to performance – I will have to try it out in the actual space.
This is the first time I have started to consider audience – I want my show to articulate the concerns that have preoccupied me in my art making this year – but I also want it to be accessible for the mixed audience that we might anticipate at an MA show.
