Symposium day 1

Some thoughts from today.. everything in the end is about editing.. cutting down what you have, as we all have something and making it manageable. You (I) cant decide what you might think of what I do but we can direct it.

I like the idea of people creating worlds, even a bible, and the character is alone because they don't trust anyone.. For J, it 'opened up storytelling to a new audience', he also re-iterated 'I 'm not an artist'.

Responses I noted:

From a possible script (?) to manholes about dual layers of society and then the 47, noting the coalition government now and the 80's. What was the same and what was different. Noted tutorial challenge of bais of words on how to assess work. Very open, very concious.

M - Non verbal communication is more important. Noted more cuts now that in the 80's, less people responding despite more technology. Who are the people who might do this now? (Or perhaps who are those in those positions now but choosing to make cuts)

J - Noted challenge of modern technology, shape limited choices. Globalisation means one country can't do something in isolation. Wondered if characters were on the net..

C - Last time it was about a blog (?) archive of 47 work. Re-enacted in gallery. Interesting that a visitor mentioned eisenstien. Noted real challenge the politics of form. What difference, impact will one form, style have than another.

Other considerations from listening:

Self guided self help usually those already high achievers and self discipline

People identify "with a character in multiple ways..its the story"

'Re-articulating history'

'Cultural memory'

Making work is research of form, content, context, audience.

Goal setting - Making a plan. Am I convinced I will get this done - NO! But maybe a 10minute piece with longer interviews available.. MUST type these dates and tasks up. Give 10-15 hours a week from now!

objectivity babble.. need to read and write this up again.

It came to mind about OBJECTIVITY (and today even is there such thing as free speach? BA workers sacked for making comment on the dispute etc) & the 47. Perhaps a montage of the context, of what was said about workers and community in Britian - Lazy, get on your bike, etc and today 'we're all in it together' Money montage - hours pay, reward and reward of bankers.

Who is and continues to benefit?

Consider for presentation why representing resistance, why political, why past in relation to now.

Started to use this again (this is actually morning pages but it was so much about MA project I have decided to place it here, anything in brackets might be additional thoughts/comments). I might and actually have left massive gaps of what has been going on. Perhaps some of it is in the morning pages perhaps not. Its within me, the experience of the past few months and years and the more I engage but also give myself time, like now, to reflect and also have some life.

I need air soon... & step into the sunshine which has warmed me and day. There you bright light falling down onto these words. Its lovely and I can feel the spring coming closer, I love it, raly love it! All the sun and discussions in head about disability against the cuts... ILF & DLA to go in the next 4 years - bastards. Which way will you vote liberals? fucking liberals. 47 past they played a role to cut city spend and now ... What do you really believe in? History of liberals, is history within Capitalism. Makes me think of (peoples names in unions) and I should touch base with them and Dave Sinclair photographer and possibly a trip to liverpool.

Technology and technique - Dyslexia

Today with David, doing a job for interest not £. Future no DLA or ILF for those who need it. Not me but many, many others... funny he said of the 100 or so dyslexics he had met, they were not people who could work in a call centre. Need bigger picture.

For now, I get this. I am lucky. Inspiration - ideas and thoughts and then into word. Read and write read back for proofing or large articles?

1. Google timeline - Do you usual search. Subject 'surrealism' and then press 'TImeline'gives all info 1910 to 2010 and peaks and troughs of info. Each one can then be clicked on for more info.
2. Books which are now copyright free. Project Gutenberg
3. Preview programme - To capture a screen shot - FILE - Take Screen Shot (Jpeg)
4. Inspiration programmes - check templates for variety of thinking - goes into a presentation (no live links) - or word doc
5. Word - Bibliography. Go to VIEW - Citations - on Insert = bibliography.
6. Youtube - Consider using words 'lecture' or 'tutorial' for use to find discussions or how to.
7. I player - 'In our time' All of Melvyn Brag interviews of 5 years? online all sorts of subjects with at least 2 others, often academics.

Add to facebook too!

Split screens? Technique for purpose?

You know it keeps coming back to this... multi screen work.

Today I put some time in to look, give time to watch and watched two pieces within 500 metres of each other.

Firstly Hilary xxx at Raven Row, apparently the artists artist from Halifax. According to timeout she was looking at how video technology itself effect consciousness. I don't agree but there was something written, which I will find and add, saying the way it was laid out meant you had to physically and mentally negotiate with the technology in the space. True, quite literally. But the space, oh my god the luxury of a stunning 3 storey house. White walls, white ness, white and some chocolate carpets on the stairs for comfort. Just me, two staff and two other women in there for the half hour I looked, sat and watched.

First off - 4 screens projected onto a wall, different shapes with some overlaid with each other. Really liked that. It made sense to me. Of course the overlap and layer.

Second 6 screens, next to each other as the camera lingers of an image of a man part naked. Looped.

Upstairs 1 - split screen looped work with layered repeated sound and visuals which bumped into each other and moved together then apart again.

2. Similar but of different view. Skyline at night with a tower, I love the sky and will have sky, scouse sky and its ever moving colours and shapes interspersed, Intermittent.. some space, breathe. Let the audience, participants breathe too. Its not about the dark but light within the dark.

Then went off to RICH MIX, more people than I have ever seen queing, in the cafes etc. Still mainly white and black staff... such is the way, such is the prejudice, such is the deep rooted nature of equality that has not really, deeply been challenged. I am exotic and so is my mate.

