01.4 Methods of investigation – written response

The theme of my investigation was the tube. Then it became my (almost) everyday journey. Moving forward to the last carriage of the northern line from Oval to Kings cross and back, continuing its journey to end up being the transcription of the movement. Yes but how? Not by using photography, not by using ‘obvious’ methods of movement recording. How can I do it? Experimental drawings, letting yourself feel the moment and transcribe it through the acts of your own body and the direct action of this movement onto something. 

The movement is creating the visual. It is an accidental automatic response. 

Following the idea of McLuhan in the Medium is the Massage, ‘all media are extensions of some human faculty – psychic or physical’ (McLuhan and Fiore, 2001). In relation to that, my work was aimed toward the relationship, the passing of the movement from my subject toward something else, using my body as an energy/movement conductor. It is the ‘sensory impact set against the everyday imagery of mass media’ (McLuhan and Fiore, 2001) that was interesting to me. I wanted to produce something unexpected, something that will trigger the mind and make people think – What is it? 

The idea was to let the subject produce its own visual content, in a certain way like the action painting artist from the abstract expressionism movement would let the brush live onto the canvas.

To achieve this purpose, I’ve set myself a couple of ‘practical exercises’ (Perec,1999) in relation to it. Just like Georges Perec in Species and space and other pieces (The street), I’ve observed what was happening, used automatic writing, took notes ‘almost stupidly’ (Perec, 1999) to set the mind free and focus on the experience. I can also see a parallel between his piece and my process when he questions himself about the people ‘where are they coming from? Where are they going? Who are they?’ Are questions, wonders that came back often during my investigation process.

Bibliography:

McLuhan, M. and Fiore, Q., 2001. The medium is the massage. London: Penguin.

Perec G., 1999. Species of spaces and other pieces. London: Penguin