Through Email and correspondents meetings were held every week at in the Holden Gallery Cafe, and on Friday 18th March, a visit to the site was held in which we looked around with one of the organisers of the event, Jeff Heie.
When looking around the space I thought that the idea was to create something around the theme of green and being more crafty. I had never worked in this way before so found it a real struggle. The idea of creating something about bikes and including what I thought was a political message about being Green was very difficult.
When working on the site project at the beginning of the term because the brief was so broad I found I could deal with it better but this certainly was a challenge.
Over the coming weeks and meetings I still had no ideas, having hear everyone elses. I created a few suggestions, still thinking I had to make something, of creating bunting made out of recycled things. This was not hitting the brief enough and at the time I even knew that. I was just desperate.
The Festival was on Saturday 16th April, and the deadline to show Andrea our work was Wednesday 6th April. At this point I had nothing to show. Explaining I was struggling and that I had never done something like this before, was something that appeared to be in my head the whole time. Andrea gave me the go ahead into making a video piece for the festival.
What a relief!
Immediately ideas came, and through corresponding with Jeff to see if this would be okay and if there was a suitable area to plug a small television in, I began working on my piece.
The Piece entitled, 'Cycling through Rusholme', is exactly what it is, myself cycling through Rusholme- which is known for being very busy. With the technical help from Arnold Pollock (who held the camera whilst cycling behind me), I was able to create a short video. Knowing it would be busy and loud I made the piece silent as I thought sound was not important.
The idea behind the video was my use of energy on the bicycle against the use of energy of the bright lights along the curry mile, and which is better for the earth.
The next challenge was how I was going to set up the piece. Borrowing a plinth and television from uni, the day before the festival I had to pay £10 for a taxi to transport it from my house to Chorlton. Setting up the video piece easy as I had brought all the correct equipment from cable locks to hazard tape so that people would not walk into the plinth or TV set.
The day was a success and a lot of people attended the festival.
Looking back over the whole experience I found I did not enjoy it and that it was very stressful. Paying up to £20 to get my equipment there and back did not seem very green to me. It could also be argued that my piece wasn't very Green at all, with it being played through electricity constantly. On the other hand, I am a practicing Artist who at the moment is working with video. Through my practice I thought I had met the brief as best as I could.
When my piece was ready I was just relieved it was done. I did not get much feedback from it and this is definitely a learning curve as to promote the work from the Interactive Arts students more so. It was overwhelming the number of people who attended and I don't think they were attending to see art pieces. But I do think it was a nice touch to the Festival, as all people from different areas all came together for the Festival.
Brigid Smart created the poster for the festival to promote our work there. I thought it was brilliant as it suited her work so much but kept in theme with the festival at the same time.
My piece, 'Cycling through Rusholme', for the Chorlton Green Festival 2011.
