Something I have been up to..
This was the report I handed in with a work in progress of the 47 and audio recording of a presentation to cultural memory students.
INTRODUCTION
In producing and developing my production element of the MA I have continued to tackle issues of form, content, context and audience. The project aims to explore and expose the relevance of the Liverpool 47 surcharged councillors (1983-1987) on today, though other areas of conflict, investigation and interrogation do surface and layered within this. The video is a collaborative effort with Lisa Lonsdale who I met in Liverpool in 1987, a student, activist and then ongoing theatre collaborator. We both work better with at least one other person; it gives ongoing guidance, skills sharing, reflection and energy. Lisa was 8 & half months pregnant when we shot the majority of the interviews.
This report accompanies a 46-minute video work in progress, the first 21 minutes includes some visual work apart from the interviewees, there is much more to do. There is also a full audio recording of a presentation and discussion within the Digital Gallery with Cultural memory students & a 26 second shot of students watching the work. The latter process is part of my desire to engage in discussion and consider feedback around the work. It also pushes me to expose myself, as that is also a personal challenge. I was aware this huge piece of controversial working class history, was going to be an enormous project, and not one that could be completed for this MA. However this MA has given me the opportunity to begin this with an ongoing experimentation of forms, whilst also considering the ideological debates around objectivity, purpose of art, relationships between artefacts, content, context and audiences.
OBJECTIVITY
In a book written at the time ‘Liverpool a city that dared to fight’, Mulhern & Taaffe (1987:Preface) reflect on how and why they have created a book that intended not to narrate the period but bring to the surface the process that were rarely expressed. It does not intend to be what is often referred to as an objective work, which denies editorial construction & commercial context.
In the same spirit, but with different mediums, I too acknowledge there is no attempt to play at balancing arguments. However there are responses to the period and to the mediation of the struggle clearly within the work, if it were not for that mainstream mediation and ban from office for the 47, the subject is unlikely to have been chose and needed to be re-aired in such a way. Several interviewees reflect on the media representations. I have chosen to produce an audio visual work as I better engage and express ideas in those medium as well as playing with written words into sound, images, process.
PURPOSE
In Orwell’s ‘Why I write’ (1984 p21), he argues that he wrote, not to “produce some kind of work of art but, “because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention … but I could not do the work. If it were not an aesthetic experience” (Orwell: 1984:8). He uses ‘Homage to Catalonia’, as an example ‘it contains a long chapter, full of newspaper quotations. Defending trotskyists who were accused of plotting with Franco.” (Orwell: 1984:8) Challenged for this chapter his response was, “I happened to know, what very few people in England know, what very few people were allowed to know…If I had not been angry about that I should have never written the book’. (Orwell:1984:8)
The need to draw attention to a past or lie, also expresses itself within the exhibition, ‘News International Wapping – 25 Years on: The workers story’. It is also within the same period of Liverpool 47 and relates to job cuts and trade union rights but also the concentration of media by one person and the potential impact on public memory and opinion. (APPENDIX 1)
FORM
The form of the project chosen, documentary, was one potential medium that could be more accessible to a wider audience than a nonfiction book or an installation. Though the space, experience of movement, opportunity to converse in the installation environment that I had created was important element of ‘liveness’ and interactivity.
This ‘documentary’ follows some conventions of a traditional documentary, with head and shoulder shots. However they are always on screen, those who narrate are never hidden, showing the constructive nature of the work. There is also the opportunity to look at each of them, their visual expressions and see a little of whom they are. Allowing the viewers time to see them, like the time given on screen to begin to represent and explore their part in the dispute with the Tory government, and later the Leadership of the labour party and others. It has become a repeated motif within the film, boxed, screened, somewhat contained because of the medium, the history, the ongoing challenge of providing an audience with so much information and maintain interest.
The expectations of how a documentary is constructed and delivered is steeped within the development of documentary form which has unhealthy links to observing ‘subjects’ as victims and some voyeurism, despite attempts to develop the form and sub categories within it. If I called this an artist documentary, would the piece then become acceptable as it stands? Why so? What does calling something an’ Artist’ work allow for and why?
