“To analyse a rhythm, you have to be out of it. Exteriority is necessary.” Henri Lefebvre, Writings on Cities.
I’ve been re-reading the Lefebvre text in the light of my visit to People’s Square on Sunday. This sentence just stood out for me in relation to the idea of a residency – for me a residency, however short, is an opportunity to dedicate time and thought to my practice, in a new space. A place where I am on the outside looking in.
I suppose this is why I feel I produce more interesting work when I’m working away from home – I’m not in the same routine as everyone else here, so can observe and make comment on it, whereas at home I am part of the rhythm and the routine, so find it more difficult to make work in this vein.
Maybe at home I need to figure out ways of working so that I am on the exterior.
