Hey there!
I thought this might be the easist way to let you guys know that I'm safe! I'm at Keith and Yvonne Hazelhurst's house, so if you get this message can you try and call them on 44221214? It's on the other side of the river, and I need to work out a way to try and get home...
Wednesday, April 30
interventions + sustainability
I just came across this interesting blog that explores the relationship between contemporary art and notions of environmental sustainability. Lots of interesting stuff relating loosely to some of the things that both Rhi and I are interested in exploring for our LBB project...
Some of the entries also talk a little about process-driven art compared with the commodity of art, which relates to a conversation the five of us had last night about collaborative models, post-modernist theory and artistic motivation.
Rhi: some stuff relating to your intervention ideas, which are worth checking out as well...
xD
Some of the entries also talk a little about process-driven art compared with the commodity of art, which relates to a conversation the five of us had last night about collaborative models, post-modernist theory and artistic motivation.
Rhi: some stuff relating to your intervention ideas, which are worth checking out as well...
xD
Tuesday, April 29
Bundanon - Day One
Guided safely to our destination by two giant wombats, it was a relief soon after 1am to finally reach the end of the long winding dirt road that passes as the link between Bundanon and the world left behind. With the bottom of the car scraping along the last 20-odd metres, Serena and Julian elected to jump out to see if the lighter load would ease the passage.
Danielle had arrived in the middle of Monday, her 30km bicycle ride from Bomaderry to Bundanon occurring with hardly a hitch (although with three enormous dogs in various pursuit), while Rhiannon had survived the epic journey from Canberra through Kangaroo Valley and down past Cambewarra Lookout a few hours earlier.
Waking up this morning it was exciting to realise that there was essentially nothing we had to do but what we wanted. After cups of tea, some breakfast and coffees, we elected to begin our stay by exploring the vast Bundanon property. Setting out from our 1870s cottage, we passed the cluster of studios presently housing photographers, writers and visual artists, visiting from England and Germany. Some have been here for weeks, with Margaret clearly sad to be heading off in a few days.
A little confusion over which side of the fence we should be on – and a pulse-quickening crash course in the difference between a cow and a bull – and we were soon on the sandy banks of the Shoalhaven River. Peering through the gentle water we saw small schools of fish going about their lessons, with balled up snow-white clouds tumbling overhead. A gentle breeze or jumping fish would occasionally ruffle the water, but it was mostly a clear sheen reflecting back grey-green gums and sandy boulders.
Across the river and perched loftily over an upstream bend loomed the unmistakable figure of Pulpit Rock. Pulpit Rock features in countless Arthur Boyd works and it’s easy to see what drew him to it time after time, what spurred that silent, see-sawing tussle to capture its ever-shifting pinkish orange form. A meander back through the Homestead gardens, fingers teasing smells from well-kept beds of herbs, was followed by a peek through Arthur Boyd’s studio windows before it was time for lunch.
After lunch came the serious business of mapping out our next two weeks. We’ve come to Bundanon for the opportunity it affords for a creative escape from the daily routine. A few familariar chores follow us along of course – the need to eat, tidy and occasionally sleep – but the emphasis is on freeing your mind and creative spirit in an inspirational environment; Arthur’s idea of a living arts centre.
Interaction with the environment is impossible to avoid – like nesting birds we each accumulated various leaves, barks and flowers that caught our eye, along with an all-but spent balloon that must have blown in over the trees and fields, a refugee from the distant clutches of a child’s grasping hand.
We’re all here to collaborate on our artworks, and the question of collaboration and what it involves seems to bring as many definitions as there are contributors to this collective. There is a spectrum of views as to what constitutes a collaborative model of art and the best way to get the most out of our time here. Also interesting is the range of views as to goals and hoped for outcomes – while some prefer to see this as an opportunity to learn more about ‘process’ and the act of creatively working together is an ends in itself, others are drawn more to an ‘outcomes’ based model whereby the success of the project will depend upon the measurable output of creative work and its ongoing appeal.
There’s still much to be worked out along these lines, but the immediate plan is to roll up our sleeves and simply jump into it; to soak up the beautiful environs of Bundanon, to take advantage of the rare opportunity to think and feel without a thousand other things – work, family, friends, Big Brother – vying for our attention.
-Benjamin
Bundanon at last + email shenanigans
Well, we've made it! Our first day of our Bundanon residency... With two weeks of exploring, experimenting and workshopping collaboratively who knows where we'll end up! How exciting! The property is spectacular. What an honour. We've been fairly silent in the blogosphere in the weeks leading up to the residency: mostly from ridiculous work loads, but also a few hesitations about the project itself... Below is a conversation that we had in the comfort and privacy of email. It was interesting that as some of us became a little daunted by the project we reverted away from the public writings of our blog...
Dan wrote:
when can we meet again for next chat session... lots to chat about methinks...
Serena wrote:
What did you have in mind to talk about Dan?
Dan wrote:
re talking: logistics and crunch time for project ideas.
Ben wrote:
'crunch time for project ideas' is at least worth a shot... and seems to be where people are it, in light of Rhi's last post.
Any thoughts welcome, as it would be good to go into this weekend with an idea of how best to use it.
B
Dan wrote:
Hey guys,
I think the biggest thing we need to sort out is what we are actually hoping to achieve in Bundanon. We need to finally decide whether our initial idea of a "site-specific artwork" is feasible, realistic and still inspiring people.
My feeling is that these 2 weeks would be best spent as an initial exploration and workshopping of ideas. Given that the blog hasn't really taken off and that we've only really had 2 meetings about the project I don't feel I have enough idea about everyone's creative work and the way that they work to be able to head down to Bundanon and "make a high quality art work" in 2 weeks. I don't think it is a realistic goal and I think we will put far too much pressure on ourselves.
I'd be more keen to go back to our initial proposal and use this time as an exploration for working together. Explore a few different creative approaches, ideas etc. and then at the end of the 2 weeks look at what we've got, write a few reflective articles about "the collaborative process" to be published in a few different magazines and then decide if we have enough material and energy to put together a collaborative art work in the future. Perhaps even use the time to do some research on site-specific art work itself!!
