Victoria Mitchell at Norwich University for the Arts recommended a fascinating book, Dance/Draw, published by the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. The book explores the interaction between dance and drawing in the work of numerous artists including Helena Almeida and William Forsythe, which is pertinent to my individual work and the emerging collaboration with Darren.
I was selected to take part in a five day Ideas Lab from 28 January to 1 February 2013, organised by METAL and hosted by Pacitti Company in Ipswich. This was a fantastic opportunity to learn about film editing, surround sound, lighting, computer programming….. and to develop some skills associated with ongoing work. It was also great to work with Pacitti and meet other artists from the region.
Information about the METAL Culture Labs can be found here
and a film of the Ipswich Lab can be seen here
During the week each of the artists spent time, with technical support, working on an idea which incorporated things learnt on the Lab. I worked with trial footage from the elastic web, developing the ambient sound and adding specially recorded sound which was edited to coincide with the original. I was then able to project the film with the new soundtrack in the narrow space of Pacitti’s corridor.
During the winter 2012/13 my garage was lined and insulated to create a project space where I could make large work or set up situations for films. Although small the space had great potential for experiment where I could paint the walls and floor, fix things, construct sets etc using natural light or a row of flexible spotlights.
We wanted any collaboration to emerge naturally through a growing understanding of each’s work and mutual trust. Over the next year we visited each other, saw our respective performances and exhibitions and discussed potential ideas for joint work. These quickly focused on the concept of a constraining web of elastic which I then installed in my garage on 6 August 2012, using temporary walls for this purpose.
This enabled me to try out different movement to see how the elastic behaved, and different clothes. These trials were recorded to discuss with Darren. There clearly isn’t enough elastic. I need to keep trying and develop a greater range of movement. I’m cautious at first as if I tangle the elastic too much I will have to cut it to release myself.
My current exhibition at the m2 gallery in Peckham provided an opportunity to work together immediately. On 26 June we worked together in the extremely confined space – which was a dramatic but effective way to start to ease into a working relationship!
It was fascinating to watch Darren as he seemed to be so much more cerebral, for want of a better expression. Whilst I was acting out my entrapment and explored the confines of the box, Darren seemed to be thinking confinement which was expressed through his body. But then he’s a dancer!
