"The tradition of the oppressed teaches us that the 'state of emergency' in which we live is not the exception but the rule. We must attain to a conception of history that is in keeping with this insight. Then we shall clearly realize that it is our task to bring about a real state of emergency, and this will improve our position in the struggle against Fascism. One reason why Fascism has a chance is that in the name of progress its opponents treat it as a historical norm. The current amazement that the things we are experiencing are 'still' possible in the twentieth century is not philosophical. This amazement is not the beginning of knowledge - unless it is the knowledge that the view of history which gives rise to it is untenable."

Walter Benjamin, Theses on the Philosophy of History

Reading List: Walter Benjamin, Illuminations

Reading List: Jeannette R. Malkin, Memory-Theatre and Postmodern Drama

Questions of Practice, Portfolio Exercise 1

A QUESTION

Write down a list of questions. Choose one.
Explore it in terms of design and display on one page.

How can the question 'perform' in the space of the page? In what ways can it playfully 'rehears' or stage something of its content and form?

This question will be revised every two weeks until week 10. We will discuss them briefly in each seminar.

On 14/10/08 12:07, "Avia Moore" wrote:

Hi David,
I do have a question(s) about the question exercise:

I initially read it as more of a collage project but Im wondering if I misread it and it is only supposed to be the words on the page. Or am I overthinking it and there are no rules?

Also, when you say a 'list of your questions' - is that a list of any question at all that happens along? Like 'how do magic carpets fly?' and 'where do clowns go to die?' Or is it more pertinent questions to the MA like 'what does traditon look like in a postmodern world?' or even 'how many words is this essay supposed to be'?

Thanks,
Avia Moore
MA Devised Theatre


Hi Avia

Thanks for this. In answer to your questions:

It could be a collage project – or a Photoshop project – or typographic – could be scratching into a black card - you can use a potato print if you want! Anything is possible. It depends on your aesthetic, your familiarity with technologies, etc. - it’s in part about what different materials & approaches do. So it’ s up to you. There are no rules, just more focused levels of engagement with materials, and more productive relations between form and content!

Re. list of questions. It’s the latter: questions of practice in the context of a Devised Theatre MA – your questions, at this point, small or large. Things close to the heart of why you might be curious enough to undertake this programme of study at this time. A question or questions you don’t know the answer to, so it’s still ‘live’ for you, it has momentum. (Many questions in our world already contain an assumed/buried answer: e.g. “Is it normal to dress like that?” - not such interesting questions really). “What does tradition look like in a postmodern world” is a very good question to start with ...

Is that okay?

All best to all of you
David

The Map is Not the Territory

Crashing an MA Arts and Ecology Workshop led by Bruce Gilchrist from London Fieldworks

THE MAP IS NOT THE TERRITORY
extracts from the notes Bruce gave us....

The map is not the territory encapsulates the view that an abstraction derived from something, or a reaction to it, is not the thing itself, e.g., the pain from a stone falling on your foot is not the stone. A specific abstraction or reaction does not capture all facets of its source—e.g., the pain in your foot does not convey the internal structure of the stone etc.

Korzybski's dictum ("The map is not the territory") is used to signify that individual people in fact do not in general have access to absolute knowledge of reality, but in fact only have access to a set of beliefs they have built up over time, about reality. So it is considered important to be aware that people's beliefs about reality and their awareness of things (the "map") are not reality itself or everything they could be aware of ("the territory").

The most accurate map possible would be the territory, and thus would be perfectly accurate and perfectly useless at the same time. Lewis Carroll, in Sylvie and Bruno (1889), made the point humorously with his description of a fictional map that had "the scale of a mile to the mile." A character notes some practical difficulties with such a map and states that "we now use the country itself, as its own map, and I assure you it does nearly as well."

MEMORY AND LANDSCAPE: nature and its representations
What is the relationship between memory and landscape? How do landscapes exercise an influence on us? What are the limits
of landscape when the word now applies to urban landscapes, media landscapes, political landscapes, and more?

Reading List: Anne Bogart, A Director Prepares

Reading List: Susan Letzler Cole, Directors in Rehearsal

Rain

I just looked out my window and remarked to myself that, though a bit gray, it looked quite pleasant outside. A minute later, while getting something on the other side of the house, I looked out that window and the rain was whipping down. Back in my room, the weather holds gray but dryish. Strange weather here in Totnes.

The last couple of weeks have been marked by ridiculously beautiful weather. Since I arrived we have had only one day of rain (yesterday). Everyone keeps remarking that our lucky streak is about to break. Apparently it has broken on one side of the house.

In other news - I bought a pair of good hiking boots yesterday. Now equipped with more appropriate footware, I am planning trips to the moor and to the seaside cliffs.