Proposal for den@Accidental Festival, The Roundhouse, May 2009

so this is what I submitted to The Accidental Festival

Title of piece
den

Description of the work you would like to bring to The Accidental Festival
den explores the site of a child’s den as one of nostalgia, mischief and secrecy. This is through sharing stories between strangers connecting with our past through one-to-ones explored in narrative and photographic image making.

Provisional score for the work in "Any other relevant information" box.

How does your work respond to/correspond with this year’s theme of 'connection'?
Exchanging stories as a one-to-one performative exchange through human connections to our everyday lives, our past loves, childhood memories. Opening up to stranger maybe like you wouldn't to a close friend. Asking people to write a greetings card to someone who was important in their life and exchanging stories, finding common threads on our life experiences, and maybe giving closure to those who have left us.

Who are your target audience?
Passers by, the usual adult audience of the Accidental Festival/ The Roundhouse. Unsuitable for children due to the subject matter.

Please provide an overview of your technical requirements
This is a durational, intimate performance for one at a time (approximately 15 minutes per encounter) There could be multiple encounters happening simultaneously, which could have one or more dens with multiple exchanges, with more facilitators/performers. Ideally happening on a busy night, in a foyer, bar or open space, people socialising, waiting for a show, or after a show. Could also work on a pre-booked basis with an usher entirely in a given room, I have worked in this way before. A visit would be good to determine this and make the piece more site-responsive, maybe drawing connections with my other work such as shed (see http://www.harrietpoole.com/work.php.)

Set up entirely myself in a couple of hours/ an assistant I would provide if time is short. Creating a staged semi-light tight darkroom providing own equipment being child den type furniture- such as ironing board, chair, bedsheets, curtains, small darkroom (box) tray, photographic developer, photographic paper, safety lights, all materials provided myself.

Access to water nearby and electrical socket very nearby.

If possible I would like to view the space in advance of the event so I can plan for the right materials (eg looking at the ambient light, siting of table and size of den permitted) and any slight adaptations to the event if layout of space etc dictates. The den I have made for a current show is 1.5m x 3.5m and a 1m square table.

Please note- I have a lot of experience in constructing make-shift darkrooms if the above sounds horrendously off putting- and I am able to do it myself. There is no Enlarger or other traditional darkroom equipment, processing troughs etc, but would put down suitable protective sheeting as applicable, there is very minimal liquid and it is self-contained.

Any other relevant information
My live art work explores theories in the work of Roland Barthes and Tino Sehgal, the first for his theories of the ‘mortality’ of the paper based photograph as an ‘impossible’ record of ‘now,’ and the latter for the fleeting materiality of his art works. I work with principles of non-matrixed theatre (using a score with chance elements) and audience participation through the subversion of time/lens based media practices. I experiment with pushing the temporal nature of performance through marrying with the temporal nature of photography, placing the process of image making intrinsically at the heart of an intimate performative experience.

I often play with sudden temporal suspension jerks arresting the event back into a reality; in this piece all material is lost through erasing of the photographic image (it isn't fixed) and the greetings card is suddenly shredded at the end, aiding a cathartic atmosphere within the sharing of memories of those who have left us.

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Proposed score for den:

I’m inside the den. My shoes are outside.

Sign outside says if there are two pairs of shoes outside, “Please wait for someone to leave”, OR I ask via the walkie talkie ( second one on the table outside) if there is anyone there, and to push the side button on the walkie talkie to speak to them.

Once get a reply, ask them if they’d like to come in the den (walkie talkie), and/ or then stick my hand out to show where to get inside.

Once settled, I open and spread out the pack/bag of greetings cards.

Ask the participant to pick and write one to someone who was important in their life.

After writing it, ask them if they’d like to discuss who they chose, and why. Have a conversation responding to each other.

I ask the participant to place the card on the tray, get out photo paper, and photogram it using the torch light.

Bring in the shredder behind me from outside the back of the den and shred the card. Remove the shredder again.

Develop the photogram. Wash, dry and frame the photogram.

Hand the frame to the participant to put on the table outside. Participant leaves den and goes to the table.

Confirms via walkie talkie when then have left the table (if used,) places it back under the table.

