A weekend with the sheep for Mobile Response Unit

Hello TACers!
The Wellington crew have a big weekend ahead with Gregor Kregar's sheep out in Civic Square.
We''ll be there Sunday, eliciting thoughtful and crass feedback alike from 9.30am till 5.30pm...Sweating it out with the baa baas! Get your Welly pals to come visit us.

In the meanitme I emptied the trolley of its tac'ed on responses today to prepare for its sideways journey thru the front door of the City Gallery. I took some snaps as it was looking so amazing and i was sad to de-nude it. : ) p

Question Ideas & Meeting Minutes - 29/3/07

The upshot of the meeting was back to Collaborative Kit research, starting by formulating some questions to ask those interested and involved in collaborative processes. This is intended to give us a better idea of potential content and an understanding of who might use a resource on collaborative processes. See comments for partially edited meeting minutes where we threw these ideas around and as a repositary for your contributions & question ideas.
And after a frustrating attempt to chat between 5 people in googleland it's back to the drawing board on how to talk online!
- LIz

I CAN BE A SATELLITE

Dear TAC.

I am the person in question, the subtext in Andy’s post regarding Next Wave festival 2008 in Melbourne, later revealed by Paula as Jessie (Borrelle). I guess they can vouch for me. I am part of a unit-type-thing Poloni & Borrelle in Melbourne, a curatorial collaboration currently working on a show called ‘Shrine on! You crazy diamond’. It’s a group show at the Platform Group in the city of Melbourne that invited artist to make a shrine around the idea of 'Unusual wealth in unusual places'. Poloni & Borrelle also wrangled a proposal for NW that will offer a tea service and conversation to audiences at NW. It’s quite a kitsch enterprise that may operate using anachronistic and gendered performances (i.e. we shall dress like 1950’s air hostesses). So methinks it is different to TAC in that it isn’t especially analytical or critical necessary so

Andy and I talked about how it would be interesting to make a kind of switchboard for NZ & OZ artists/writers/curators, as I (as Liz did say!) have a wee crush on Romance formats and I have been vaguely harbouring an Art Dating Service of sorts idea for a while. But don’t get me wrong, the idea is not an in-house hook up for artists, not real saucy dates (unless that’s part of your practice) but a project that uses the format of a dating service.

I like Andies mention of an approachable booth with files, and the person manning the booth acting as an intermediary by having a system that allows Oz Artists (etc) to show interest in extant NZ artists using a dating device such as an E-card or something? As Andy said this could then use internet without overwhelming the material interface, and references the Closer Together theme -quite bang on.

I can be pretty sloppy and tacky when it comes to art so I’d be careful about having me in a reputable group like TAC. Also I get quite busy so may not be able to pow-wow online etc post and what-not that often, but really - I’d love to be part of the Diaspora and see what happens to this switchboard idea in a collaborative process.

Next Wave Proposal

Sorry for the delay guys I've got a whopping 3000 word essay due at the moment on the scintillating topic of Arts Policy in Australia. But I've had a few conversations about TAC and how we might approach the Next wave brief and have come up with some ideas (not all my own) that I thought I might put out there and see what you think...

as TAC we stand for:
-collaboration
-audience interaction/participation
-questioning of frameworks (collaborative and institutional)

The Next wave brief alludes to:
-globalization (media driven?)
- the break down of public and private

eg.'The collapse of the private sphere into the public and the increasing tendency to live out our personal lives in very impersonal arenas'- A big part of globalization and the inherent blurring of public and private is the increasing number of interactions-whether mediated or face to face. YAC examines what potential these interactions have for critical, democratic or productive dialogue + exchange.

Drawing on genres of realityshows (global media phenomenon) and big screens at sports events (public/private) TAC members interview Next Wave audiences and employees asking TAc art-type questions. These interactions are filmed digitally and films are displayed at Next Wave and maybe globally online.

As well as continuing TACs practice from PROSPECT, the turning of these exchanges into public artworks addresses the breakdown of public/private spheres etc.

