Today has been a wellpaced introduction to the centre, program and eachother. The sun came out and it's been warm and radiant with mountains gleaming white all around.
We have fantastic studio space with a big sofa, and plenty of light. Four of us sharing a space. Already the atmosphere inspires.
I've heard several people say how special it feels to be here. Part of this tradition of 78 years of Banff. Even the vans on site have the message that they are 'Inspiring creativity', and somehow it doesn't look out of place.
We're reminded that there are lots of concurrent activities taking place here, the centre hosts over 300 conferences a year. All these events help to support the arts program, and to support more artists in attending programs and residencies here. A few people commented in the introductions how it feels rather special to receive your 'artist' card. To be an artist here is highly revered. It's a nurtured, held, supported space. We're told we follow in the footsteps of all the other exceptional artists who have come here. Banff alumni the world round. It's certainly special. "Intensive and intense." There's a digital summit upstairs where the future of digital strategy is being dreamed up right now for 2020 or 2050 or some distance that seems pretty big! At the weekend I met people from an English language teaching conference. They've gone now. Writers are in residence, with readings to attend. Jazz starts soon for several weeks. Apparently the maths program's pretty cool and we should slip off the 'arts' dining table to natter numbers and algorithms if we get the chance!
And the parallel to our program On The Commons; La Commune is a six week arts residency for practitioners accessing Banff's print, sculpture, digital etc etc facilities. We share some activities and sessions, and all have studios down the same corridor, plenty of opportunity to interact.
Our program has several names: 'UoA Thematic' (University of Alberta), 'BRiC' (Banff Research in Culture: inaugural summer program), and 'On The Commons; or believing-feeling-acting together'.
144 people applied to On the Commons, 25 are here now. I am very pleased to be one of them.
In the introductions Imre spoke of the balance in the program between unscheduled time and scheduled events (visiting faculty, lectures, seminars, presentations, plus 'extras': hikes, trips out, exhibitions, sports facilities, music & literature events...) Three weeks will pass easily... enjoy all of it and be aware of keeping space to think.
Listening to other participants speaking of their interests, research, and intentions for this time, I notice the emphasis on thinking, over doing. Doing thinking? Making it a thing in itself, and giving it space and time. Some people have come to construct or refine a proposal. Some to excavate an idea. Some to research a particular issue, a specific case study, others to explore... I realise that I think of my thinking as in the times in between - driving, swimming, walking, writing, in my sketchbook, in a sudden moment of realisation in the woods.
I have thought of a residency as a time to do, make, create, act out. I have come here with the taste of Dundee still in my mouth, a time of intense creative experimentation, of learning through doing. What would it be like to turn that inside out and to take time to not make.
I have also come here with the intention to take time to respond rather than to come filled with ideas for work to make or research projects to 'do'. My proposal, six months ago, was at a very different stage from the Hunter Gatherer I now carry with me. I know I will need some time to find the right adjustments to make, to seed a direction most appropriate to flourish in this time, in this space, in this atmosphere. There is no rush or vacuum to fill.
Space to think?
In my mind I had imagined October as a time for drawing things out, sequencing, revisiting, ordering. This is different. It feels like being in the mountain bowl with thoughts focused inwards, illuminating what's here. I think through doing, moving, drawing, modelling... I think with movement, and something about this new space to think seems still. Something about it seems to be thinking within what's already made, whereas I would more readily tend to think through the making of something new. I guess that's this research/practice parody again. The thought of thinking through appeals. It's what I need to do anyway in the papers I'm writing. It's kind of what I was envisioning as a dialogue in making and revisiting. I need to think in space. To draw ideas out on the walls of my studio. To map and articulate the volume the propensity of the space in which to think if thinking's focused.
Writing like this is a deliberate trace from which to line-draw within my train of thoughts. As I write I look forward, to feel the knowledge come: with looking back and seeing the routes of the train tracks the journey rode upon.
That was where my thoughts had taken me today, in my listening - for the space of this program, these fellow participants - and hence of my relationship within this space. To consider time revisited and space shared. Between continents, people, self. Landscape. Movement through in and between (of) landscape. That seems to capture the thoughts I have had and the impressions, feelings and realisations on my process, work, ideas and activities (imagined, existing and envisioned) to date. So those ARE my thoughts. And how does that relate to 'space to think'?
I've been skyping Jen in Sheffield in between sessions, trying to arrange our interactions for the New Research Trajectories walk tomorrow, whilst I'm here in Banff. There's a geology walk here, which I'm keen to go on - particularly to find out about if there may be any singing rocks in the vicinity (magical creatures in mind..). Jen says the area they're walking is of interesting geology too, so maybe we'll incorporate that into our piece. Because of the 7 hour time difference, and the current elk calving season making it a bad idea to wander around at 4 in the morning, (and the chance I may even be asleep!), we're opting for an hour of interaction from Jen during here walk (12-1 UK) and responses from me during my walk (12-1 Canada). The interactions are inspired by a book on soundscape and soundwalks that Jen's reading. It will be interested to see how they translate in two different non-urban areas at staggered times.
Jen proposes to make sound recordings in response to the interactions (hers and myne) at a later date, so as not to interrupt the flow or spontaneity of the walking event, and to avoid lugging heavy equipment on that walk. I propose we also photograph, colour grid or otherwise visually document the moments to capture a sense of the specifics of time and place to which each event will refer. Perhaps we will both collect sound and image, then Jen edit and compose the sound whilst I do the images, and then rework as required together, back and forth.
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