Starts again.
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Please see www.harrietpoole.com and www.harrietpoole.blogspot.com for more information, images, archive, including the recent piece den, which would be adapted for this festival pending site visit. Please also note, use to the private nature of the encounters, I do not document the work: relics installations, comments, the process (blog) logs the work.

the den @ not a f******* art show, trinity buoy wharf: the final installation and to the future

den @ not a f******* art show

for the final installation of den which remains for the rest of the show, post the exchanges on the private view, I moved the table closer to the den. In retrospect it physically sits here better, proximity allowing it now as a whole piece to read and relate better to the issues in the exhibition of female, feminine, feminist. It's interesting the idea of the work being both a functional site of exchange and then a final installation, to be viewed finally as an art object- the audience shifting from participant to spectator- am not entirely sure it works in this duality. Perhaps thinking more about this now, this transformation needs further consideration as its not something I have concerned myself with, the entire site of exchange now becoming a public gallery installation. The latter given its surrounded by other art objects, did I need more written explanation as to what-had-been , or is it enough alone, dens by their nature are ambiguous (what's going on in there?) and in fact this parallels nicely with the ambiguous nature of photographs, we view without a context unless it is uttered/defined? the viewer is perhaps to read the black photograms with the sense of the moment that has passed but they are not party to what that moment was, as is the fundamental point of the work?? I think that if I am to situate my portable work in a gallery space again, I really need to think more about this. even a sign saying installation relic of the exchanges??

The neighbouring work is by Imelda Culleton in which she transforms the elderly as protesters into icons, and considers our treatment of them;



here's a close up of a final photogram;






the exposed beams and walls adds to the nostalgic and redundant aesthetic of the den

I have applied to the accidental festival with this piece or an adaptation of it depending on the location, acoustics, and the notion of it being made of fabric that its' walls have ears, a quite, comtemplative space or a very public thoroughfare or bar environment? need to consider if it is to be viewed as both a installation and a site of exchange, although the nature of it being a festival of performance and not a gallery may be enough and there may be a quick set up/ get out for the installation element to not be relevant...... if not may need to research practitioner's who work in this way. ...site of performance and installation....

to the future.....am very keen to consider the portability of the work and the domestic/commercial or non performance/gallery space. met at gary steven's lab the other day Ann Rapstoff, and we chatted about participatory work outside conventional spaces, and her takeaway project (take home/away an art work/performance from a takeaway food outlet) as well as artwash, a working launderette that brings in live performance and installation works.

den @ not a f******* art show, 4th March 2009, my reflections on the event

den @ not a f******* art show


so.. here goes with thinking through the what happened on the night, i really enjoyed the experience and feel my work is getting stronger in its reduction of elements (yes, its finally happened- doug my MA tutor always said this to me) although the size of the den was a little too close for the use of objects easily but matches well to the whole notion of a den.

due to the personal nature of the encounters and my work situating itself within its temporal nature of in the moment (the act of photography and conversationally) I do not retell/document the very personal elements of stories.

some reflections;

• the conversations were on the whole as an event, far more giving and engaging than my previous works, i think this was as the conversational stories came from the participant's greeting card message they had personally had space and time to consider and write, and therefore centered around them with common connections made and explored between us.
  

• the exchange become centred around one object, the greetings card, i did not physically produce or share the same, this was a new direction for me, and great, i finally realised the merit in an exchange being purely giving something 0f yourself which did not need to manifest itself as an object, it was enough it had come from the participant's object. :)

• I let the participant write their card in silence and then discussed it, this added to the length of the piece, but shouldn't hurry it, the quality of the experience being the most important here.

• I centred around the idea of them reading the card out loud, and building on that, and then focusing on the last day they saw each other, this made the connection well to the photographic moment that has passed.

• the spacing of the den and the table- this was done apart form one another to try to stop you hearing my real voice only mediated through the walkie talkie. however, this quickly became a nightmare trying to use it with trying to communicate on the walkie talkie and also people coming straight up to the den. In hindsight it would have been ok to leave it near the den, connecting it as a whole better. could have simply had a sign saying 'please wait if there are two pairs of shoes here.'
  

• height of den- too low on my side, and too narrow, the chair in the scratch was wider, spacing and using the objects was difficult, although added to the den aesthetic and needed to take a short break part way through.

• one participant wrote a card to a female who is rather than was important, so i asked them to write a second card, and they kept the original one.this worked well.
  

• whilst most talked about someone they lost touch with for good reasons, a part of their life that once was, one participant talked about a loved one who had died. need to think about this more, was the shredding action too much for this, as they are still not to be forgotten? should i have stipulated they should still be alive (and how to do this, if this is necessary? this needs further consideration, it still fits with the cathartic nature of the work and a sense of release, how does it feel, maybe see if i can contact the participant)

• liked bringing in the shredder from outside the den, adult item brought it to serve its function and then removed from sight as it took us back suddenly into the present from the past.

• i loved the photogram image of text appearing and disappearing, like a blueprint. very poetic moment, watching quietly whilst the sound of the private view in full volume outside.

• possibly could have used bigger photo paper, 10 x 8, so could see whole card, how important was the image on the card, the text only as was personal?

