Continuing with my "Connection" project, I would like to add another medium.
After reading some of the "Black Arts" poems, especially "Poems are bullshit unless they are/teeth or trees or lemons piled/on a step." I liked the idea of creating poems in a way that they would become concrete and something to hold onto. So, in addition to my earlier brainstorming, I would like to add another aspect to the "Connection" and "Body Language." I would like to turn the material I receive from participants into a poem, that will somehow be collaged with pictures from the physical language on bodies. I would eventually like to put all these creations into a book form.
In order to get a sufficient amount of material I will sit down and interview various people about their "story." At this point I've decided to interview my friends/family, because I think I will get the most information, in depth, and true answers. Instead of asking them really specific questions I will simply say: Tell me a story about yourself, something that has made you who you are today.
Then I will give him/her a piece of paper and ask them to write down, or "free write" about themselves- anything they feel comfortable sharing.
I will put these two things together to make a poem. Then I will take a line from that poem and give it to someone else, then I will find someway to write it on their body.
I will take a picture of the "body language" and use it in the collage.
Free Write: from a friend about their story
being in a bad place
drug dealing
unexpected bursts of firearms
life choices
trial separation
supportive friends
character witness reports
being susupended from school
delaying my education
deciding which friends are worth keeping
and which ones are not
real world work while on probation
free sandwiches
free time to think about life
being cut off from your parents
life on your own
lack of electricity
too much partying to forget
realization of what is necessary
eventually re-acceptance into education system
reminding myself that life does go on
a new start
Mandy I think this is so cool! I love the intensity of your participant as well. I think this is going to make a really cool project especially in conjunction with "connection." I just have a couple questions. When you take the lines from one person's person free write on their life and give a line to someone else, are you also going to ask that person to free write on their life? I guess I'm a little confused on how many people will be writing about themselves and how many will be writing from a line given to them from someone else's body.
ReplyDeleteAlso, in terms of the collage, are you going to choose or let others choose what is put on their body, and what purpose or effect do you think that has creating a collage of the pictures? Are you hoping to send some kind of message through this part of the project, or is it just another way for you to make the poem or art concrete? I wonder if you were to have people write portions of their life free write on themselves what the response would be. Maybe you could have those people do some kind of reflection free write as well. Anyway, cool ideas!
Good luck!
Two things:
ReplyDeleteFirst, of course it concerns the gathering of information. Family and friends should theoretically provide a breadth of information, although I wonder how even that may be influenced. Hopefully they'll say the first thing they think of instead of searching for something "acceptable", without being concerned about anyone finding out. I am also considering the timing of the interview and free write. Since with something like proximity or foreknowing you might end up getting different results at different times.
And, what does body language mean? I think concrete is the way to go.
Mandy,
ReplyDeleteI like very much the first testimonial you recieved. When I first read your project idea I was worried that you would not be able to receive honest stories and would only collect censored things that people would want you to hear. However, it appears you got a very honest response from the first person you interviewed.
Two Questions: Who are you going to give the lines of the poem to and will it be someone else who contributed to you project? Will it be some who also has contributed a story to your project?
Also: How are you going to translate the body language to the viewer of the final piece? Writing a story that is not there own on a body certainly has an effect, but I still don't quite see how that will be translated in the end to viewer of the art.
Besides those two questions I think you are off to a great start. My initial reaction to this was to suggest about a hundred other ways you could utilize this process, but I don't want to clutter or expand your idea as it seems pretty refined. Good start