Looking through some of the identified categories of documentary, which Nicholas B discusses (2001 pg 121), there are elements of the work and process that could be considered as ‘participative’ with an ongoing engagement in space, interviewees, access & contents. With the use of a formal interview process, to create different accounts of one story & aim to explore ‘our’ history not ‘a’ history. There is a strong intention of ‘expository’ documentary that aims to access memory and representations that are not in the mass media or archives. It also contains a huge amount of the ‘reflexive’ style, drawing ‘our attention to our assumptions and expectations about what documentary form itself…(&) world around us’. (Nichols: 2001:121)
REPRESENTATIONS & IDENTITY
Those taking part are mainly female; this was another key aim to create a project that better reflected those involved. Making the invisible, visible. The characters are mainly working class backgrounds, with none of usual business, academic, paid experts to the subject brought in to comment. I have chosen ‘experts’ as those who took part in the struggle. The intention was to expose how many working class people took control of their lives and began to create a world which could better provide for them and the wider society, one based on need.
Woodward K (1997 pg14) suggests that, ‘Representations produce meanings through which we can make sense of our experiences…and create possibilities of what we are and what we become”. Though I agree with the first part, I could not say that this work, or several cultural products alone could be the sole influencing factor on believing a set of ideas or a media product. It could be how their pensions are being cut or the proposed NHS cuts. Often material conditions or changes have the biggest influence, though not solely.
Woodward further suggests ‘representation’ as a key area of study and consideration, came to the fore after ‘ideologies’ were moved away from in the late 1970’s; a question arises, is that due the Tories winning the election under Thatcher at the same time the collapse of Communism (Stalinism) in East Germany and the move rightwards of the Labour Party? Did academics, along with huge swathes of the population and particularly politicians feel that socialism was not a solution? Or that economic determinism, which was often preached without a dialectical relationship to complex ideas and experiences by some Marxists, was thus an insufficient theoretical tools to analyse and make use of in these circumstances? Perhaps.
COLLABERATION
To add further visual layers, we requested photographs from Dave Sinclair who was one of the few photographers of the time who had access to most of the events and people. Dave is a paid photographer but has given us access to a huge archive of photographs and his personal memories around them, for no cost. It would have cost around £80 per shot for 5-second usage (£1000 approximately for us). I have offered to do work in lieu for him but he has declined, for him and his beliefs this collection need to be shared more widely. His online collection assisted in us accessing his work and making choices as well as displaying this in the installations. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave_sinclair_liverpool_photos/sets/72157603820320816/)
The texture, layers and composition of his work add hugely to the piece both in terms of aesthetics but also integrity of someone there. They are black and white and that feature very much encourages the audience into looking back. They also begin to show who else was involved at the time, which was a much wider grouping of people than those interviewed, or those who were councillors and that is hugely important as it is also about the representation of the participation and democratisation of the city & wider movement in that period.
In addition to the photographs from Dave Sinclair, I approached Suzanne Muna, a housing trade unionist & socialist, who was also suspended by Unison nationally for a cartoon leaflet she created for a conference which was challenging the leadership for not allowing some resolutions onto the agenda for conference to hear and debate. Suzanne is also an artist, though decided many years ago not to be paid for any of her work, as she told me that would compromise her. Her work was chosen after seeing it for many years and getting to know some of what she and 3 others went through in that particular union. Photographs of her collection are online which are moving and human collection. Being online made it easier for us to choose the work in advance and discuss how it could fit in as all three of us had competing priorities.
(http://www.squashdonkey.co.uk/artworksalist.htm)
The union theme developed after meeting with her to see the originals and also discuss elements of the installation that some had seen and many had not. One item I had left in the room was a union mug, which had a moulding dirty teabag, obviously important at a point but had now become something that was decaying and not allowing the mug to be used as it could or should be, a critique of several trade unions at the present time most of which have strong financial and affiliations to the Labour Party.
