i furthered the answer to my question “can i be an international artist if i don’t travel?” this week.
i answered an opportunity to take part in an open source choreography project. the project presents in a browser window audio and video clips to be combined onto a timeline. the resultant remix is uploaded onto the project website. there’s a bonus for those whose remixes are liked, the remixed choreography will be performed at a festival in Vienna in February. the project is based in Vienna. i was particularly pleased to make it onto the “best of” page(1) with a comment of “Dramaturgically smart.”
inspired by this and a conversation with another artist i searched for participatory festivals. i found figment(2) based in the u.s and Canada. the festival has a very strong centre on interactivity in the artworks. i started an investigation into wether i can collaborate with an artist / artisan local to one of the locations. i have had an initial contact with a Toronto based artist.
it’s amazing what can be achieved from a sofa these days.
also this week the aa2a engage programme has begun. i had an aa2a residency in 11/12 and really enjoyed the process despite having personal issues to work through at the time. i’ve not updated my aa2a profile for sometime now. this week i’ve been consdering wether or not the profile on line is of sufficient interest to participating colleges to contact me to engage me with their students. if i were a college, my profile isn’t up to date and doesn’t really seem to have anything of relevence. that might be a little hard on myself. i think it’s time to pay my 10 pounds and spend time catching up with myself.
i’ve seen another opportunity to apply for(3). one of my weaknesses is the transference of skills thing to suit an application. maybe it comes down to the tricky question of how do you know if an opportunity is suitable for you?
on a personal note, i’ve been enjoying the bdo world darts this week. once again the simple game is being played at it’s highest standard and with that comes all the soul searching and sports psychology. i see parrallels between the top flight darts player and the artist. both are effectively competing against themselves to become successful at what they do. both are suseptable to moments of doubt that affect performance. both experience low lows and high highs. both do what they do because they love it and are good at it. both spend hours on their own practicing what they believe in. both work in a world where there is a huge range of ability and all comers are welcome. both experience predudice from those who “don’t get” what they do.
are there any differences?
yes. the artist is expressing something through their work. so is that the difference between art and sport? expression? can i get a darts player to collaborate with me to help answer / understand that more ?
another thing that seems to be different is the artist will make a statement about their work. i’ve revisted the topic this week after finding another version of how to write a statement(4). i like this version. my previous reference has been via an artist talking blogger and secured to my occasional personal blog(5). as i think i’ve already stated, part of undertaking the 12 in 14 is to become comforatable with myself and my own statement. i’m hopeful that between these two notions of statement, i can find a statement that works for me.
(1) http://feinsinn.org/choreomixer-en/best-of-en/
(2) http://www.figmentproject.org/principles
(3) http://www.bedfordcreativearts.org.uk/index.php/te…
