Keen to know if if the animation, Estranged (2007) worked to connect people with Antarctic landscape, I asked some artists I know to provide some feedback.
Uninterested in evaluative judgements – to be praised or damned – or to know what they found enjoyable in the animation, my questions were specifically aimed to test the success of my intent. The questions I asked were adapted from Liz Lerman‘s Method of Critical Response.
Lerman developed her Method of Response for choreography. It involves two preconditions to which the artists and observer/responders agree: that we want artists to make excellent work, and that we declare our opinions neutrally. Three steps are involved: Affirmation, Artist As Questioner, Responders as Questioners.
Affirmation is based on the belief that “people want to hear that what they have just completed has meaning to another human being.”
Artist As Questioner states her purpose (or attempts to) and invites responses about specific aspects of the work, or the whole work within that context. She can invite suggestions about how her purpose can be furthered. In this way, the respondents are given the opportunity to say exactly what they think in a way the creator is prepared to hear.
Responders as Questioners:
The responders form their opinions into a neutral question. So instead of saying, “It’s too long,” a person might ask, “What were you trying to accomplish in the circle section?” or “Tell me what’s the most important idea you want us to get and where is that happening in this piece?”
Lerman concludes her paper:
That is what I know of this process now, in the fall of 1993. I hope that people will try it, refine it, and let me know how it works for them. In my travels this past year, I have discovered that many artists are working on their own processes for dialog about work. For some, it is an ongoing part of the creative work with company members, for others an organized part of the dance community’s efforts to support each other. I am hopeful about all this activity, and hopeful that at some time in the future all these efforts can build to some dialog among those who write about art, those who fund art and those who make art.
Liz Lerman Method of Critical Response, Lerman 1993
.
My questions:
1. What meaning can you find in the animation? (Your immediate thought.)
For example, what can you can see or hear in it that connects with your own personal experience?
2. What does it tell you about Antarctic landscape? (Again, your immediate thought.)
3. Given that my aim is connecting people with Antarctica landscape, can you describe one thing that you can see in this animation that achieves this. Be very specific and detailed if you can.
4. Do you have any questions you would like to ask about my work?
5. Do you agree to having your responses on my website? Dialogues I am having with other artists and Antarctic expeditioners help the progress of my work.
Ideally you will respond immediately after viewing the animation and not ponder too much. However, if other thoughts arise later, I will be delighted to hear them!
I will be asking participants, and others, the same questions about the animation I am currently developing, which is evolving from the work we have been doing in the COFA workshops.
Responses to questions have been Emailed, and appear in Comments below:
Artist-expeditioner Fred Elliott wrote:
Dear Lisa,
Good to hear from you again.
I’m not too good at giving direct answers to questiions (should have been a politician), but will give it a go.
1. Acting on the assumption that the subject is to do with Antarctica, the animation reminds me that Antarctica is made up largely of flowing ice, air and water.
BUT
2. I believe that the description of a subject in art should have a great deal of intrinsic value which springs from the artist’s own vision/thinking. I have great trouble in my classes trying to make some of them realise that they should interpret rather than copy.
SO
3. I sat running your animation through and through many times and, apart from the music which I found a bit distracting, I found it a mesmerizing experience in its own right, as well as telling me something of your personal Antarctica. Sensuous, I think is a good word with maybe a touch of sensuality as well.
4. —————————-
5. If you find any of these meandering of use, be my guest!
My best wishes for your NZ art conference presentations.
Cheers
Fred
Artist-researcher wrote:
1. What meaning can you find in the animation? (Your immediate thought.)
For example, what can you can see or hear in it that connects with your
own personal experience?
wispy
ghostly
eery
emerging
windy
visual sonic manifestation
making
thinking objects
moving through a landscape
2. What does it tell you about Antarctic landscape? (Your immediate thought.)
The animation evokes a human(?) presence rising out of the ice of Antarctica but the figure is transformed into a primordial anthropomorphic wind creature giving birth to icicles, wind and other objects. The sound echoes what is happening in the animation and adds to that etheriality (is there such a word?) of the experience.
3. Given that my aim is connecting people with Antarctica landscape,
can you describe one thing that you can see in this animation that
achieves this. Be very specific and detailed if you can.
I think the animation achieves a representation of the ethereal nature of
the weather on Antarctica, one minute calm the next alll hell breaks loose.
4. Do you have any questions you would like to ask about my work?
5. Do you agree to having your responses on my website? Dialogues I am having with other artists and Antarctic expeditioners help the progress of my work.
Yes.