TAC questions,
-are people open and genuine in their responses, or fake/shy etc?
-does mediating lead to genuine production exchange or do people see this an an invasion of privacy etc?

Putting how people respond to art under the lense may give an interesting picture of how it all works.

ALTERNATIVELY we could document the audience of Next Wave by taking their photo (polaroids?) and ask them to write their response to the exhibition/event they have just attended at the base of the photo, set up as some kind of central station area with a pinboard or something. Kind of Vox-Pop-like. Not as true to the 'process' as video but less maintenance for us.

ANOTHER IDEA
is that we collaborate with another Next Wave contender.Perhaps even invite them to join the collaboration? She is a long time reader of our blog and curator of sister cities- which is quite fitting- i am wary about spilling her proposal online, perhaps if she's reading this she might post it in a comment herself? She's based in melbourne of course, which would be hugely helpful if we were to collaborate. her next wave proposal has been conspired in partnership so she needs to discuss the possibility of colllaborating with us with her co-proposer first. Because the next wave brief talks of technology etc their work is more domestic and personable which i think will be refreshing. Actually providing refreshments at the various next wave events/exhibits makes up a good part of the form and function of their work. i think there is a little bit of an overlap between our practice and theirs which would make it an ideal collaboration.

OR....?
an idea-posed by the aforementioned contender, might be to set up an art and artists dating service?! kind of like a switchboard between melbourne and wellington, with profiles on different artists. maybe it could be a way to connect artists with curators and vice-versa? I envisage this to be played out in a booth using one of those old library catalogue systems, with the little drawers. perhaps we could profile 10 nz artists and 10 australian artists and invite those interested to contact us with their tastes and interests, then match em' up. The development of their correspondence is not our concern.

This could also lead to more contacts for us to draw from in future projects for TAC?

The deadline for next wave is FRIDAY the 30th of MARCH! that's just over a week away!!!

I'm confident we can whip something up if we can make a consensual decision in time. failing that, maybe we could hook up a sattelite show. Maybe we decide we dont want to work within the confines of the institution afterall-or whatever it was that was criticised about us in the Listener?

Looking forward to your comments!
xxA

-

Where for art thou?

TAC hits paydirt with pencil profits!!

Dear public:
To own your own 'People's Pencil' designed by TAC - as modelled by 'Paula' - please visit City Galley in Civic Square, Wellington, NZ and talk to a nice counter assistant to see our full range of merhandise. Prices start at just NZ$5






That is right folks, we've offically sold 40 pencils at the City Gallery Prospect Multiple Cabinets netting a total of $134.
Woo hoo..another 40 pencils and well be out of the black and into real profit!!

Meeting & CAMRU visit & Flowcharts

Draft version of responses about CAMRU collated into a flowchart. Click to view at readable size.

(Bad photo of) drawing of proposed outpost additions.


Collaborators reading & harvesting the first round of responses for roomsheets.


One example of the conversations that sprout up on the Contemporary Art Mobile Response Unit.


An audible silent response.


Self authored info panel.


Hi all,
we had a power meeting this morning with just 1 hour and the three of us available: Sian, Paula and myself (Liz).
It focused on three main things:

*How to modify the outposts so they can function better as a display for the responses generated in their respective galleries (with view to keeping the responses site specific). We now pose to you that: wires are attatched to the outposts and the mini bulldog clips we are using on the wall down stairs are attatched to the end of the wires for attatching the resposes. Concrete cinder blocks are also suggested - strapped on with the kind of blue tape you see around bundles of newspapers - for raising the height of the outposts - logic - temporary/functional/building site.
We want to get this done ASAP so please lodge your opinions now!!!

*Catalogue inserts: we had a chat about this but Paula has made a posting about it already, so see below: 'what to do with written feedback - catalogue' for that discussion. Additional comments included "that would be like slipping someone a note" and "nice and random".