Anyway film - 127 hours. Not really read up bar something that related multi screen nessy. Erm well mainly in the titles, which attempt to contextualise the person and once or twice in the film. Didn't gel, wasn't an effective use of technique, wasted and really a basic narrative why bother even trying additional techniques when there really isn't much else to say?? Oh you sound like a right arrogant snob! What the fxxx do you know? What do you do? Millions will watch this, this screening was full! Full! whatever I do and have done will not sit within an inch of the numbers who see this, but is that or has that ever been my intention? No.. the ideas, the subjects sometimes yes. I wan you all to know about them, not all but some. But the pleasure and pain is mine, selfish, for me. Its true. I am looking and I look with these tools, this technology and I try to speak with you, to you, of you, of me.

No 29 NSSN Bulletin

(Badly written but I did have someone proof but they were looking at ideas and not flow.. more time... more practice! I have written 25 of the 29 so I guess it can't be too bad. Goes out to 665 people on FB and over that number via an elist. Some parts of it go onto the LIKES page which has 534 people)

Happy New Year & the fight goes on!

Hope you have had a decent break and we look forward to working with you all to defeat these ongoing attacks. This weeks sneaky VAT rises which will cost an average family another £7.50 per week, coupled with the fare rises will further impoverish thousands upon thousands of us. Overall they expect to take another £13billion from us through this, yet still nothing from Vodaphone and others who owe us billions!

Before we get too angry, though its hard not to, the last year has, in many ways for ourselves, and more widely within the anti cuts movement, been positive. Wider and deeper networks & alliances within the formal trade union movement and many more outside of it, have began to push the lid of silence against cuts wide open - We will not accept these cuts!

As part of the developing conversations and strategy to defeat these cuts we have a conference on SATURDAY 22nd January, London 12-4pm. This will be a key space to come together report on your campaigns and achievements but most importantly draw together a battle plan with the industrial back up of the most militant trade unionists in the country. There will be differing strands of opinions on how we go forward, who we work with, when we take particular action and references to past campaigns successful and less so. These will be important for all of us to discuss and engage in, to be clear on why we are doing something in a particular way and the potential consequences of taking different routes. We welcome union members, reps, anti cuts campaigns, student activists and reps and the wider community. Get in touch for more details of delegates and visitors passes £5 each.info@shopstewardsnet.com or phone 020 8522 1156.

Late last year we could have seen a joint TUC march with students, had the TUC honored its commitment to a youth march for jobs before the New Year. Sadly they didn't and students with some workers, were more isolated and attacked than they should have been. Finally, the TUC in conjunction with PCS & UCU has now arranged a march & rally at Platt Fields Park, just outside of Manchester at 1pm SAT 29th January in Manchester. Please do your best to attend, bring banners and encourage others to attend.http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170799172958208

UPDATES:
Over the last month there have been Strike action by transport unions RMT & TSSA, but also ASLEF who took strike action over pay on boxing day.

Scottish Unison has voted for a public sector one day public sector strike and there is possible strike by Herald group of newspapers in Glasgow this Thursday & Friday over sackings and redundancies.

UNISON Birmingham Branch Connections half day strike Thurs 6th. Support Protests and Industrial Action Day
12.30pm at South West Connexions Centre, & Broad Street Connexions Centrehttp://www.facebook.com/l/16d50MhQVO1bz1swH5um4wJo2hw;birminghamagainstthecuts.wordpress.com/

UNITE Heinz workers also struck over over pay and conditions.

UNITE BASSA are now balloting for action for pay and against ongoing sackings and suspensions at BA.
http://www.facebook.com/l/16d50oGHB8W0auy_sZkaxtArQJQ;www.unitetheunion.org/news__events/latest_news/new_ballot_of_cabin_crew_begin.aspx

UNISON KIRKLEES council workers have voted for 5 days of Industrial action over massive cuts and redundancies faced by workers and the wider community.

Sadly Grunwick strike leader Jayaben Desai died recently, an inspirational woman who took part in the strike for union recognition in 1976. The leadership of the TUC, APEX and many others should be ashamed of their role in this dispute. Had they fully supported them, the dispute and many others could have been won. Gone but never forgotten.
http://www.facebook.com/l/16d50HqTvBcbehvxgJ7RgnrhcSg;www.irr.org.uk/2008/november/ha000019.html

TUC national demonstration against cuts MARCH 26th. We hope mobilise all members and more widely for this demonstration. days before more jobs and services are lost. And yes we would have all liked this be earlier...but we will all still build for it now.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=176812472328977

LIKE US - http://www.facebook.com/pages/NSSN-Fighting-Cuts-Privatisation/163493090345091
WEB - http://www.facebook.com/l/16d503s8grYi2HwF3YjQUtmX_rQ;www.shopstewards.net/
Email: info@shopstewards.net
Phone: 020 8522 1156

Long time...

I 've been away from you for so long its hard to know where to start. So much has happened and in some ways, tangible ways, so little. I step between what feels like two worlds, those of activism and some kind of creative processes. Neither one is there, fully there for me, or should I say enough for me.

Just before even tapping into this I was working on two documents, one a report of what ward activity had gone on in the Hackney campaign against cuts and the other pulling together feedback from people from the week I made use of the gallery to explore and express some of the research I had begun to immerse myself in. A little too much of everything perhaps? What do they say or someone once said 'a smorgasbord' of possibility which then I leave people to wander through. Or really was it much more for me? For me to have a room to put see still images, to test them across 3 screens, to have conversations, to be with people and attempt to have a dialogue about what I was trying to do but also extract their thoughts, What do you think about what is going on? It was more important than what do you think this is or what do you think about creativity and and the use of arts for change.

Will add the feedback separately, without names for now as I have not asked for that permission.

What else, without too much conscious thought? The film, shall I, can I work on it? It makes sense as a discussion within the current political climate not just to document what is going on but to relate some historical, the 80's, campaign and how that might relate to today, does relate to today. I want to show you a little of what I saw but really still never ever knew what it was and what it truly meant.