Our first performance workshop was based on movement of the body and language in performances. This second session I thought it would be fitting to focus on site and duration. We are probably all self isolating or staying inside as much as possible, I hope everyone is okay, and the performances and exercises are made to fit this new situation.
It is also an opportunity to think about alternative spaces, away from the ‘normal’ white cube situation. This not only in regards to performances but also as a space of exhibiting. The aim is to get a better understanding of or a different way of using a space and place as a basis of a site-specific performance or durational performance.
We have worked on repetition in our previous session and I would like to continue working on repetition and introduce durational elements in our first exercises. The emphasise is on the exercise and not so much on the end product.
Imagine your house or room is the place where you hold a performance in front of an audience. Try and keep everything in your room as it is. You don’t need much space for the exercises.
Treat all the exercises as performances and remember like last time; concentrate and the performance starts from when you start walking/moving onto your performance area/room.
Drawing exercises
- Make 10-line drawings for 5 minutes. Each drawing shouldn’t last longer than 10/15 seconds. It is more about the repetition than the outcome. It doesn’t need to be on nice paper it can be on the back of envelopes, newspapers, magazines anything you can draw on.
- Repeat this with 5-line drawings.
- Repeat this with 1-line drawings.
Please take images of the drawings.
Writing exercises
- Write for 5 min without stopping – Stream of consciousness. Try and write for 5 continuous minutes without stopping it can be anything as long as you continue to write. When you get stuck and don’t know what to write, write this down. – I don’t know what to write I don’t know what to write etc. Please start with the sentence/idea: A sound I remember from a long time ago. This exercise can be done in any language.
- Please do the same again but this time 10 minutes. The starting sentence this time is: The place I am in.
Please pick 2 or 3 sentences of each exercise and record them whilst reading them out loud.
Objects
- Show an object from the room your are situated in and tell/record what your relation to the object is; did you find it, is it a gift, is it in your possession for a long time, do you like it, has it a specific function or meaning? How does it relate to you?
- Imagine you being the object and make a performance as you being the object. This does not need to be literal e.g. if you show a teapot you don’t need to pretend you are a teapot. It can be an abstract idea you have about the teapot.
- Make a small performance max one minute with the object.
The space you’re in.
- Make a maximum 5-minute repetitive performance using the space and the objects in the room you are in. This does not need to be complicated. You can organise and disorganise your books over and over again, turn your tv off and on and off and on etc.
- For the last performance I would like you to use the objects, repetitions, 2 or 3 sentences, drawings in a 10 to 15-minute performance. Try and use all the material you produced. You can use it in any way you want the only ‘rule’ I have is that you shouldn’t use more text than the 2 or 3 sentences, of course they can be used repetitive.
Please record as much as you can so I can give you feedback.
Some inspiration:
https://frieze.com/article/nikhil-chopra-sleeps-met-and-uncovers-its-colonial-past
https://www.simonleegallery.com/artists/192-donna-huanca/
https://www.jadeblackstock.com/about
https://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/william-kentridge/
And last but not least have fun and a pillow is a great way of stabilising your phone whilst recording.