My reluctance to still commit to an "end product" is three-fold:
1. 2 weeks is a VERY short time frame to come up with a complete product. Especially considering I've never worked with any of you before (except Rhi!). We'd have to be damned kick-arse for the proposed piece of art to be worth anything...
2. I have major issues attempting to create a "site-specific" art work. In my reading I've discovered just how politically-laden the word is and come to the realisation how naive we as a group are about the art form. I think it will be very difficult creating a piece of art in a new art form for the first time in only two weeks without it being ill-informed and naive
3. My approach to the creative process is very spontaneous and intuitive. I'd want to find a method for working in our group that caters for this approach in conjunction with approaches that suit others better. It is mostly by doing, being, talking, reading that I become inspired and productive. We've barely had any time to be together as a group since last year when we put in our application. So it won't really be until we're actually there that ideas will come rolling and bouncing for me. I need more flexibility to be able to feel comfortable with this project.
So this is where I'm at. Possibly not what some of you wanted to hear. But I'm still confident we can find a solution that suits everyone and respects everyone's needs and creative approaches.
Cheers,
Dan
Julian wrote:
Hey there,
I'm not feeling too dissimilar, Dan. My feeling is that our 'collaboration' should really properly begin with the residency.
I was chatting to Luke Jaaniste, one of my long-standing collaborators, and we both agreed that some of the most enjoyable and indeed productive times during our COMPOST days were when we simply went away somewhere for a week or two with no expectations but a great willingness to chat, absorb, play, explore and simply hang. We'd take gear, instruments, books, scores, DVDs and during that time ideas would start to flow organically, from the 'site' or the source if you like. I think for everyone's sanity it would be good to lower our expectations for Bundanon and likewise see it as a journey or process rather than as the only time in which to make a finished product.
Regarding Bundanon's expectation of what we'll do there, keep in mind that Damian Barbeler went to Bundanon in, I think, 2002 and he's only just handed in the piece that he started there a week ago. So I don't think there's any pressure to finish anything right away.
Regarding site-specific artwork, installation and environmental art I have a suggestion. Luke J has spent the last 5-10 years exploring the form and has offered to present to us a 3-hour lecture with images. All we'd need to do is cover the cost of him coming to Bundanon and put him up for a night or so. I'd estimate it'd cost about $50 for the train ticket from Sydney and food. This way we'd get some historical context and understand just exactly what world we'd be entering into. What do you think?
Jxx
Ben wrote:
hey all,
I'll start by pointing out how much I'm really looking forward to this, especially as the time draws nearer, just so anything to follow might be taken in the tone and spirit intended (ie excited and cheerful!)
Exploration and workshopping of ideas is likely to be a big part of our time at Bundanon, and the best balance of chatting and 'doing' should hopefully emerge early on. This should give each of us the chance to work in the way that we each work best - time to be inspired, time to create, time to reflect.
One thing I was quite puzzled by was the "make a high quality art work in 2 weeks" part of your email Dan. I don't really know where 'complete product' came from... it's not something I'd ever thought feasible or that any of us had expected. Far from it! My understanding has always been that this was a brain-storming, idea-forming and material gathering window, with the rest of the year to then hone/develop these ideas and the material into tangible 'outcomes'. Even if we were going in with some possible ideas as to the form of a particular project(s), I never heard it suggested we would have something done and dusted by the final day there.
Regarding the blog and the suggestion that 'it didn't take off' - I've got a few thoughts on that one. I figure people are finding it difficult to find the time for it, so perhaps briefer, more frequent posting is more appropriate? Also, given the resistance to having too much of an idea of outcomes before we go in, then there's in a way not so much to actually discuss there at the moment. My hope is that as our ideas flow and we come up with concepts and spark off each other, more post ideas will flow - moving from conceptual to actual.
The idea of it being a place for sketches and the like still appeals to me, and that's something that will flow from our Bundanon stay as we gather such material and come up with just such sketches. It may serve a stronger purpose once we are away from Bundanon and back working by ourselves, but in parallel - ie i would really hope to see comments on any parts of any works that people put there for discussion.
I'm quite keen to keep the pressure off too, but for me that will mean having a few ideas of things i would like to do/try, then exploring further those that come up while we're there. I too find inspiration in things i read/talk about/ see etc, but at some point need to turn that into something and it will help to have an idea of what form will best suit a group project. I have no intention of 'imposing' these on anyone and don't see this curtailing anyone's personal flexibility, it might just mean I'll be doing a few things that won't necessarily fit into a final group work - fine by me!
Out of curiosity, and in light the most recent emails, are people at least aiming for a concrete(ish) idea of what vein our project(s) are going to be in by the end of the fortnight? I'd personally be in favour of that and think that our difficulty in all meeting up would make that quite important for us to take the momentum of the fortnight with us.
I'd like to hear more about Dan's problems with 'site-specific' but am happy to wait until we next see each other - or perhaps you could point us to any material that might be appropriate reading in the meantime?
Julian, how much notice to you think Luke would need? It certainly sounds like a good idea if we're going to go down that path, but the sense from Dan's email is she's not as keen for that as perhaps before. We should decide on that soon though, as Bundanon have made it clear they're pretty cool about that sort of thing PROVIDED we alert them to it beforehand, which i'm happy to do. Maybe we could even flag it as a possibility with them?
On one hand D and J seem at first glance a long way from where Rhi seems to be at (as per her last post), but on a practical front the gap is probably not really such a big deal - we'll all be there in just over two weeks anyway, and given that's likely to be the next time we'll see each other, it seems to be the best time to work all these things out.
With a yummy meal in our tummy, a glass of red and an amazingly inspirational backdrop - and two weeks to explore all this and more - I think we'll all be pinching ourselves as to what a great opportunity we have. I'm really excited about it and hope people aren't getting too stressed out; we're friends above and beyond all this and i'm really pleased to have been included in this - anything that comes out of it is is simply a bonus on top of a great couple of weeks together.
You guys are all neat by the way, if i hadn't reminded you lately.