Her work is multimedia, created with low cost materials and includes newspaper quotes, an ongoing critique of the mass media. It is deeply critical of the current capitalist system and the way that operates, whilst also suggesting alternatives. Suzanne's work add a dual purpose and role, aesthetically but also in her as human spirit and fighting actions.
With the aim to provide a more uplifting experience for the subjects and audiences, the final question I asked of interviews, what did you get from being involved? This was in order to end the interviews positively and with some reflection on personal and collective gains to create a layer or possibility of what happens when someone gets involved in a dispute or movement. Most interviewees reflected on the process as uplifting and enjoyable. I did want not want to ‘take from them’, without facilitating some positive reflections to end with.
On a recent visit to the TATE Modern (May 15th 2011) I looked at one photographic exhibition called ‘BURKE & NORFOLK’ in Afghanistan. My initial reaction was distaste at the ‘prettiness’ of the images, the brightness, luscious colours, lack of visual ideas that reflected what was and has gone on. This led me to watch a video accompanying the exhibition where he argued that beauty was a tactic, ‘people are tricked into engaging”. (TATE: May 2011) The conscious tactic he used chills me, not only as something disingenuous and frankly limiting his expectations of an audience. Was I, were we, trying to make pretty something that had within it the huge forces of the state and internal collusion with personalised memories?
REFLEXIVITY & Circle of evaluation & feedback
One part of the ongoing evaluation of the process and production was to work within the AHS Digital gallery, perfectly positioned at the main entrance of one of the largest university buildings. I purposefully stayed in space 4-7 hours a day to explore space, experiment with additional work, continue project, meet collaborators, invite people in and chat. This is an important part of process to be there, observe, engage, discuss, expose self and work. In addition a presentation to cultural memory students supported this process. (APPENDIX 2)
The presentation & discussion process assisted bringing to air the ideas around public and private memory and what that might mean to an individual or society. Silverstone (1999 pg48) argues, ‘with the decline of oral culture we no longer need, ourselves, collectively to remember.” And that, ‘the media have the power to define the past’. (Silverstone: 1999:48).
This could hold some truth of how the written word is valued, its solidity, fixed, exchangeable, and sellable. The oral process less fixed and but clearly the tradition does continue. Just in terms of political and trade union activity I am involved in weekly meets between once to five times a week. These are important to women, though I regularly observe they are more at ease in a conversation or in the action of doing than the saying, so many men continue to dominate the spaces. I now purposefully try to contribute but in my own style, and with observations and experiences and possible suggestions, to show that it also ok without huge vocabulary or the ability to recall related historical events. I have, though, also continued to use a blog, as an archive and a small memory for me, as I have a very poor working memory, which impacts on an ability to recall information short term and requires multiple approaches to learning and engagement for ideas and facts to imprint themselves. Hand in hand, I attempt to develop a memory but also work without one.
TECHNOLOGY
The opportunity to film, edit and research this project has much been made easier, with the use of lower cost technology. It does not, however, determine the content of the work, or the ability to use the technology that requires critical consideration, technical learning, reflection and practice. The issue of distribution is still commercially restrictive though some models of distributing campaign documentaries have developed such as Mclibel that used a campaign model that could suit this work.
Without us needing or demanding for something, we might not have the technologies or know what to do with them. As Marx is quoted in Lister et Al, ‘They are organs of the brain, created by the human hand’. Lister et Al (2003 pg 191)
Only one piece of quirky, music has been chosen, so far, (royalty free) to have some lighter, warmer, lift for the audience. With the overall intention to express some processes and open up the possibility of ways of participating or leading struggles for democratic and fairer way of living and acting within this world, whilst not leaving them paralysed by the burden of the past.
I’ll be honest and say I am not completely happy with what I have done so far, it’s fighting within forms but it is a work in progress. And on reflection, I rarely like anything I create, though I love the work of those I collaborate with, I just know I need to do it!
