We were delighted that about 40 people came to the Open Studio at The Place, and nearly all stayed for the discussion chaired by Dr Veronica Sekules, Head of Education and Research, Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. The mix of artists, curators, critics, dancers and choreographers led to a lively conversation about the contrast of the grace and beauty of the movement with the sense of constraint and frustration, about the incidental sounds of the elastic and the effect this has on viewers emotions and sense of frustration. Some viewed the projection and live movement as a visual experience, not necessarily looking for meaning, but appreciating as a ‘canvas’.
One viewer found the work shown compelling, a reflection of his own daily experience. He found Tea Break spoke so much of trying to get on and do things, against repeated obstacles. And he found the projection really compelling, the sense of struggle, which he could relate to his life and work.
Another pointed out that the way that the Tea Break films were shown on framed iPads introduced a further element of containment or constraint.
People discussed the contrasts in scale in the work shown, and the way that some had a narrative whilst the projection was more abstract, asking us whether narrative is important to us.
The projection and live element were the final part of the evening and choreographer Richard Alston said that he would have liked to have seen the development of the choreography as demonstrated in the film sequence before he watched Living Room. This would have enabled him to see how the work had progressed, leading up to the small intensity of the latter.
For another participant the projected film introduced a vision of multi-universes, dealing in space in 3D, where he was looking beyond, and back beyond that into further spaces.
