Tuesday, 27 May 2008

(in)visible exchange EEC performance 24 may 08- reflections, thoughts and comments

hello

thanks to everyone that came into the little room behind reception, and shared their stories.

i would like to invite people to comment on here, and to open the work up for discussion to help inform the future development of my work. if you would rather email me, please email me at harrietpoole@gmail.com.

here are comments left in the book on the day (thanks very much);

"really well thought out concept-very powerful-esp with the developing of the photograph, sending it on is a nice touch also-v intimate, natural style which was good. not sure about the girl guide story and shred the compliment slip- that made me feel sad. v good though."

"it reminded me that the barriers of intimacy and the personal can easily fall away. our 'stories' and what is personal to us is quite similar. ('us' meaning human beings.) wasn't prepared for having an address though or something that meant something to me. the piece is heavily reliant on the 'audience' member."

"yes you're right! sometimes you just have to let go and not hold onto things. the 'moment' eh?! thank you!"

"thank you that was lovely! very personal and heartfelt. made me remember my childhood and its awkward and wonderful moments!"

"why d'you shred the compliments slip? i am looking forward to finding out what [the young recipient of the photo] thinks- might be freaked out. i liked the new additions- just query the shredder bit-but the dislocatedness quite nice."

"I enjoyed sharing bits of stories. the whole process was intimate....i was temporarily shocked when my image got shredded, i had written it with so much love. but the package and envelope looked very nice, and made up for the previous disapointment."

"the shredding was nasty, almost how bad she felt when the girls laughed at her on the bench."

"what an emotive, intriguing piece.the shredding somehow made me feel like there is a unity in us (humans) regardless of backgrounds."

2 comments:

DOC said...

Well done Harry. It seems like the shredding struck a nerve--which means you made the right choice. I think it's really emblematic of the collisions of nostalgia and temporal reality. I especially like the comment that the shredded bits become a collective memory in the bin--very poetic.
Congrats
Doug

harriet said...

thanks doug, it was a great experience for me to help refine my current practice ideas alongside the photography element- testing out exploring hyper self, generating contrasts in mood and non-verbal ideas.

i wondered if the shredding was too brutal against the sense of togetherness and security but i did love subverting expectations and the darker side of humour and watching the reactions to it showed me how hard letting go and betrayl is- all good to build on.

i am intigued as to the reactions of the recipients of the mailed relics, but i guess that is also about letting go of the work now.

adapting the piece from the Nunnery show gave me a great chance to respond to a new 'den like' site, sharpen up active and passive roles (although unsure if there was enough transferal of this? did the participant do too much/not enough?) keen to think more about what the participant gets out of the work, issues of control, working with chance- why do i like this and how to still keep it contained/directed- time wise and within the scope of the performance.