Ouroborous

Ouro bora bora has given me a lot trouble these past few weeks, aside from not actually knowing what I was supposed to be doing and confusing myself with a willion different ideas, I have FINALLY settled on looking at Transcendental Meditation and the idea of visualising this is a method which can be repeated and works cyclically. I have decided to look at Ice and Wax as my materials as they can both me hardened and reshaped time and time again. Transcendental Meditation is a way of allowing your mind to settle inward beyond thought to experience the source of thought — pure awareness, also known as transcendental Consciousness. This is the most silent and peaceful level of consciousness — your innermost Self. In this state of restful alertness, your brain functions with significantly greater coherence and your body gains deep rest.

I read a book by David Lynch, the film director, who started meditating 30 or so years ago twice a day everyday. He says that by meditating you are able to transcend into an ocean of consciousness, and become more knowing and more awake. This is turn helps you to become more creative and have better ideas.

I really like the idea of visually representing something that is a state of mind, as there is more freedom to play and analogise.

Here are a few pic's of what I've been doing so far....

The Final Hoff down

This is the final outcome to the re-enactment project. We wanted to highlight the idea of celebrity delusions of altruism. Hasslehoff sings ''I've been looking for freedom" in the delusion that he has brought down the Berlin Wall, and set the East Germans free! It also relates back to other celebrities and their delusions of altruism. LiveAid, Obama '08, MP's making appearances at events they have no interest in. It's about them not being able to see the reality of the situation, as they are either too wrapped up in themselves, or they have somehow become convinced that they are some sort of saviour!

The Hoff

So we are almost at the end of our re-enactment project, which i have really enjoyed. Maybe it was because my group was amazing, or it was because we are using this

I say a little prayer

Sound Projects and Group work are a difficult thing to combine, but having got passed the first few decisions, we have now settled on looking at Churches as our location. This idea then consisted of me going to a morning prayer service at 9.30 am, only to be greeted by 1 woman, the priest and Mary from across the road. I confessed to having never been to a service before, then took my seat between the priest and Mary and began to repeat the bold text in the prayer book. I must say, in a way I feel like a phoney, as I don't really have much intention on going back, but, I will say that it was an interesting experience that was nice to take half an hour out to take time to think about other people and send them your thoughts. When I got home I took all the sounds and tried to compose them into a narrative, which soon started to sound like some strange mystical chanting from a cult rather than a church service. When we showed it on Friday to Kieron and Ben, We got really positive feedback so I feel a lot like we are moving forward.

And then they make soup

Cage

So after talking to my group, we decided to focus on the kitchen, as our sound location. I want to use this as a starting place to explore what we use our kitchens for apart from just cooking, and what noises we are unaware of in this space. After looking at Alvin Lucier i want to focus on how we can abstract the sounds into something unfamiliar, and unrelated to the kitchen.