*Managing distance: how can Andie, Mel and soon Tom contribute to the creative decision making process from their ends and avoid being relegated to the function of 'rubber stamping' decisions that Wellington members make?
We talked about the time-delay involved in making decisions (see above) and discussed the possibility of making calls for the group in peoples absence: when is this appropriate and when is this not? and the need for members to initiate potential new ideas for current and new projects from their end: see Andie's new post below for pre-emptive movement on that front!!

THEN:

We went next door to the city gallery and took away all of the responses (off the wall and the trolley) that had been around for a while (with help from an attentive gallery host) and Sian now has them to document. Since that meeting I have contacted Tom and Mel, fielded their (positive) reactions to the alternative roomsheet idea. We should be on task to collate responses into seperate piles for each work, and send them out to all us talented writers to collate compile and draft up an incorporative collective take on an alternative room sheet for situating next to Heather's.
This is going to be a creative challenge i rekon, so lets share methodologies in a similar way to the process we went through when making the flowcharts.

xxliz

Closer Together

hello!

I just got an email about next wave 2008, which is well a whole year awaybut got me thinking about the possibility of our involvement given the theme which is CLOSER TOGETHER, here look i'll cut and paste the info for ya..

-------------

"Applications are now open for the 2008 Next Wave Festival!

We are calling for proposals from projects across artforms, to be a part of the 2008 Next Wave Festival program, which respond to the festival theme, Closer Together.

Applications are due on FRIDAY 30 MARCH 2007 at 5pm.

Further information and application forms can be downloaded from Next Wave's website at www.nextwave.org.au . Alternatively, email nextwave @ nextwave.org.au or call the Next Wave office on 03 9329 9422.


ABOUT NEXT WAVE

Next Wave is a biennial festival dedicated to developing and presenting innovative work by Australia's most interesting young artists. Next Wave supports the creation and presentation of new work across all artform areas including visual arts, performance, dance, new media, literature, hybrid projects and beyond, pushing the boundaries of traditional media and encouraging connections between diverse artforms and disciplines. Established in 1984, Next Wave encourages artists to undertake ambitious new projects, to experiment and engage with new ideas, and develop new skills and networks. Next Wave is also dedicated to exploring different contexts for contemporary arts practice, activating unconventional spaces for exchange between artists and audiences.

The 2008 Next Wave Festival will take place in May 2008, with exact dates to be confirmed in the coming months.

2008 NEXT WAVE FESTIVAL THEME
CLOSER TOGETHER

The rhetoric of global culture tells us that we are being brought closer and closer together. By media, communication technologies, the free market and other snappy buzzwords which signify somewhat less transparent systems. But how close are we, and how much do we really know about each other?

The 2008 Next Wave Festival will explore new ideas of closeness and its conflicted nature: as a catalyst for connectedness, community and exchange, but also of claustrophobia, confrontation and invasion. The collapse of the private sphere into the public and the increasing tendency to live out our personal lives in very impersonal arenas. The demise of public space, as a concept and a reality...where is the space for vulnerability, intimacy, privacy and exchange in an increasingly globalised world? What is the potential for genuine, unexpected connections, and what might they look like?"

--------

it's true that we are not australian artists as this brief seems to be targeting, there is also a condition that the festival also favours artists 25 and under, or at least prefer a portion of artists to be 25 or under, I'll still be under 25 by then, and Tom too out of our lot which could pose a problem but maybe the content of our work might override this....
just thought I'd put this to you all as I thought our practice could work with this framework quite nicely in regards to blogging, the way our work demands interaction, participation and engagement and human connections/collaboration etc

let me know what you think, perhaps we could put together some kind of proposal if you're interested,

Andie

What to do with written feedback - catalogue?