Bxx
Rhi wrote:
Thanks Ben! You rock.
I think we all agree we won’t have a shiny finished product at the end of two weeks.
But what do we expect to have? As Ben mentioned, I don’t think that on a practical front Dan’s and Julian’s ideas are so far off from mine. Let me clarify a point in my last post: rather than saying we needed to agree on an expected outcome, I should have said we needed to be sure our expectations for the residency aligned (an expected outcome could be no outcome? a collection of materials?): I was worried that what I saw as differences in expectations could easily lead to tension.
After Blackheath though I was under the impression that everyone was leaning towards a site-specific artwork - am glad I raised the issue…
So, while we’re all getting our expectations on the table.
At the end of two weeks I hope we’ll have a good collection of ideas, inspiration, material etc. I also want to have an idea of a finished product(s) we might aim for (for which we might aim – just for you Ben!) and a commitment to work towards this. If the ideas we come up with don't spark with everyone (and I don’t expect we’ll know until partway through our stay) then I also think it is possible for just some of us to commit to a project or projects.
By the way, I like Dan’s suggestion that one outcome could be writing a few articles on the collaborative process for a few magazines – but am also hoping for more…
I’m also interested in Dan’s concerns about site-specific artwork: (the musicologist in you never sleeps!) I know that terms applied to art forms tend to come burdened with histories and layers of meaning, and without a comprehensive understanding of these it would be easy to create something naïve and uninformed. I think I feel less constricted by this than you Dan, because I’ve been using the term (as lay-people tend to do), much more loosely. I'd been thinking of it as an artwork that relates to a specific site… so maybe I should use another term… place-focused? geographically-inspired? locationally-stimulated?
By the way: I’d love, but don’t necessarily expect, to produce something kick-arse. There are many aspects of art that are like a trade – you have to practise in order to become better, and I know I need to be working towards a commitment to make sure I put aside the time to practise. We are all going to be pracising collaboration - and there needs to be places and spaces in which artists are allowed to experiment (and fail) in order to produce artists that have the skills to produce quality art… and in my mind Bundanon is one of those places...
Two points in regard to the blog:
Are people committed to contributing to this? It would be good to get a realistic idea view of where people are at. If anyone is reluctant can they say so now? Likewise if people see it as being on hold until after Bundanon…
If everyone is still keen, should the last emails from Dan, Julian, Ben and me all go up there?
Some random creative ideas I’m mulling over at the moment:
Five senses art. If at some point some one were to create a site-specific artwork I would be interested in engaging all the senses… expect maybe taste… or maybe also taste… how many artworks are there that include smells? I’m also interested in this from the aspect of wanting to exercise some control over an audience’s reactions in terms of creating a particular mood or ambiance… I find the power of music to manipulate emotions fascinating and would at some point like to explore this further. In a way it fits into our discussions on perspectives. If two people saw the same room from different angles with different lighting and different music playing and different smells but were told the same story, how would their reactions compare? What if the story was different and everything else was the same.
Art within art. I’ve pasted an Arthur Boyd self-portrait below. There is also an Albert Tucker photo of Arthur Boyd in front of this self-portrait that “captures the sense of the shared creative environment in which the 1940s portraits were painted”. I like the idea of art that becomes environment and environment that becomes art… photos of artworks and their interactions with the creator/the audience/the environment would be one way to explore this.
Dan wrote:
well it's good to hear we're vaguely on the same wavelength... but I have to admit now I'm terribly confused because it seemed so clear to me that there was a push at the Blackheath workshop to decide on what we were going to create... anyway, it doesn't matter. It's clearer now... and a huge relief...
so just to clarify :
AIMS:
1. to workshop, experiment and explore ideas collaboratively;
2. explore collaborative process itself;
3. research site-specific/environmental art;
4. assess materials gathered/created at end of 2 weeks
5. decide on possibility of future project at end of 2 weeks
Serena: what are your thoughts?
D
Serena wrote:
Hey All,
Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and perspectives on it all and thanks to ben for the organizational email (which I’ll look at today);
As I said, Rhi pretty much summed up how I feel about things.
I am looking for the 2 weeks to be a major ‘gathering of material’. For me, this will include spending time composing music, writing stuff for radio and hopefully recording for radiophonic/installationy type stuff. If we go for the radiophonic work for ABC then I’m concerned I won’t be recording at a high enough quality because I don’t have the microphones required. I’ve been doing pretty serious research on this and it looks like I need to spend about $800, which is a lot of money for something I’m unsure how much I will use outside of our project.
I’d really like to have us all working on material for a set project or projects - ie I don’t see much point in me composing music for a string quartet if that music won’t get used in one of our collaborative projects. So that’s why I’d like to work out what we think we are working towards.
Looking back to our group proposal it appears we have said we will:
In terms of ideas that fit in with the above, I’m interested in:
I know I am going to have very, very limited time outside of Bundanon. So while I certainly am not aiming for a finished product in the 2 weeks (impossible!) I will be realistic and say that my ability to be part of a major project that takes up a large amount of time is pretty limited.
I’m more interested into a creative response to place and environment than a heavily researched theoretical ‘site specific’ approach – though this is influenced by the fact that I have found it difficult to find good writings about site specific artwork and most of what I have found is about artforms I’m not working in.
Dan wrote:
do you mean "place and environment" from a physical perspective? A physical environment? As opposed to "place and environment being a community of people or a more abstract idea. And what do you mean by a heavily researched theoretical approach?
This is exactly what I'm not comfortable doing.
I won't be able to decide what we think we are working towards until we actually start working together. For me these kinds of decisions will evolve throughout the course of the two weeks
D
Serena wrote:
Re creative response:
I’m approaching the idea of “place and environment” merely as instigators of creativity and inspiration. So I don’t necessarily mean “place and environment” from a physical perspective” or from “community idea”. I just mean my ideas will be driven by being at Bundanon. The end work won’t necessarily reflect this particularly closely but it will be what is inspiring me.
For example the four musical compositions I wrote for Illawarra Sea Stories are written to reflect 4 different beach places. I suppose that would be a ‘response to a physical environment’ but it was also driven by my knowledge of each place (which contains more than just the physical).
