Thoughts and quotes from Brown, A. 2007. “Trial: A Study of the Devising Process in Reckless Sleepers’ ‘Shroedinger’s Box’.”

Brown, A. 2007. “Trial: A Study of the Devising Process in Reckless Sleepers’ ‘Shroedinger’s Box’.” University of Plymouth Press. United Kingdom. 

“Reckless Sleepers style of performance, its reference points in TV, Film and Football. An alienation technique, disruptive of theatrical illusion, is created by means of an emphasis upon physicality over the constructed subtleties of character, no pretence is made at ‘being someone else’ the performers are themselves.”

I feel this notion is transferable to my own work, in that by removing the subtleties of image and poetics the work is ‘itself’ in physicality. It doesn’t try to sooth the viewer in a recognised image, a relatable description. It is just its physical self, there is reason for the construction but the meaning is almost purely in the hands of the viewer.

Michael Kirbys 1987 ‘concept of ‘recieved acting.’

Awareness of the audience without direct address,

Could titles be written in a form of addressing the viewer/reader.

“This you, this is” ?

 talking retains ambiguity.

‘Post Dramatic Theatre.’ Hans Thies Lehmann.

(WS technique)Spoken text is one among many contributing systems, traditional theatre text is served by other systems.

Text in my work.

each object or movement is included on the basis of its relationship with the whole.

This aspect of performance devising is relevant to my project, what things are relevant to the project, I have certain concerns in regards to an autobiographical element, though it does play a crucial part. But by accessing it I may run the rick of damaging myself and potentially losing objectivity. I think once that door is open there is no way to shit it again.

On reflection, asutobiography is one of the things I am becoming more interested in, in regards to the fact that autobiography is present in all art, through the physical interaction of the maker, you are able to see through the craft and labour. The process and the outcome of a work is also representative of the mind and learned skills and techniques.

Criticisms of Shroedingers box, complained that it did not explain Quantum theory.

Is this a prevelant complaint in regards to art that deals with science? Do people expect this explaination, by not providing it serves the alienation technique.

Page 7.

‘reopening the box-has opened up a whole series of ideas, concerns, memories and reflections, its difficult to close it again.

Page 9

‘ The Box... it is so blank it calls other rooms into being. It is a psychological test to see what type of room you create out of the blankness, it is like a sensory depravation room, where at first you see nothing, then your imagination takes over.’

Is this the same function my work allows? Relative blankness that demands imagination.

Ganzfeld effect.

Does the performance of ‘SB’ need to be observed? By keeping in the traditions of theatre and the necessity of the audience disrupt the observer element of the source of inspiration?

Could you devise a piece of theater and only state that you have performed it? Collect very detailed documents and write a book or something. But never perform it. Making the documentation ambiguous enough that it never confirms or denies it ever happened. Also never reveal whether it was or not.  (boxing paintings, only giving the details in writing of what is inside but never open the box.

In relation to the concept of the observer being intrinsically linked to what they observe, the actions are happening anyway (or are they?((anthropic landscape))) is the observer necessary? (yes) in art, what is unobserved art?is art art if it is not observed? Does anything exist if it isn’t observed by anyone else? Can an artist make art if they aren’t present either. They set up their equipment and then leave. What will happen?

‘ page 28, ‘ Within a social space such as a theater multiple and complex interactions are taking place, all of us performing in some sense, even in what we understand to be ‘real life’ A performance thus extends beyond the DELIBERATE ARTWORK into its immediate social and physical environment. A performance might start in the bar or on the journey to the venue, at the moment the ticket is purchased, or when a person first hears about and anticipates it.

This feels very relvant to me, where does the experience of an art work begin. Does that art work exist before the maker makes it?  When someone views the artwork are they contributing to the art work?  When the viewer leaves the gallery do they take the art work with them? Is the artwork just physical or is it something more transient than that?

‘Though view at 8pm, the performance is on going, is explored long before the audience takes its seat.

Is the art work a document of performance?

The performance being the mark making and experience, the finished work just a by product?

Time as entrapment, using defined borders, number,rules and time a tension is established, a sentencing.