face time

Although I like the simple idea of a face-to-face situation in front of an audience, I'm still a bit confused about my passive-aggressive role in the performance. It would help if we could discuss the conditions and situation more thoroughly, without getting too philosophical about it. I mean, such encounter implies some sort of primacy of relation; a condition for the beginning of language as dialogue. Our performance is properly speaking not a dialogue (perhaps the text that is read aloud could be written in the form of a dialogue).

The awkward experience me and other participants had during the tour was in my opinion caused by the (unintentional) demand that you make when you speak and look at one person particularly. For example I sometimes had to choose between reciprocating this address and forget about what you had to say or focus on the content of your talk. So even though a face-to-face encounter constitutes the beginning of dialogue, it is necessary to detach oneself from the face's expression; disconnect the voice from the face.

Interesting here is that this non-reciprocal relation of responsibility ('many ways to the notion': 'nodding/clapping/winking/turning one's back to responsibility' (Thesaurus under Special Social Volition)) was an important motive for my gestures in Video Class.

So what happens when we stage this situation? The setup with the table and lamp emphasizes the physical symmetry of the face-to-face opposition. Our presence is completely asymmetrical, it always is, but you speech/talk, have a microphone and I sit and don't speak. What distinguishes me from a bunny or a wall is that I intentionally (volitionally) focus on you. The decision whether you face or back (or leave it open) the audience, will have an effect to the extent in which your amplified voice will be experienced as disconnected from you.

It could be an appointment, but it might be experienced as a game, and is that a good thing? Am I a kind of continuous interruption by not responding verbally? Face time implies some kind of honesty or a confession, do you think we can keep a tension between this implication and alienation? Or do you think that my interruption ridicules me and/or you?

Of course there's the flickering light, but for now I let it stew a bit and see what you think.

freezing/flowing

muddled shades 2

new haircut

At Ginger's place.

social worker and client

I love the addition of the hole in the corner (blue panel), it very precisely indicates the nature of these boards as samples. I did the set ups with silver paper very quickly. Perhaps a silver band can run through the width of the space or a triangle in a corner.

congealed metaphor

Lets get physical! Making Appointments!

I think this is something to remember- the physicalness of all our discussion.

Simplicity

I think now that I look again the slide projector is way too much- we can ask if there is a possibility to get one incase. But I would rather say no to my to much suggestion. The lighting situation we can play with- but I would start with basic cold light (could also use timer on this- on a mirrored surface it has a good effect)

Elements of a scenario

1. Office table (black) with adapted top 

Biege/dark cream opaque perspex (at the RCA thing we used opaque cream it was very good- I think an opaque would be best anyway)

2. Box monitor under table with speakers playing VIDEO CLASS

3. Slide stand (black) with adapted shelf surface (mirror) OR shelf mounted on wall made with mirror, sitting on the mirror is a paper mache brocoli (muted bean green) out of which comes headphones playing BUILD A WALL OR BE A ROOM

4. thin board (2mm MDF?) approx 177cm x 80cm, painted hi-gloss mint green leaning against the wall created a slightly limp or curving surface. At the bottom of the slightly limp wood is a collage (yet to be defined) A4 size

5. Optional. Next to hi-gloss mint green a piece of 3mm aluminium 60cm x 150cm coated in hi-gloss paint (needs to be done professionally) in midnight blue. Top right hand side a hole is drilled through the plate, which depending on lighting conditions and how close it's placed to the wall casts a shadow on the wall behind. 

6. Performance- Ruth and Rachel sit opposite each other at the table and adjust the tube light to flicker at a slower speed, the use a microphone and speakers and Ruth speaks (text not defined yet- but mostly about disappearance?) looking in Rachels eyse. This could be called Appointment

red on blue, white on blue

installation with silver paper

I understand now how the first image you posted today was done. A red transparent slide projected on a mirror, on the wall or straight on the wall out of focus. I have to try and see what that looks like on blue, maybe you have a picture of that as well. If we'd use a light tube would it be a normal warm (sun) light or a red light bulb/red light tube. I guess using aluminum is the only way to make it look really smooth and glossy, but a bit more complex to produce in Glasgow perhaps. (If you mix bulb-light with a certain grey you sometimes get beige. I guess if you mix normal/yellowish tube light on dark blue it appears as white) I like beige for the table top too, but it is a difficult color for acrylic. I have a lot of samples in my studio, only one is beige, but it's opaque, not transparent, anyway that doesn't have to be a problem. (This particular color is usually not in stock and not all suppliers have it in their collection) I think, we should have a spare color in case beige is too difficult to get. We could ask if Transmission has a slide projector that we can try out things with, what series it is, if we put a timer on it (I have these d.i.y. timers) It is very difficult to decide already, I mean perhaps a nice flickering can happen between the intervals in the video and the slide projector. If we'd use a normal light tube it could also reflect on the mint green (Luxaflex) glossy panel. I don't know what the exhibition space looks light but maybe they have tube lights that we can lower and direct. But I agree that a slide projector might be a bit too much, it blurs the relationship with the table and the video. Spotlight seems more at hand in this scenario, but maybe it is nice have a tension between theatrical (blue panel) and functional/institutional (light tube). Though in this set up it has already lost a lot of the theatrical/magical atmosphere that is present in the slide projector-glossy surface picture.