Art Writing 421 - Welcome.
- katieiwatk
- Dec 5, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Dec 13, 2023
Welcome to the
How are you?
On the 6th of January, 2021, the UK entered its second nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19. (1) People were advised to stay indoors, not socialise and maintain good personal hygiene. With non-essential activities restricted, many people turned to the internet to maintain a sense of normality. The exhibition “Resilient responses | Repair and restore”, published on the 28th of January 2021, is one example of public events digitising to become available remotely.
Today is the 3rd of December, 2023. However I am watching this video in the same way someone still in lockdown would. I am alone in my university dorm. Similar to those who couldn’t see their loved ones during the pandemic. However, my reason is due to distance restrictions rather than a mandated lockdown. So, I open the video, full screen full volume. (2) Noticing it’s set in a dark room, I mimic this by turning off my lamp. Trying to place myself in the scene, connecting my room to theirs, a closer experience. The screen has my full attention as it’s the only light source and I feel as if I could be sitting in a dark corner of that room, observing.
I have my notebook ready, and write down what stands out to me.
I viewed this video as someone wanting to react to it, looking for key interests and potentially missing smaller details. I didn't realise until the end that the audience were being encouraged to explore movement whilst watching.
I’ve split this performance into four categories.
Scene
Movements
Descriptive
key points
Let's start with ‘scene', Categories of brightness and shapes. Without context these categories could relate to physical art. The scene is simple, which makes it more enjoyable as an online viewer. Without props to interact with or hide behind, the lighting contrast stands out and highlights the moving woman. I was fascinated by the element of contrast in the piece; the dark room with the light dressed character in a spotlight, the flat, simply decorated, clean room against her creased, flowing clothes and the collisions of the loose rope. This singular, simple location relate to many viewers' situations due to lockdown. Allowing a community to virtually connect and experience this new location and visible textures.
Direct movements and Instructional descriptions. A low, meditative, instructional tone guides people to explore loose and free movements and breathing. Run, walk, pull, reach and slide. Indoor movement and breathing focus could relate to a research project by Loughborough University Sports Technology Institute. (3) Researching relations between movements and forces within physics and experimenting with movement to achieve peak athletic performance. Movement is experimental with purpose.
The performance pushes people to explore motion capability, resilience and limits in response to COVID-19. This reminds me of confusion relating to changing rules about socialing throughout quarantine. Social media became filled with “what is allowed” and people neglecting rules to ‘explore the real movement limits ’!
There is major emphasis on movement, breath, health and improving personal power understanding. (4) Ekin Bernays movements could entice people to mimic, adding variety to a daily routine.
The performance and study share health benefits of movements online. One required people to be there initially, the other one only showed one person.
1.
Last accessed on 03/12/2023
2.
Last accessed on 05/12/2023
3.
Last accessed on 04/12/2023
4.
Last accessed on 05/12/2023
Комментарии