In these last 2 days, I return to solo drawing – through short detailed studies and experiments. Zooming in to get a better recording (note, video, image, physical trace) of the strategies and devices I am using and that keep intriguing me – from which I could compose, install, arrange – with which I could work with other dancers.
So, I am also zooming out, stepping back, filtering sensations, doubts, intrigues and reflecting on how to take a next step into choreographing a performance and Artist Publication – and in collaboration with others.
In some ways I have come to a kind of pause, I am slightly repeating myself, it needs a stepping away, a shift of space and ground, time to gather everything that has happened in these 2 weeks – materials and conversations – loose threads to.
1. slowing down a process of tilting the body in relation to the wall, away, towards, aslant. the wall as static surface, solid stable vertical structure. slowing down how parts of the body tilt in relation to other parts as joints allowing continually planes and angles to exist between upper, lower arm, hands, back etc. slowing this down more. Extending pauses, suspensions, wavering, lingering. not drawing.
and slowing down whether there is contact or not, touch or not, trace or no trace, and how slight is the difference between touching, not touching, leaning, not leaning, almost still but still moving. attention closes in on the moments just before touch, just as graphite leaves the paper, just when body leans in.
2.facing wall, close, singular gesture, drawing an area of the back through a combination of sensation and the image of shape. I draw the voluminous shaping of the shoulder blade as it moves – and as it draws its own image-sensation, the body constantly moves.
3. I remove everything from the wall, roll papers up, tidy, put the studio space back to how I remember it was 14 days ago. It takes quite a while and I seem to go slower the closer I get to finishing. I want to finish, I am tired but I also enjoy the removing and packing up of my things, the replacing of curtains, table, chairs, camera, tripod, yoga mat, cable to where they were, the turning off of switches and PA system, the final locking up – all taking time.
I try not to leave a trace, a trace, a trace
