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landmark seizures // workshop #4 // saturday 25th may // report
a little late with this final report.
Nicole Bachmann’s recording was finally played in its entirety. This piece had been growing for the duration of the project, with live recordings being made each Saturday with performers being cast from those present in the space.
We had a vigorous and slightly chaotic discussion over lunch in which the problems of multiply identities rose to the surface and all sense of coherence collapsed. Once again we returned to issues of responsibility and communication, someone gets called on being a fascist, at one point or another we all get angry. One area of discussion involved this review of the previous weeks workshop, again returning to the supposed dichotomy of art being either for itself, or for the audience. We propose that a plural and nebulous reading of the field is more appropriate, phases and sections of the whole will serve parts which make up each of these groupings regardless of intent. Perhaps indeed these groupings are inconsequential? Perhaps they are of consequence but in a manner that is somewhere between unhelpful and oppressive?
A recording of this discussion is available at archive.org here.
The event folded in on itself with a series of performances beginning AAS draining the drone accumulator, the music of Dolly Dollycore and a reading by Verity Spott.
Proof perhaps that outside the bifurcation that defines ends as either “bang” or “whimper” there rest a third state which involves a sustained roar and a deep sense of unease.
last weekend
Verity Spott
apologies for camera work…
draining the Infinite Drone Accumulator
Early dispatch
——
we have arrived at the final week of the project, starting in just under four hours from now.
It feels as if things have accelerated slightly in the last week, with more questions being raised through the group discussions and beyond this through other media. Central issues have remained throughout the project, for example that of the desire for narrative. If the project’s honest ideal can be described in any terms it is that of the formless. It isn’t a glimpse into the artisan’s workshop though individuals are welcome to view it like that, likewise it isn’t an act of resistance against commodification, or argument against the myth of the heroic individual, or a reasserting of art as a thing of use (or indeed the inverse of this). This isn’t to pose an extreme relativist reading, which honestly feels like a bit of a cop out, but to say that the hope is the show can be a situation where each and more of these things can happen at points and at times yet none of these can define it as the principle narrative overall.
The best consensus we ever get is a rough average, there are always the fringe elements, the slopes of the bell curve and the wild anomalies. All which frequently make up the majority when added together.
We easily think in terms of dominant narratives but I hope that Landmark Seizures has proved to unwieldy, unstable and unaccountable to take on such a form lightly. The reasoning for this is not a desire for complexity for its own sake, but for a situation where different kinds of value can sit side by side and not be rubbed out by the language of the majority. It is also an attempt at avoiding the project being taken over by that dominant pair of questions with which we can’t help but rate most things under our dominant philosophies:
What is it trying to do?
Does it achieve this?
The reason being (and I’m aware of the contradiction here…), there’s more to action than intent. Going further I’d say intent and art have an uneasy relationship at best, and often intent is the very opposite of the creative act…
And with that crude statement, here’s week four:
Thursday. Becky curates the final Thursday Film Room:
Hannah Arendt “Zur Person” (full interview)
Friday. The ongoing drama of the Friday (Self Curated) Film Room reaches its climactic final act!
Saturday. Nicole Bachmann‘s soundwork is realised in it’s entirely with all 3 parts previously recorded by persons in the space on previous Saturdays now playing together alongside the original reading by the artist herself.
DGGNGNTHRTH action continues
Dolly Dollycore performs throughout the day
Likewise poets Verity Spott and Caitlin Doherty
As always soup happens at about 2pm and the 3PM Saturday Group Discussion stays true its name. Final discussion question to be decided.
The Raspberry Pi does something…
Then at about 7pm the closing part starts with the performance and controlled demolition of the Infinite Drone Accumulator by AAS followed more more things.
Relics of action litter the space, some continue to act.
As always, details subject to change…
see you later
SB —–
landmark seizures // week 4 // provisional programme
Thursday 23rd May:
Thursday Film Room with Becky curating. 5pm Sleep Furiously -‐ Directed by Gideon Koppel (2008)
Three weeks of activity litters the space.
work is left to be done.
Friday 17th May:
The space remains open, Thursday Film Room becomes Friday (self curated) Film Room.
Work is done.
Saturday 18th May:
Phase 4 (final phase) of Nicole Bachmann’s sound piece is installed.
DGGNGNTHRTH activity continues (soup, prints, interrogation of objects) with various readings and performances occurring throughout the day including AAS, Aid & Abet, Caitlin Doherty, Dolly Dollycore, Verity Spott and a cast of dozens.
3PM Discussion Group Question is currently under research.
Then, AAS opening the closing event with the performance of:
The Infinite Drone Accumulator
at around 7:00pm.
Also includes:
AAS Group
Aid & Abet
Bad Timing
Nicole Bachmann
DGGNGTHRTH
Caitlin Doherty
Dolly Dollycore
Frances Donnelly
Amy Feneck
Footprint Workers Co-Op
David Wayne Kasper
Soloman Lamb
Beatriz Olabarrieta
Gino Saccone
The Sitting Room University
Matthew J Spokes
Verity Spott
Bea Turner
Gareth Williams
Becky Whitmore
Thursday Film room (play along at home version)
23rd May 2013 -‐ Quiet Action
Main feature 5pm Sleep Furiously -‐ Directed by Gideon Koppel (2008)
Hand catching lead -‐ Created by Richard Serra (1968)
How to build an igloo -‐ Directed by Douglas Wikinson (1949)
http://www.folkstreams.net/pub/FilmPage.php?title=288
The last shovel maker -‐ Directed by Jack Ofield (2006)
http://www.folkstreams.net/pub/FilmPage.php?title=299
The cameraman has visited our town -‐ Directed by Tom Whiteside (1989)
http://www.folkstreams.net/pub/FilmPage.php?title=115
The monument of big chief rolling mountain thunder -‐ Directed by Allie Light and Irving
Saraf (1983) http://www.folkstreams.net/pub/FilmPage.php?title=107
Welcome to Spiveys corner: The National Hollering Contest -‐ Directed by Kier Cline (1978)
http://www.folkstreams.net/pub/FilmPage.php?title=238
The glass eye maker -‐ Directed by Tomas Leach (2010) http://vimeo.com/8320480
Ernest Wright & Son Ltd -‐ Making Sheffield Scissors -‐ Directed by Paul Martins Handmade
Revolution (2013)
Go pro Sheep shearing with Nick King (2013)
Stewart Lee on university funding and the arts (2010)
Climb without ropes -‐ Waldo Etherington (2013)
3 minute wonder: Jeff Koons “Three Ball Total Equilibrium Tank” -‐ Directed by Mike Figgis
(2009) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YUroYPadQv8
Hannah Arendt “Zur Person” (full interview)
Jim Henson on making puppets
