Reflecting on Eliot Moleba's workshop has been a challenge for me, as I've always found it difficult to engage in reflective writing. Despite being a master's student, academic writing remains a challenging task, prompting me to experiment with a more informal, essay-style reflection this time.
Eliot Moleba's workshop in our communication course was intriguing, although I found a disconnection between the workshop's title and its content. While Eliot expressed his preference for verbal communication over presentations, I respected his perspective on the limitations of PowerPoint. However, the absence of visual elements made it challenging to grasp the essence of his message. This experience made me realize the importance of visual aids in presentations and the need to consider the audience's perspective. When presenting my own work, I now contemplate whether my audience can follow and engage with my presentation effectively.
In this class, our discussions primarily revolved around his project called "MonuMoment." What exactly is a monument? Typically, it refers to a sculpture commemorating a historical figure or event, often installed in public spaces to record significant moments. However, Eliot Moleba's MonuMoment project takes a different approach. Rather than focusing on historical figures, he conducts in-depth interviews with Norwegians with immigration or multicultural backgrounds, capturing events in their lives that have transformed them. Unlike conventional monuments, Eliot's project transforms everyday spaces into public art by sharing diverse stories, prompting fundamental questions about commemoration.
These works, created through the active participation of viewers rather than passive observation, invite reflection on our daily lives and public spaces. Eliot's project prompted me to reconsider my own work, particularly my "Catalogue Girl" project, part of my ongoing exploration as an Asian woman in Norway. While both projects originate from the experiences of immigrants in Norway, the direction and approach are distinctly different. When presenting Catalogue Girl, I often encounter questions from the audience about whether I have met the individuals portrayed in the project and how extensively I have conducted interviews. Unlike Eliot, I have not actively interviewed immigrants or involved them in my work. Because I did not feel the need for it before. However, his workshop made me think about my own way of working, such as how engaged it is in public space and what the audience's role is in my work.
In conclusion, Eliot Moleba's workshop has prompted me to reconsider the role of visual communication and audience engagement in my work. The comparison between his monument project and my Catalogue Girl project has opened my eyes to different approaches to storytelling, prompting me to reflect on my own methods and potential areas for improvement.
# WORKSHOP 2 – LED BY YUKA OYAMA
During February 12th and 13th, I had the opportunity to attend Yuka Oyama's "Communication" workshop, where we delved deep into the role and significance of communication in art projects. Art is no longer confined to the mere creation of artworks by the artist; rather, it has evolved into a dynamic interaction between the artist and the audience. Through exhibitions, artists share their stories, and through the audience's interaction, the artwork finds new meanings. Particularly in the realm of public art, clearly conveying the artist's intention and encouraging audience participation are becoming increasingly crucial.
The presentation on Yuka Oyama's previous works provided valuable insights into how she engaged the audience and utilized their participation to advance her projects. Personally, I hadn't had much experience with projects where audience participation was pivotal. Perhaps, my only experience was with the “Homosafishence to Homosaclimaence” project at the Natural History Museum, but that was more passive participation. Therefore, through Yuka Oyama's workshop, I gained knowledge about considerations for interactive projects where audience involvement plays a vital role.
Various factors need to be considered in communicating with participants, such as their choices, ways of interacting with the artwork, clear guidelines, and informing participants about the purpose and utilization of the results. Additionally, ethical aspects, morals, and gender perspectives should be handled with care.
The Probe kit workshop conducted with Yuka Oyama was instrumental in encouraging active participation and obtaining feedback to enhance the projects. I created a Probe kit for my project, “Homosafishence to Homosaclimaence”, for interviews with participants. This allowed me to prompt participants to contemplate and discuss the future of humanity after climate change.
When I requested artists like Liz and Weijie Shi to draw their visions of post-climate change humans, they envisioned thicker skin and changes in breathing patterns due to climate influences. Feedback suggested that the theme was somewhat broad, indicating a need for more specific guidelines. This realization prompted me to understand the importance of providing detailed information through further research.
Yuka Oyama's workshop provided insights into the first workshop's emphasis on the participant's story without the artist's active intervention and, in the second workshop, how to communicate actively and equally with participants to draw out their contributions for the project's progress. Utilizing this knowledge, I aim to advance communication with the audience in future projects.
My probe kit result;
# WORKSHOP 3 – LED BY HELENA ELIAS
Helena Elias's workshop provided me with a valuable opportunity to contemplate drawing and the expansiveness of materials. During the workshop, she introduced fired clay sculptures as materials for drawing. Although fired clay sculptures inherently serve as 3D artworks, I discovered their potential as drawing materials through this class. Helena brought a variety of materials for drawing, including traditional ones, but also unexpected choices like fired clay. Over three days, we explored the infinite possibilities of drawing through visual and tactile experiences.
The workshop encouraged an open-minded approach, allowing us to actively experiment and engage with materials without imposing limitations. Actively transcending the boundaries between 2D and 3D in this drawing was a very interesting experienced. Working with the materials I chose was fulfilling, creating a meaningful connection between the drawings.
Rediscovering, scraping, and observing materials became an enjoyable process, fostering an open and highly emotional atmosphere. Since I wasn't familiar with clay, this was a great opportunity to learn about its various aspects. The versatility of the material allowed for both drawing and sculpting, and one highlight was the blind drawing exercise. I explored the walls of the room by touching them. The formsalen, where the class took place, was surrounded by various wall surfaces, each with its own unique characteristics. Attempting to capture these surfaces was a fascinating experience, as each wall bore distinct marks.
This workshop was in collaboration with Ceramic, Printmaking students. The diversity of people with different knowledge backgrounds added an extra layer of richness to the overall experience. The feelings evoked in this space were almost meditative, with a sense of collective concentration while appreciating the harmonious blend of diverse elements. It was a beautiful experience, transforming the workshop into an environment where materials, knowledge, and creativity seamlessly intertwine.