A reflection on Create to Move Residency at The Steeple in Fife in October 2018. Blog by Fiona Hermse
Blog by Fiona Hermse
We had decided that this residency week would be a time for us to figure out our collaborative working processes, as well as to spend dedicated time together as Artists. This was as opposed to having a pressure to create an end product or piece as such. Create to Move is a collaborative practice between Emma Macleod (visual artist), Fiona Hermse (visual artist, jeweller & community artist) and Emma Snellgrove (choreographer & dancer).
We were very lucky that we had bright clear days and sunshine for most of the week, and being able to wander in and around the village and to learn a bit about its history was enriching. It was also a real treat to wander and speculate in the woods and orchards which were blissfully and sometimes eerily quiet. We even saw a deer shining in the sunlight!
From a personal perspective, much of my current work is in the form of participatory arts practice, with a focus on healthcare and well being. Due to this, previous to the residency I had been reading and pondering a lot about human mortality and the often complex questions that come with it. In particular; care for older people and end of life care, as well as science and technology in medicine. The boundary between life and death is becoming increasingly blurred and this raises thought provoking questions. The three of us artists, and I think most of us in this society feel that progressions of technology (and as a result, A.I.) in all aspects of life are often paradoxical. For me, this cannot be visualised more strongly than when I think about how this has affected human health and our experience of death.
Short exercises and experiments we had carried out together on the previous residency, particularly ones I had observed, allowed me to visualise more refined concepts and to begin to create sketches and drawings as to how to take these further. These ‘sketches’ were both three dimensional in the form of sewn fabric props which were interacted with, as well as drawings. It was very beneficial to have these two other very talented artists working with me and our practices, though very different, overlap in a satisfying way. It has allowed me to further develop ideas with a figurative and performance aspect and begin to see how these could be translated into a collaboration of movement and performance.
Personally I would love to see this project one day culminate in a public performance and exhibition, with participatory or workshop elements. The main challenges I see in achieving this are the usual tricksters of time and money and I imagine this will be a slow burning project! Looking forward to developing a plan to keep momentum going over 2019!