"People write so much crap -including me- but on the wall it is beautiful art..." Anon
True indeed! Among the notes I think there are some real pearls. I am really keen to resolve what wil happen with our paper & post-it responses, we have got loads! I think that we should put them in the back of the catalog as i proposed 22 Feb - see below, but what do TAC think?
I think that using them to write a real alternative to the curatorial voice would be a great thing to do with them, as Liz proposed (see below) I think that would change the work up a bit and develop our critcality - sharpen our tool if you like...If we can combine these comments into blurbs that imitate the institutional frame then there is a real presence in the show for those critical or bored voices. Once thus combined and recorded I reckon why not give the original postits away in the catalog? How cool that each catalog would be different thanks to TAC!
This would also solve one of our major issues 'wasted paper' and mean we do not need any more reseourse to contribute something great to the catalog. As i recall the ewall was looking good after the show had been open for one week, and toatally full after 2 weeks so there is not too much risk that it would stay empty for long. We should leave a few up for interest and to get visitors started.


Liz said last week in her 'converstaional ramble' Post:
________
I had an idea that we could start drafting up a more formal 'alternative curatorial voice' by sorting through and surveying/paraphrasing the responses. I rekon it could be tongue in cheek - " popcorn mountain ellicits a strong public desire to get naked and disturb in its pyrimidal perfection, to kick it, eat it, and ultimately sweat out the viewing restraint required to comply with the institutional directive - DONT TOUCH!!!"
or something to that effect - whaddya rekon? Then we could pop them in the same place as Heathers A4 info sheets..."
-------
During a meeting on the 22 february we discussed what to do with postits and other paper feedback. See below for those notes by Sian.
------
* Catalogue
-Possibility of adding some material into the catalogue.
There are approx 500 to be printed (actually 1500). Paula suggested that we put approx 3 (actually one) original response into the each catalogue. This would mean that they were one offs and that we are spreading and not owning the responses.
Personally I like the distribution aspect of this, and also it is material generated from the public not from us which is nice. I will check when they need this material, as we will need to see how many responses we have by then.
There was also a suggestion of putting some of our own material in there. I will check whether we are to be given any budget for reproducing material ie photocopying-
--------

So we keep talking about it and now we really need to resolve what we will actually do. The small Wellington group are meeting at the trolley Sat morning and it would be great to get some thoughts, esp from out of towners about what you think.
If you're keen on the idea of A4 write ups we could snail mail you comments and you (MEL and ANDIE and soon TOM) could assemple individual blurbs from the sorted responses? I reckon it could be a fun challenge! xx p

Conversational Ramble

some quick shots of a few responses from CAMRU

& some thoughts that have been floating around in me 'ed...

wanted to say thanks thanks thanks to Tom and Sian for taking the responsibility for the artists talk - a big thing to step up to, all public forum like! Sounds like there were some persistent questioners in the audience, (usual suspects!) and the angle that Heather Galbraith took on the self help language seems to be solidifying as her curatorial reading of our work - I'd be keen to hear more about that discussion, and to talk about how we are thinking on that (self help) reading...

Also wanted to mention that I was frustrated not to be there myself, to answer to some of the 'how did it begin' questions and any murky misunderstandings about group authorship that I was anticipating coming up - on reflection of your comment Tom, maybe we should have made it a priority for all of us to be at the talk - and i was also thinking (and Paula suggested) it might have suited us better to make our talk to the end of the exhibition, when the project would be a little more rounded up, and talk would centre around things that happened and conclusions we/public responses came to. No regrets, just thinking in terms of next time - always difficult with process based projects to get the timing right!

Glad to hear the scrap book is working - how you are using it sounds great Sian - I had an idea that we could start drafting up a more formal 'alternative curatorial voice' by sorting through and surveying/paraphrasing the responses. I rekon it could be tongue in cheek - " popcorn mountain ellicits a strong public desire to get naked and disturb in its pyrimidal perfection, to kick it, eat it, and ultimately sweat out the viewing restraint required to comply with the institutional directive - DONT TOUCH!!!"
or something to that effect - whaddya rekon? Then we could pop them in the same place as Heathers info sheets...

Cool, look forward to next meet up - x liz