BEN – you know 4 works I’m talking about. Can you add an explanation?
Re “heavily researched”
A more ‘heavily researched theoretical approach’ – would require reading and research. I think that’s interesting but I’m probably more inclined just to go for an unresearched creative response (purely due to time constraints – my primary interest being in creating art work, not in doing research).
Re working on material:
In terms of you not wanting to agree before the project what it is we will be working on – I’m fine with that given that we’ve all tried pretty hard to work this one through and haven’t reached an agreement. I have a preference for doing it the other way, but if you don’t want to go down that path I’m happy to accommodate that.
Does that clarify?
Dan wrote:
yep, that all makes perfect sense! cool cool!!
Serena wrote:
Ace!
Ben wrote:
I'll try on the 4 works explanation...
What I think Serena means is that you don't listen to the pieces and necessarily go "hey, that sounds just like Kiama in winter, or Bulli in summer", or "that's a sea serpent", yet it's in there - it's about a starting point and a framework, a kernel of truth from which the works sprout and beyond which pretty much anything can happen.
These places and times are carried in there in the way it seems S wants Bundanon to be 'in there', they are a product of and interaction with a 'place and environment' that is both sensory and more, that is the visible and the hidden. It's the social and the natural, but also the ephemeral. Beyond that, it's the vibe/spirit/call it what you will. So it's not just "here's the sound of a wave/ a tree in the wind being (re)produced", but "here's the feeling you get from these things, in this place, at this fleeting moment".
I think I made this point at Blackheath, but I believe our different needs/preferences partly reflect our approach to art, but also the forms in which we are working.
Photography is very much site-based, although I'm planning on messing around with that more than I usually do. It's often responsive, and steered by the moment.
Words are fairly malleable, so writing can spring out of the blue and needs only rely upon itself to make a certain amount of sense, which can then change according to contexts. This is simplistic, but more true I think than for music, where the language is dependent on performance, which has a form and a time and a location that's not as flexible.
Although I don't compose music, my understanding is that it relies to an extent on a 'framework' of sorts, an understanding of what instrumentation it's for, which will depend on:
a) inspiration and sounds that emerge in one's head, and the translation of this into a tangible form, but also
b) practicalities - who is going to play this? how will it be heard?
Writing and photography has its own central form to begin with, which can then mutate into various directions. Music seems to need to start further down the track and need more of a guiding principal.
It's in these differences and crossing-points that friction can occur, but don't forget that friction is the point at which sparks occur.
meanwhile.... Rhi asked in her email:
Bxx
Serena wrote:
Well put Ben – I think you’ve mastered the words thing better than I and were able to add some helpful stuff in.
Dan wrote:
some of my photography is probably a good example of this ben. It's very abstract and texturally-based but often contains the essence of a place hidden in there somewhere...
yeah, I guess all this conversation should all go on the blog... it's far less daunting in an email though... less eyes on it.... if I get a burst of energy on the weekend I'll post them up...
D
Serena wrote:
My computer wouldn’t let me open this … maybe you can bring it to Bundanon. I’m interested in looking at photos and then trying to ‘translate’ those into music/sound or composition (and no, I’m not getting into the whole composer/creative artist/sound artist debate, let’s not go there).
Ben wrote:
you should be able to see it here Serena, through the magic of the interwebs...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daniellecarey/2178047262
Serena wrote:
Oohhh. Lovely. Great movement Dan.
Dan wrote:
when can we meet again for next chat session... lots to chat about methinks...
Serena wrote:
What did you have in mind to talk about Dan?
Dan wrote:
re talking: logistics and crunch time for project ideas.
Ben wrote:
'crunch time for project ideas' is at least worth a shot... and seems to be where people are it, in light of Rhi's last post.
Any thoughts welcome, as it would be good to go into this weekend with an idea of how best to use it.
B
Dan wrote:
Hey guys,
I think the biggest thing we need to sort out is what we are actually hoping to achieve in Bundanon. We need to finally decide whether our initial idea of a "site-specific artwork" is feasible, realistic and still inspiring people.
My feeling is that these 2 weeks would be best spent as an initial exploration and workshopping of ideas. Given that the blog hasn't really taken off and that we've only really had 2 meetings about the project I don't feel I have enough idea about everyone's creative work and the way that they work to be able to head down to Bundanon and "make a high quality art work" in 2 weeks. I don't think it is a realistic goal and I think we will put far too much pressure on ourselves.
I'd be more keen to go back to our initial proposal and use this time as an exploration for working together. Explore a few different creative approaches, ideas etc. and then at the end of the 2 weeks look at what we've got, write a few reflective articles about "the collaborative process" to be published in a few different magazines and then decide if we have enough material and energy to put together a collaborative art work in the future. Perhaps even use the time to do some research on site-specific art work itself!!
My reluctance to still commit to an "end product" is three-fold:
1. 2 weeks is a VERY short time frame to come up with a complete product. Especially considering I've never worked with any of you before (except Rhi!). We'd have to be damned kick-arse for the proposed piece of art to be worth anything...
2. I have major issues attempting to create a "site-specific" art work. In my reading I've discovered just how politically-laden the word is and come to the realisation how naive we as a group are about the art form. I think it will be very difficult creating a piece of art in a new art form for the first time in only two weeks without it being ill-informed and naive
3. My approach to the creative process is very spontaneous and intuitive. I'd want to find a method for working in our group that caters for this approach in conjunction with approaches that suit others better. It is mostly by doing, being, talking, reading that I become inspired and productive. We've barely had any time to be together as a group since last year when we put in our application. So it won't really be until we're actually there that ideas will come rolling and bouncing for me. I need more flexibility to be able to feel comfortable with this project.
So this is where I'm at. Possibly not what some of you wanted to hear. But I'm still confident we can find a solution that suits everyone and respects everyone's needs and creative approaches.
Cheers,
Dan
Julian wrote:
Hey there,
I'm not feeling too dissimilar, Dan. My feeling is that our 'collaboration' should really properly begin with the residency.