• choice of cards- very mother/nan nostalgia orientated, people preferred the more modern, generic ones, happy birthday, just to say- use more of these next time? someone chose a card to someone they had never sent a birthday card to, they didn't know when their birthday was and wish they had of done.
  

• other thematics of stories here and in the scratch included past lovers, past teachers, lost friends for example.
  

• the walls have ears idea was good- having always had a lot of privacy with 4 solid walls around, perhaps brought a greater sense of intimacy between us, as we had to detach ourselves more. at one point with the noise of the shredder, the friends of a participant outside asked what was going on in there, were they ok- this was cool, the hearing but being denied the seeing, the not knowing, the element of mischief.......on the negative side, not having a sign outside, and people not reading the 'for one at a time' on the wall label, meant people were lifting up the sheet/knocking on the wooden foot stool (!) like it was a door. this needs addressing......possible side table with instructions in a frame??
  

Setting up for den @ not a f******* art show, electricity shop, trinity buoy wharf

so...here goes, the set up for den, imelda very kindly transported my stuff to the site











foot stool to add weight to hold the sheets taught, and a brick is holding the base of the ironing board




side table- if had been central would have been viewed as an object (although not sure this is the best place still)

nostalgic fabrics






sitting inside the heights are good, not too low, however the uneven heights from the scratch looked like a more makeshift thrown together den

the table and den are apart to allow for the walkie talkies to be effective and not hear the real voice too much

About and images of the Trinity Buoy Wharf, East India Docks site

"TBW is currently home to around 350 artists and creative businesses" see website and history here. My work has been site responsive, this show den isn't, bringing my own site in, but I would like to return here and consider using this space under the stairs;






entrance to the electricity shop where the Not a F*******Art show I am in is on





view of the dome

den the score (proposed)

Set up: a table laid with a vase of flowers, crocheted doilies, table cloth. Underneath table is a kids walkie talkie. Nearby (around 3 metres or more) a childlike den made of old curtains, bed sheets, and furniture in orange torch light.

Inside den: orange torch, pen torch, cash box and key, tray, photopaper, cards, pen, moist wipes, cloths, towel, hand fan, scissors, frames, blankets.

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I’m inside the den.

I ask via the walkie talkie if there is anyone there, and to push the side button on the walkie talkie to speak.

Once get a reply, ask them if they’d like to come in the den, and then stick my hand out to show where to get inside.

Once settled, open and spread out the pack/bag of greetings cards.

Ask the participant to pick and write one to a female who was important in their life.

After writing it, ask them if they’d like to discuss who they chose, and why. Have a conversation responding to each other.

I ask the participant to place the card on the tray, get out photo paper, and photogram it using the torch light.

Bring in the shredder behind me forom outside the back of the den and shred the card. Remove the shredder again.

Develop the photogram. Wash, dry and frame the photogram.

Hand the frame to the participant to put on the table. Participant leaves den and goes to the table.

Confirms via walkie talkie when then have left the table, places it back under the table.

Starts again.

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how long will each encounter take? lora has said that there's a poet who has composed for the event after seeing a listing of it- so spoken word amongst the visual art with my work hovering somewhere in between..or outside... i will stop when this poetry happens.

sooo grateful to imelda another artist in the show who picked up the den load today. i really must learn to drive. and then i could become ultra photo-portable, like genius camera truck- imagine :) and meanwhile, am just excited about the shed man coming round next weekend to chat, er garden sheds for my garden, my true sanctury, hooray!!

am thinking this is the piece i will propose to the accidental festival, the thematic is right up my street. the web info in particular says this;

"What we are looking for this year:

We are interested in all kinds of art forms and particularly in work that fuses different art forms or disciplines to create performance-based work that is contemporary and innovative. This year we are focusing on creating and developing a community of artists and audience and truly celebrating performance in all its forms over the course of the three days of the festival. The theme we are asking artists to respond to is 'connection' as we are trying to create a network of artists interested in truly connecting with their audiences and exploring collaboration across disciplines. We aim to make the festival a place where artists and audience can exchange ideas and form lasting links. We are interested in both established works and ideas that are in development or 'scratch' pieces."

autoteatro

quickly........must get to etiquette this month in my time off (a review here) , and other autoteatro experimental participatory works where they are bodily detached from the work which the viewer performs- am intrigued to see how this feels sitting on the other side as participant, how much is entirely acted and how much is open to chance? what does it feel like to be using a headset for my aural stimulus detaching me from my surroundings and enabling intimacy. i like the look of this too wondermart, brings back my hideous supermarket working days, which filled up my fine art BA days. the company, which i wrote about are showing at BAC at end of march. ant hampton also co-created the brilliantly-witty-yet-poignant, spoof live art programme at the ICA, True Riches, which like lyn gardner wrote,shows that the art form 'does have cultural urgency' with its offer of this virtual live art programming.

