I have been thinking about communication. There
is an interesting focus for communication when we consider the web. 2.0 tools
we use on the MAPP course. The fact that we can receive emails, Skype calls,
tweets at any given moment on our phones means that we are connected quite
differently than how we were when we were growing up. The flexibility of my
phone can mean that I am thinking about ideas and people throughout my day.
However this very personal entry into my life can also mean I loose the
formality of ritual that is sitting down to write a letter. In other words the
constant peripheral chatter and linking of Web 2.0 can mean that things remain
at the peripheral all the time. I was thinking about this in terms of the MAPP
DTP. There is a danger especially as you start the course that the lack of
a fixed time to 'go to a lecture' means that you never give yourself a fixed
chunk of time to work. I know I tend to do this with some projects I undertake
and it can take sometime for them to get into the system of my week as it were.
I had a great conversation with a group of
artists in schools about the notion of ' starting' and we defined that starting
happen three times (at least). (1) The official day of something 'starting', (2)
the 'ah ha' moment when the penny drops and you ease into the flow of
something, (3) the moment when you notice a difference. Often we look for all
three before we feel we 'can' 'start'. But we thought that actually one
should think that any one of them would do and then trusting that the others
will come at some point. The action of doing would in part set the situation
for the others to happen. What do you think?
In relation to communicative tools especially social media I concur that yes it is great and makes University for me so much more manageable on so many levels as I can still work professionally and it doesn't take me away from my studio practise. The "peripheral" detriments that you talk about means escapism is a harder notion to ascertain which can be conducive to your ability for inspiration to start a new piece of work which is linked to the three starting points that you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteGiving time off from the constant sync of the virtual word, which is linear to your work is a hard balance to control especially when it's so simple to check notifications at the tap of a fingertip. I feel this is all connective to life being abundant in all areas. Austin Kleon a New York Times best selling author really relates to the heart of creative practise in “Steal Like An Artist”(2012 p. 67) he comments on when “The action of doing” seems far away….
“Take time to be bored. One time I heard a co-worker say, “When I get busy, I get stupid”. Ain’t that the truth. Creative people need time to just sit around and do nothing. I get some of my best ideas when I’m bored, which is why I never take any of my shirts to the cleaners. I love ironing my shirts – its so boring; I almost always get good ideas. If you’re out of ideas, wash the dishes. Take a really long walk. Stare at a spot on the wall for as long as you can. As the artist Maria Kalman says, “Avoiding work is the way to focus my mind”
Take time to mess around. Get lost. Wander. You never know where it’s going to lead you.”
Reflecting on this: inward tools that theirs not an “App” for! I thought to myself yes I can totally relate this and it resonates to other areas of my practice especially in choreography or freestyle improvisation when I put pressure or stress on my self the outcome can be afflicted similar to that of writers block.
I believe you have to trust your intuitive relationship with yourself and at the same time keep the momentous flow alive. Choreographer Rosemary Lee talks about this in “Navigating The Unknown”:
“I now trust that even if I am not thinking about the piece, I am taking my mind away in order to go back with fresh eyes”-(2006) Lee R cited in Bannerman C (2006 p 40)
Great references Jamie...So very true, in terms of when the good ideas come and how they flow. Different for everyone's own 'creative process' yes, but I do feel the giving yourself time and space, and the opportunity to notice what your notice, can be a common thread for all of us.
ReplyDeleteI agree Adesola the 'starting' part of anything can sometimes feel the hardest, often as, in my case, we can be expecting it to be all singing, all dancing immediately, when actually to notice one of three 'starts' and trust that the other parts will follow may be all we need...