I was chatting to Luke Jaaniste, one of my long-standing collaborators, and we both agreed that some of the most enjoyable and indeed productive times during our COMPOST days were when we simply went away somewhere for a week or two with no expectations but a great willingness to chat, absorb, play, explore and simply hang. We'd take gear, instruments, books, scores, DVDs and during that time ideas would start to flow organically, from the 'site' or the source if you like. I think for everyone's sanity it would be good to lower our expectations for Bundanon and likewise see it as a journey or process rather than as the only time in which to make a finished product.
Regarding Bundanon's expectation of what we'll do there, keep in mind that Damian Barbeler went to Bundanon in, I think, 2002 and he's only just handed in the piece that he started there a week ago. So I don't think there's any pressure to finish anything right away.
Regarding site-specific artwork, installation and environmental art I have a suggestion. Luke J has spent the last 5-10 years exploring the form and has offered to present to us a 3-hour lecture with images. All we'd need to do is cover the cost of him coming to Bundanon and put him up for a night or so. I'd estimate it'd cost about $50 for the train ticket from Sydney and food. This way we'd get some historical context and understand just exactly what world we'd be entering into. What do you think?
Jxx
Ben wrote:
hey all,
I'll start by pointing out how much I'm really looking forward to this, especially as the time draws nearer, just so anything to follow might be taken in the tone and spirit intended (ie excited and cheerful!)
Exploration and workshopping of ideas is likely to be a big part of our time at Bundanon, and the best balance of chatting and 'doing' should hopefully emerge early on. This should give each of us the chance to work in the way that we each work best - time to be inspired, time to create, time to reflect.
One thing I was quite puzzled by was the "make a high quality art work in 2 weeks" part of your email Dan. I don't really know where 'complete product' came from... it's not something I'd ever thought feasible or that any of us had expected. Far from it! My understanding has always been that this was a brain-storming, idea-forming and material gathering window, with the rest of the year to then hone/develop these ideas and the material into tangible 'outcomes'. Even if we were going in with some possible ideas as to the form of a particular project(s), I never heard it suggested we would have something done and dusted by the final day there.
Regarding the blog and the suggestion that 'it didn't take off' - I've got a few thoughts on that one. I figure people are finding it difficult to find the time for it, so perhaps briefer, more frequent posting is more appropriate? Also, given the resistance to having too much of an idea of outcomes before we go in, then there's in a way not so much to actually discuss there at the moment. My hope is that as our ideas flow and we come up with concepts and spark off each other, more post ideas will flow - moving from conceptual to actual.
The idea of it being a place for sketches and the like still appeals to me, and that's something that will flow from our Bundanon stay as we gather such material and come up with just such sketches. It may serve a stronger purpose once we are away from Bundanon and back working by ourselves, but in parallel - ie i would really hope to see comments on any parts of any works that people put there for discussion.
I'm quite keen to keep the pressure off too, but for me that will mean having a few ideas of things i would like to do/try, then exploring further those that come up while we're there. I too find inspiration in things i read/talk about/ see etc, but at some point need to turn that into something and it will help to have an idea of what form will best suit a group project. I have no intention of 'imposing' these on anyone and don't see this curtailing anyone's personal flexibility, it might just mean I'll be doing a few things that won't necessarily fit into a final group work - fine by me!
Out of curiosity, and in light the most recent emails, are people at least aiming for a concrete(ish) idea of what vein our project(s) are going to be in by the end of the fortnight? I'd personally be in favour of that and think that our difficulty in all meeting up would make that quite important for us to take the momentum of the fortnight with us.
I'd like to hear more about Dan's problems with 'site-specific' but am happy to wait until we next see each other - or perhaps you could point us to any material that might be appropriate reading in the meantime?
Julian, how much notice to you think Luke would need? It certainly sounds like a good idea if we're going to go down that path, but the sense from Dan's email is she's not as keen for that as perhaps before. We should decide on that soon though, as Bundanon have made it clear they're pretty cool about that sort of thing PROVIDED we alert them to it beforehand, which i'm happy to do. Maybe we could even flag it as a possibility with them?
On one hand D and J seem at first glance a long way from where Rhi seems to be at (as per her last post), but on a practical front the gap is probably not really such a big deal - we'll all be there in just over two weeks anyway, and given that's likely to be the next time we'll see each other, it seems to be the best time to work all these things out.
With a yummy meal in our tummy, a glass of red and an amazingly inspirational backdrop - and two weeks to explore all this and more - I think we'll all be pinching ourselves as to what a great opportunity we have. I'm really excited about it and hope people aren't getting too stressed out; we're friends above and beyond all this and i'm really pleased to have been included in this - anything that comes out of it is is simply a bonus on top of a great couple of weeks together.
You guys are all neat by the way, if i hadn't reminded you lately.
Bxx
Rhi wrote:
Thanks Ben! You rock.
I think we all agree we won’t have a shiny finished product at the end of two weeks.
But what do we expect to have? As Ben mentioned, I don’t think that on a practical front Dan’s and Julian’s ideas are so far off from mine. Let me clarify a point in my last post: rather than saying we needed to agree on an expected outcome, I should have said we needed to be sure our expectations for the residency aligned (an expected outcome could be no outcome? a collection of materials?): I was worried that what I saw as differences in expectations could easily lead to tension.
After Blackheath though I was under the impression that everyone was leaning towards a site-specific artwork - am glad I raised the issue…
So, while we’re all getting our expectations on the table.
At the end of two weeks I hope we’ll have a good collection of ideas, inspiration, material etc. I also want to have an idea of a finished product(s) we might aim for (for which we might aim – just for you Ben!) and a commitment to work towards this. If the ideas we come up with don't spark with everyone (and I don’t expect we’ll know until partway through our stay) then I also think it is possible for just some of us to commit to a project or projects.
By the way, I like Dan’s suggestion that one outcome could be writing a few articles on the collaborative process for a few magazines – but am also hoping for more…
I’m also interested in Dan’s concerns about site-specific artwork: (the musicologist in you never sleeps!) I know that terms applied to art forms tend to come burdened with histories and layers of meaning, and without a comprehensive understanding of these it would be easy to create something naïve and uninformed. I think I feel less constricted by this than you Dan, because I’ve been using the term (as lay-people tend to do), much more loosely. I'd been thinking of it as an artwork that relates to a specific site… so maybe I should use another term… place-focused? geographically-inspired? locationally-stimulated?