So What Next? (In summary)
1. Review structure and missing content with collaborator and also subjects. Share feedback made so far and discuss suggestion. From that decide on cutaways list and shot list to add more moving images to the work and several visual motifs.
2. Look at more music for soundtrack and discuss with others to look for a composer for all. (Mainstream work would generally cost?)
3. Create a distribution strategy and timeline.
4. Review the budget and look at a fundraising model and strategy to resource the project.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lewis, H (1990) Dada turns Red, Edinborough, Edinborough Press
Benjamin, W (1977) Author as Producer
Nichols, B (2001) “What types of documentaries are there? in An Introduction to Documentary. Boomington Ind, Indiana University Press
Orwell, G. (1984) Why I write, London, Penguin.
Pryluck, C (2005) “Ultimately we are all outsiders: The ethics of documentary filmmaking” in Rosenthal, A & J Corner (eds). New Challenges for Documentary (2nd Edition), Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Rabinger, M (1997) Directing techniques and aesthetics Massachusetts Focal press
Silverstone R (1999) Why study the media? London, Sage
Taaffee, P & Mulhern T. (1988) Liverpool a city that dared to fight, London, Fortress.
Woodward (1997) ‘Concepts of Identity & Difference’, in K Woodward (ed.) Identity & Difference. London Sage
Martin Lister. Jon Dovey, Seth Giddings, Iain Grant & Kieran Kelly (2003) New Media: A Critical Introduction. London. Rutledge
Williams, G (2010) Shafted: The Media, The Miners Strike & the aftermath London, Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom
Films
Vogel, K (2011) Burke and Norfolk, video loop. Tate Modern, London
Exhibition
Tate Modern – Burke & Norfolk: Photographs from the war in Afghanistan May 2011
Websites
Luxonline.org.uk/themes/documentary.html (19.5.2011)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave_sinclair_liverpool_photos/sets/72157603820320816/(Last accessed 23.5.2011)
http://www.squashdonkey.co.uk/artworksalist.htm (last accessed 23.5.2011)
ORAL?
In additional I have attended meetings of trade unionists, anti cuts campaigners, socialists 2-6 times a week that are part of the huge and ongoing oral process of exchanging ideas and develop process. I could not begin to name and note which ones have influenced this work but the combination of them all and the ongoing need for collective discussions and actions to make change.
APPENDIX 1: WAPPING
In 1986 Murdoch, the owner of several main stream newspapers planned to secretly change the location of the press to Wapping, over 5,000 jobs were to be lost in this change but it also changed and continued to determinate the potential for a democratic press and important trade union branch … It was London based dispute with a strong trade union membership, though some trade union leaders and unions choose to hold back the dispute with the EEPTU members took the jobs in the new plant. Eric Hammond the then leader of the EEPTU is said to have “boasted in his autobiography of his extensive liaison and collaboration’ (Exhibition programme: 2011:18)
The dispute and the need of those who were involved, several who were at the exhibition on the day I attended, wanted more people to know about what happened, and lots of discussions took place. The venue itself was full to bursting with banners, papers, write-ups, posters and some older merchandise for sale.
APPENDIX 2:
A selection of the feedback given:
Unsure it was past till part way through
Good to have visuals, helped memory
Good not just to have mainstream archives, ‘This is more powerful, people involved’
Against representation of mad left
Is there something about Liverpool? Community?
Was intention to rep history another way?
Why H&S shots of interviews? Why are you not there?
Consider Neil Kinnock for interview?
Who owns the work and uses it?
Could see a version like Dagenham Girls, mainstreamed
How this has come about – process of production cheaper, social media for marketing?
Begin with mass mediated story,
Liked music – massive attack 1980’s
Is it an installation or film?
It reminds me of that time, I was there..
If not completed soon, it will be out of time, relevance?
I see it as your process, the past and then this wall
Introduction confusing
Like the water in the intro
Emotion elements more engaging – possible hook to start
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