Workshops

The past week consisted of three workshops. The first workshop was held in my studio. I expected maybe three people to join me, but unfortunately only one person was able to make it. However, we decided to continue anyway and make beads together. I brought crisps and biscuits while i recorded our conversation while we made beads together. She stud around for about three hours and then we decided to perhaps try another workshop with more people in the future together. The gist of our conversation was mainly about art and the meaning of it. Specifically we spoke of about placing meaning into into otherwise meaningless things. I haven't figured out what image would match that conversation, but I am leaning towards something that has to do with a shrine. 

The second workshop I had was in my flat. I had three twenty something females come and i served tea and chocolate cake with vanilla ice-cream. I recorded the conversation that we had with two dictaphones at each end of the table. The conversation that evolved ended up being a great deal about relationships and their general fears about being in one. They also stuck around for about thee hours. I have decided that the image that I would like to represent their conversation is the incubus in Fuseli's "The Nightmare" added with wings and horns to also represent the creature in Judaic mythology called  who represented the seven deadly sins. 

The final workshop that I've had so far had three twenty something males and one female. I offered them coffee, crisps and biscuits. Unlike the other two workshops the conversation was sporadic and lighthearted. It ended up being more about fun than debating or theorizing. It was good fun, and I was pleased that I received a vastly different reaction to this workshop than the others. They also lasted around three hours. I haven't fully re-listed to the conversation to make an assessment on the image that I wish to use. 

In todays society where young people hang out with each other in front of a tv with phone and laptops, or that the main mode of conversations is through chat rooms or messages, it is exciting to see people sit down and do monotonous work while connecting with each other. I have about four more possible workshops planned in the near future. I am excited to see how this project progresses further, and hopefully I haven't bitten off more than I can chew.