By the way: I’d love, but don’t necessarily expect, to produce something kick-arse. There are many aspects of art that are like a trade – you have to practise in order to become better, and I know I need to be working towards a commitment to make sure I put aside the time to practise. We are all going to be pracising collaboration - and there needs to be places and spaces in which artists are allowed to experiment (and fail) in order to produce artists that have the skills to produce quality art… and in my mind Bundanon is one of those places...
Two points in regard to the blog:
Are people committed to contributing to this? It would be good to get a realistic idea view of where people are at. If anyone is reluctant can they say so now? Likewise if people see it as being on hold until after Bundanon…
If everyone is still keen, should the last emails from Dan, Julian, Ben and me all go up there?
Some random creative ideas I’m mulling over at the moment:
Five senses art. If at some point some one were to create a site-specific artwork I would be interested in engaging all the senses… expect maybe taste… or maybe also taste… how many artworks are there that include smells? I’m also interested in this from the aspect of wanting to exercise some control over an audience’s reactions in terms of creating a particular mood or ambiance… I find the power of music to manipulate emotions fascinating and would at some point like to explore this further. In a way it fits into our discussions on perspectives. If two people saw the same room from different angles with different lighting and different music playing and different smells but were told the same story, how would their reactions compare? What if the story was different and everything else was the same.
Art within art. I’ve pasted an Arthur Boyd self-portrait below. There is also an Albert Tucker photo of Arthur Boyd in front of this self-portrait that “captures the sense of the shared creative environment in which the 1940s portraits were painted”. I like the idea of art that becomes environment and environment that becomes art… photos of artworks and their interactions with the creator/the audience/the environment would be one way to explore this.
Dan wrote:
well it's good to hear we're vaguely on the same wavelength... but I have to admit now I'm terribly confused because it seemed so clear to me that there was a push at the Blackheath workshop to decide on what we were going to create... anyway, it doesn't matter. It's clearer now... and a huge relief...
so just to clarify :
AIMS:
1. to workshop, experiment and explore ideas collaboratively;
2. explore collaborative process itself;
3. research site-specific/environmental art;
4. assess materials gathered/created at end of 2 weeks
5. decide on possibility of future project at end of 2 weeks
Serena: what are your thoughts?
D
Serena wrote:
Hey All,
Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and perspectives on it all and thanks to ben for the organizational email (which I’ll look at today);
As I said, Rhi pretty much summed up how I feel about things.
I am looking for the 2 weeks to be a major ‘gathering of material’. For me, this will include spending time composing music, writing stuff for radio and hopefully recording for radiophonic/installationy type stuff. If we go for the radiophonic work for ABC then I’m concerned I won’t be recording at a high enough quality because I don’t have the microphones required. I’ve been doing pretty serious research on this and it looks like I need to spend about $800, which is a lot of money for something I’m unsure how much I will use outside of our project.
I’d really like to have us all working on material for a set project or projects - ie I don’t see much point in me composing music for a string quartet if that music won’t get used in one of our collaborative projects. So that’s why I’d like to work out what we think we are working towards.
Looking back to our group proposal it appears we have said we will:
- exploring the concept of ‘place’ and ‘environment’ collaboratively and across our different artists disciplines
- explore specific sites at Bundanon and/or Riversale – eg river, forest homestead
- engage in ‘specifically designed crative tasks’ – inc improve and research
- possibly create an installation, music performance, video footage, photographic footage
- web-based discussion (which we’ve started, but seem to have shifted to email)
- finished product of all/any of the following: multi-media event, DVD/CD-ROM of critical and creative texts, music and images, 20 to 40 minute radiophonic work for ABC; website/blog; articles for Resonate.
In terms of ideas that fit in with the above, I’m interested in:
- composing music inspired by Bundanon – ideally this would go towards either a radio piece we were writing or a concert we were putting on - again this is something it would be best to know now, so that when I’m down there writing I am writing for the correct instrumentation
- doing radio stuff on the bundanon homestead kitchen – the sounds that can be made there, the role of kitchens across the life of the building (ie how much the role of the kitchen has changed). We’ll need to organise access to the kitchen if this is something we decide to do.
- Doing fictional creative writing inspired by Bundanon – but I haven’t worked in this discipline for a long time so I have a few reservations about it. Perhaps it is worth a shot.
I know I am going to have very, very limited time outside of Bundanon. So while I certainly am not aiming for a finished product in the 2 weeks (impossible!) I will be realistic and say that my ability to be part of a major project that takes up a large amount of time is pretty limited.
I’m more interested into a creative response to place and environment than a heavily researched theoretical ‘site specific’ approach – though this is influenced by the fact that I have found it difficult to find good writings about site specific artwork and most of what I have found is about artforms I’m not working in.
Dan wrote:
Serena: "I’m more interested into a creative response to place and environment than a heavily researched theoretical ‘site specific’ approach"
do you mean "place and environment" from a physical perspective? A physical environment? As opposed to "place and environment being a community of people or a more abstract idea. And what do you mean by a heavily researched theoretical approach?
I’d really like to have us all working on material for a set project or projects - ie I don’t see much point in me composing music for a string quartet if that music won’t get used in one of our collaborative projects. So that’s why I’d like to work out what we think we are working towards.
This is exactly what I'm not comfortable doing.
I won't be able to decide what we think we are working towards until we actually start working together. For me these kinds of decisions will evolve throughout the course of the two weeks
D
Serena wrote:
Re creative response:
I’m approaching the idea of “place and environment” merely as instigators of creativity and inspiration. So I don’t necessarily mean “place and environment” from a physical perspective” or from “community idea”. I just mean my ideas will be driven by being at Bundanon. The end work won’t necessarily reflect this particularly closely but it will be what is inspiring me.
