I: Art Installation
I have always found it quite interesting when art explodes out of the canvas into our world. It is an experience within itself to fully explore an installation art piece, to spend some time in a world created by art. That idea might be a tad romantic, but it is very true. Take a look at the installation art around campus-the cube for heaven's sake. We've got intense participation in spinning the cube, the pedestrians feel connected to the art because they are able to interact, to participate, and observe directly with the cube. Installation art is a fascinating area that would be TONS of fun to work on. I'd love to work on an installation art piece within Bursley, outside of Bursley, or anywhere, really! And the installation doesn't have to be limited to just physical materials-soundscapes, performance art, or related performances can enhance the experience as a whole! It's an incredible artistic experience that would highlight creativity and collaboration!
II: Open Musical Performance
As a "classical" musician, I'm often dissappointed by the stigma that surrounds my art. It seems that people think the art is "above" them, that the music is only playable by the supremely gifted and the "special" among us. That is complete crap. Music, particularly western art music, has never been more open to anyone! If you bother to look, there is a tremendous amount there that can be played with, regardless of skill level! I want to propose a concert, but a special kind of concert, one where the performers aren't elevated to the level of gods. I want to create a collaborative piece that anyone can join in on at any time, and anyone can leave at any time. A specially creative jam session that is rooted in improvisation, but structured enough so that we won't make something that sounds "bad." I want to emphasize the fact that anyone can sing, hit the piano, and hit drums. We can have participation from everyone if they know what to do and feel comfortable doing it. When it becomes more about the music and less about the individual structured notes, we can have everyone involved and it will be fantastic musical and artistic experience.
III: Video Game Design
I'm the farthest thing from a "gamer" but I truly respect and admire the medium as an art form. That being said, I'm also aware that over half of the marketplace is filled with commercial games, games that aren't focused on artistic value, but instead upon making a profit. I propose we change that. With the variety of talents in Living Arts, it wouldn't be hard to program, write, design, compose, storyboard, and create a fantastic game. It would actively involve all of our members, since anyone can have valid ideas about anything related to the game. Plot points can be focused on just as much as the music, logistics of gameplay just as much as the programing code. I love the idea that we could create something that would really appeal to our age group that also had intense artistic value!
IV:Art Gallery 2.0
Taking an inspiration from darkroom, I'd like to create an art gallery that was more than an art gallery has ever been before. The focal point of the gallery would be the art itself, of course, but extra elements can enhance the experience as a whole. We can play with lighting, placement, sounds, pathways, and all of the other elements of the gallery itself. It would be interesting to design the space just as artistically as the art itself. With our artists, we've got art, with our musicians, we've got music, with our actors, we've got performance art, with our engineers, we've got design elements. We've got everything. The question would be, would the art still have precedence, or would the experience take over? Would everything blend together in a collective artistic chaos? Or would the works which inspired the space maintain their solitary power? Very interesting questions, we would just have to try to find out.
V:Multi-Media Movie
Along the same vein of the Art Gallery 2.0, what if we were to apply the same ideas to the movie-going experience. What if the soundtrack to a movie was live? What if you had to crawl through a space to get the next part of the movie? What if supplementary pieces of art filled the space- at one time distracting you, but at the same time adding to the experience as a whole. What if we had live actors come out at points? What if we took a storytelling element and used it as the way to connect across all of our individual disciplines? What if the story was non-linear, or heck, non-plot based? What if modern dance was the exposition, a movie the middle, and music the climax? What if we were to play with the form of this tradition-based experience and trick the audience into physically experiencing the movie. Woah. What if?