and must post den get on top of writing up some of the awkwardness-cum-frolicksomeness that has stayed with me from the NRLA.

den show,scratch event in my lounge :)

decided to trial two of the 3 proposals in the end;

1. in the den, asking the participant to get an object from the table outside, bringing it in and discussing it, putting the object in a pillowcase, and leaving its trace in a frame on the sideboard (objects on the sideboard are nostalgic feminine nan type objects including sweets in a side dish.)
2. in the den, asking the participant to write a birthday/greeting/blank card from a shoe box in the den, to a female you once knew,discussing its story between the female and the participant, photogramming it, tearing off the card front and replacing with the photogram, leaving its trace as a photogram card on a sideboard outside. possible shredding of card?? use of walkie talkie to attract attention of participant placed under the table
   

here's the setting up;



preparing the table- nostalgic feminine type food/objects






various chairs/coverings experimented with......






the photogram appearing from the den left by the participant

upturned furniture

inside...blankets, darkroom objects

feedback from participants;

participant one: option 1:

• didn't like pillowcase, try squirrelling the object away under the blanket. (did this for the second participant, worked better, more kid like)
• felt ok with only one object, equal exchange, as i brought my connection into their story- previous work has been their object, my object.
  
• liked that it wasn't fully light tight, can see pattern of curtains and photogram technique still worked.
• possible sew/tack together the sheets for a little less likelihood of collapse of the den
• the two participants were both small women, larger men may find it difficult to sit up, need higher chair etc
  
• this piece had a more fun, less serious element than my previous work, more playful like a true kids den
• maybe say 'pick an object or part of the object and see you in the den'
• really liked the fan
  

participant one: option 2:

• liked the shredding idea: symbolises what's gone in your life well
• liked idea of using walkie talkies, keeping me in the den all the time and being invited in
• questioning how people would respond to the theme of a female who was important in your life- preoccupation with death, how would i feel if i was asked to do this?
• liked use of cards, choice of cards and presentation of these

participant two: fedback after experiencing both options:

• liked second one better, more personal, able to directly work with own material for the exchange. felt was something specific to hang onto, something meaningful
• a journey that had been on to take away with them, and continue to reflect on
• felt wanted to now get back in touch with the person that was important
  
• finds it easy to talk to strangers, nothing to hide, no prior knowledge to bring
  
• liked the shredding, very cleansing
• didn't feel like therapy, wasn't guiding/encouraging them to resolve conflicts, i was sharing similar experiences
• option one- liked way thoughts went from one onto the next, started and ended in completely different places. this was also centred on an experience with a male, instructions weren't clear- although conversation went on to that
  
• found it enriching finding out about another
• chose to write the envelope rather than a card- the card was quite thick and couldn't see the photogram of it (poss longer exposure?)
• always had to be a was important? means it will always be able discussing loss, death, conflict, someone lost contact with
• the photogram didn't work so well, liked the fingerprint mark left behind by them though
• walkie talkies- liked me bring in there already, playful element, meeting a stranger in the half dark
  
• hot in there- no air, can i be i there for 3 hours?
• liked to have greater difference in heights of furniture making the den
• get older frames, charity show, with a history
• would have felt ok if had recorded this, liked the idea of someone going back in the den and listening to our encounter on headphones
• liked the locked box, very kid like, secrets locked away
• suggested i do it in her home for a girls night in, she liked the idea of an evening happening in her own home with activities and relaxing conversation around it. we talked about the ideas i have for it becoming a more portable event, den made from anything people have in their homes, or using their own private spaces

refelctions overall:

it felt sooooo good scratching my work again, i didn't do this for First Thursday Private View, and really felt it, now very much refinding the energy, revalidating and reclarifying my thoughts and centering myself back on my work.

decided to go with option two, meets more directly with the thematic of the show, about sharing female experiences. it also felt more personally heartfelt, and in keeping with my ideas around working with memories and photography

i need to now really consider making the space taller for bigger participants, finalising the furniture, writing the score out, and really considering how and why to use the walkie talkies, and how to start and end the piece without usher. do i really think this works best with me in the den the whole time: does however adds to the mystery of dens, and the element of meeting with a stranger is heightened, you don't know who's inside and what their private world is.

the space in trinity buoy wharf is apparently fairly dimly lit, which is good, and no dj in the end so noise levels with me talking. will however need a table lamp to see the images. how will it feel outside of my lounge in the space? and in relation to the wider experience of the thematic of the show?

more to follow in revisions this weekend......