For example the four musical compositions I wrote for Illawarra Sea Stories are written to reflect 4 different beach places. I suppose that would be a ‘response to a physical environment’ but it was also driven by my knowledge of each place (which contains more than just the physical).
BEN – you know 4 works I’m talking about. Can you add an explanation?
Re “heavily researched”
A more ‘heavily researched theoretical approach’ – would require reading and research. I think that’s interesting but I’m probably more inclined just to go for an unresearched creative response (purely due to time constraints – my primary interest being in creating art work, not in doing research).
Re working on material:
In terms of you not wanting to agree before the project what it is we will be working on – I’m fine with that given that we’ve all tried pretty hard to work this one through and haven’t reached an agreement. I have a preference for doing it the other way, but if you don’t want to go down that path I’m happy to accommodate that.
Does that clarify?
Dan wrote:
yep, that all makes perfect sense! cool cool!!
Serena wrote:
Ace!
Ben wrote:
I'll try on the 4 works explanation...
What I think Serena means is that you don't listen to the pieces and necessarily go "hey, that sounds just like Kiama in winter, or Bulli in summer", or "that's a sea serpent", yet it's in there - it's about a starting point and a framework, a kernel of truth from which the works sprout and beyond which pretty much anything can happen.
These places and times are carried in there in the way it seems S wants Bundanon to be 'in there', they are a product of and interaction with a 'place and environment' that is both sensory and more, that is the visible and the hidden. It's the social and the natural, but also the ephemeral. Beyond that, it's the vibe/spirit/call it what you will. So it's not just "here's the sound of a wave/ a tree in the wind being (re)produced", but "here's the feeling you get from these things, in this place, at this fleeting moment".
I think I made this point at Blackheath, but I believe our different needs/preferences partly reflect our approach to art, but also the forms in which we are working.
Photography is very much site-based, although I'm planning on messing around with that more than I usually do. It's often responsive, and steered by the moment.
Words are fairly malleable, so writing can spring out of the blue and needs only rely upon itself to make a certain amount of sense, which can then change according to contexts. This is simplistic, but more true I think than for music, where the language is dependent on performance, which has a form and a time and a location that's not as flexible.
Although I don't compose music, my understanding is that it relies to an extent on a 'framework' of sorts, an understanding of what instrumentation it's for, which will depend on:
a) inspiration and sounds that emerge in one's head, and the translation of this into a tangible form, but also
b) practicalities - who is going to play this? how will it be heard?
Writing and photography has its own central form to begin with, which can then mutate into various directions. Music seems to need to start further down the track and need more of a guiding principal.
It's in these differences and crossing-points that friction can occur, but don't forget that friction is the point at which sparks occur.
meanwhile.... Rhi asked in her email:
"If everyone is still keen, should the last emails from Dan, Julian, Ben and me all go up [on the blog]?"I think this would be a good idea, and I'd also be interested in Dan posting those Real Time links she emailed us yesterday, as I think there's some crucial points in them quite central to our projects worth some comments.
Bxx
Serena wrote:
Well put Ben – I think you’ve mastered the words thing better than I and were able to add some helpful stuff in.
Dan wrote:
some of my photography is probably a good example of this ben. It's very abstract and texturally-based but often contains the essence of a place hidden in there somewhere...
yeah, I guess all this conversation should all go on the blog... it's far less daunting in an email though... less eyes on it.... if I get a burst of energy on the weekend I'll post them up...
D
Serena wrote:
My computer wouldn’t let me open this … maybe you can bring it to Bundanon. I’m interested in looking at photos and then trying to ‘translate’ those into music/sound or composition (and no, I’m not getting into the whole composer/creative artist/sound artist debate, let’s not go there).
Ben wrote:
you should be able to see it here Serena, through the magic of the interwebs...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daniellecarey/2178047262
Serena wrote:
Oohhh. Lovely. Great movement Dan.
Thursday, April 3
Honing in
I found Rhi's post makes some quite useful points, and in putting together a response realised this might make more sense as a spin-off post than a comment.
I'm definitely finding 'too many ideas' more of an issue than too few. I guess that's a luxury that beats the alternative! I have a fairly strong impression of Bundanon in my mind, based on previous visits, so find a lot of my ideas are slotting into place in regards to specific things that may or may not work in different areas there.
When considering photographic/film opportunities, my thinking is more along spatial and reflective/responsive lines than historical, yet when I think of text it's the converse - it's more about exploring the time layer and being drawn to a 'yet-known' past, yet very much set in a particular space.
I've been reading a bit about Arthur and the Boyds, but not yet much about their time at Bundanon. I've been doing some 'practice' writing I suppose you might call it, but it's based more on Arthur's paintings than his life or Bundanon and surrounds.
'Based on' isn't very accurate mind you - it's more of a 'response' that touches on some of the themes and images (Greek mythology etc), but then takes on a life of its own. So while I could trace it back to what might have prompted a certain part or idea, it's probably not very obvious that they have any necessary co-relation. Some are closer than others, and some or so tangental as to bear little resemblance whatsoever - even to me by the time they're done.
I know we talked about a preference for a collaborative piece rather than a bundle, but the more I think about how it will work (the project, and the two weeks), the more I imagine it will be a mix. I've been spending the last few weeks and weekends devoting more time to creative work, and realising that creative fatigue can set in pretty quickly if I don't move from one form to another (eg after writing for a while, going and taking some photos to rest the writing mind).
I suspect similar things will happen over the two weeks, and that we will move between a central project and some parallel pieces to break things up. These pieces would still, potentially, fit into the 'umbrella' but also take some of the pressure off the joint work. Is this sort of approach what people are seeing working?
Rhi's concept of 'Distortion' is perfect. It fits really well with a lot of what we have talked about, and ties together that crucial third category of 'perspectives' in a way 'interventions' and 'fabrications' didn't quite.
Perspectives are very important to what we're all interested in, but until now seemed to have stood a little to one side. Distortion brings it in beautifully, and opens up a few more doors for my thinking about certain potential inclusions in the project - especially the visual aspects, but also in terms of writing.
