Research
In September 2019 I was appointed Artist in residence for a year long residency at UCL EAST to create work alongside the development of the new UCL site in Stratford. Throughout the year I immersed myself in the building and development of the site, gathering research with the intention of creating a performance with East London dancers displaying my findings through movement. (Due to Covid19 the performance was unable to take place)
Throughout this project I took part in various meetings and conversations with those working on the project, from planners, contractors and labourers to academics, community engagement teams and members of the local community. A common theme in this project was movement; whether that be designing the building to encourage movement of bodies through the space, movement in terms of positive change or moving forward on a scheduled timeline.
I became interested in the idea of a Timeline to create a musical and physical score. Timelines formed a key part of the planning process; creating clear lines of past, present and future. As an Artist in residence for something that is only in the beginnings of existing I was effectively an Artist in residence for a building site. A lot of the conversations involved imagining the future.
Presenting a journey of research through an artist's lens; Moving through the History and Community of the site, Language taken from conversations and meetings, Diagrams from plans and the physical actions of the Labourers. I wanted to create something that captured these movements within a timeline. Dance to me was the perfect way to illustrate a sequence of stories and ideas. With Dance I could use the body to map the landscape and cover all bases of the term movement. I could use the body to tell the stories of the past, illustrate the diagrams from 2D to 3D and borrow movements of body language from those involved in the project.
HISTORY AND COMMUNITY
LANGUAGE
Having meetings and conversations with people involved in the UCL EAST project - tapping into the ways different people are seeing the project and turning words and movements of these conversations into a narrative.
For example when speaking with those in charge of business relations - their job is to communicate in a way that is straight to the point - a systematic and almost robotic way of speaking, Their body language appears to be heavy on the hand signals aiding the words similar to that of politicians.
Hands pointing ahead for UCL and behind for business partners. They are imagining the overall vision of the whole picture - the future. - analogy based - building long term trusted relationships.
Body Language -
Looking at body language from videos of UCL EAST. Heavy on the Hand Gestures -hands showing levels, how things interlock, where something is orientated, location, past present future, above, below, The leg crossed in the chair, Isolating just the hands.
**Over Zoom these seem less effective - eye contact seems less effective - not in a suit seems less effective, all very casual - whether they choose to look at the camera or not.
Notes on conversations and thoughts to inspire movements
PLANS AND DIAGRAMS
Notes based on physical diagrams and plans from the site.
Visual materials and tools used to aid communication - aiding the language.
Visualising the future.
Levels and heights - thinking of the topography of the site- Areas higher than others- how can the body mimic changes in area height?
“A graphic interpretation shows that across the QEOP park there is a large diversity in scales from very domestic, garden elements to large international infrastructure.
At times there is a disconnect between the large, international scale infrastructure and the more delicate, domestic pockets of gardens. “ so a juxtaposition between the two landscapes.
Diagrams and plans outline the special rules using the 2d for 3d/4d space. in terms of spatially the drawings are all 2d. When we think of the skyline we think off the ground. I’m thinking about the body language of hands and pointing and where that position is in terms of spatial awareness - skyline.
Mapping out. Technical , intricate, repetitive, organised, categories, patterns.
LABOUR
CHOREOGRAPHY