The point about the difficulty of working with histories is definitely worth discussing. We're all under certain constraints (time, work, geographic) that mean a too-thorough understanding of the histories of Bundanon and its surrounds would come at the expense of actually creating any of our own.
What interests me more, anyway, is the imagined histories. Despite being fairly well maintained and set up, and a wealth of primary materials being theoretically available, most visitors to Bundanon only get a gloss of its history. They each carry around their own mix of snippets, the rest they fill in; imagining what life there was like, looking around to see whether they can sense the inspiration in the air.
Personally I think that's what we should also be working with - such snippets and snatches, given we can never hope to get across a 'complete' story anyway. And that's far from our purpose as I understand it. I see Bundanon and her history as a Pulpit Rock style leaping point, not a marsh for getting bogged down in. There is something in the air down there, and I want to spend time with that, not just tracing what somebody else did with it.
In terms of deciding 'which aspects of these ideas we'd most like to explore', I suspect they will all cross over at various points. We're still kind of dancing around our project it seems, rather than getting our teeth truly into it, but I wonder how much of that will chance in the next three weeks? I'm happy to nut down further if people are up for it and this blog is perhaps the best place for that.
Rhi feels we need to decide on what we are aiming to produce with a contingency plan if it doesn't work as planned. She mentioned agreeing on an expected outcome before we go away, else risk disaster. These seem good ideas, though I sense a little trepidation on people's behalf in this approach.
I'd like to hear what everyone thinks, but will go first. I'm still very much interested in exploring the potential for a site-specific work, but also remain aware that's one of the most logistically difficult. I think we could produce quite a strong project based on our two weeks there and subsequent work, but there will always be the matter of the location's remoteness. We've discussed tying it in with another event (eg FlameTree if it returns in 2008) but it does suggest we should consider opportunities beyond the location. I'd also like to talk more about the potential 'bundle' of works we could bring together if the site-specific aspect proves unworkable, so we can go into the fortnight with a pretty strong idea of what we are working on ourselves, but also what everyone else hopes to achieve.
- Benjamin
I'm definitely finding 'too many ideas' more of an issue than too few. I guess that's a luxury that beats the alternative! I have a fairly strong impression of Bundanon in my mind, based on previous visits, so find a lot of my ideas are slotting into place in regards to specific things that may or may not work in different areas there.
When considering photographic/film opportunities, my thinking is more along spatial and reflective/responsive lines than historical, yet when I think of text it's the converse - it's more about exploring the time layer and being drawn to a 'yet-known' past, yet very much set in a particular space.
I've been reading a bit about Arthur and the Boyds, but not yet much about their time at Bundanon. I've been doing some 'practice' writing I suppose you might call it, but it's based more on Arthur's paintings than his life or Bundanon and surrounds.
'Based on' isn't very accurate mind you - it's more of a 'response' that touches on some of the themes and images (Greek mythology etc), but then takes on a life of its own. So while I could trace it back to what might have prompted a certain part or idea, it's probably not very obvious that they have any necessary co-relation. Some are closer than others, and some or so tangental as to bear little resemblance whatsoever - even to me by the time they're done.
I know we talked about a preference for a collaborative piece rather than a bundle, but the more I think about how it will work (the project, and the two weeks), the more I imagine it will be a mix. I've been spending the last few weeks and weekends devoting more time to creative work, and realising that creative fatigue can set in pretty quickly if I don't move from one form to another (eg after writing for a while, going and taking some photos to rest the writing mind).
I suspect similar things will happen over the two weeks, and that we will move between a central project and some parallel pieces to break things up. These pieces would still, potentially, fit into the 'umbrella' but also take some of the pressure off the joint work. Is this sort of approach what people are seeing working?
Rhi's concept of 'Distortion' is perfect. It fits really well with a lot of what we have talked about, and ties together that crucial third category of 'perspectives' in a way 'interventions' and 'fabrications' didn't quite.
Perspectives are very important to what we're all interested in, but until now seemed to have stood a little to one side. Distortion brings it in beautifully, and opens up a few more doors for my thinking about certain potential inclusions in the project - especially the visual aspects, but also in terms of writing.
The point about the difficulty of working with histories is definitely worth discussing. We're all under certain constraints (time, work, geographic) that mean a too-thorough understanding of the histories of Bundanon and its surrounds would come at the expense of actually creating any of our own.
What interests me more, anyway, is the imagined histories. Despite being fairly well maintained and set up, and a wealth of primary materials being theoretically available, most visitors to Bundanon only get a gloss of its history. They each carry around their own mix of snippets, the rest they fill in; imagining what life there was like, looking around to see whether they can sense the inspiration in the air.
Personally I think that's what we should also be working with - such snippets and snatches, given we can never hope to get across a 'complete' story anyway. And that's far from our purpose as I understand it. I see Bundanon and her history as a Pulpit Rock style leaping point, not a marsh for getting bogged down in. There is something in the air down there, and I want to spend time with that, not just tracing what somebody else did with it.
In terms of deciding 'which aspects of these ideas we'd most like to explore', I suspect they will all cross over at various points. We're still kind of dancing around our project it seems, rather than getting our teeth truly into it, but I wonder how much of that will chance in the next three weeks? I'm happy to nut down further if people are up for it and this blog is perhaps the best place for that.
Rhi feels we need to decide on what we are aiming to produce with a contingency plan if it doesn't work as planned. She mentioned agreeing on an expected outcome before we go away, else risk disaster. These seem good ideas, though I sense a little trepidation on people's behalf in this approach.
I'd like to hear what everyone thinks, but will go first. I'm still very much interested in exploring the potential for a site-specific work, but also remain aware that's one of the most logistically difficult. I think we could produce quite a strong project based on our two weeks there and subsequent work, but there will always be the matter of the location's remoteness. We've discussed tying it in with another event (eg FlameTree if it returns in 2008) but it does suggest we should consider opportunities beyond the location. I'd also like to talk more about the potential 'bundle' of works we could bring together if the site-specific aspect proves unworkable, so we can go into the fortnight with a pretty strong idea of what we are working on ourselves, but also what everyone else hopes to achieve.
- Benjamin
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