Plethu/Weave: Week Four
‘Death of the Triptych’
Plethu/Weave is a poetry and dance cross-artform collaboration.
Croeso (Welcome) to week four of my Plethu creation period!
This week feels full: Edit. Grade. Sound. . . and innumerable threads of emails between Jonathan and myself; back and forth, like tennis players, discussing every detail and desire for the film.
I wanted this to be my ‘green film’ – not the term, the colour. My favourite colour is green and the beauty of filming in nature is that it is filled with green and this film captures every bit of it.
And my own body? Well, I am clad with my favourite fluffy green sweater and Emma-Jane Weeks’ beautifully embroidered coat; brown boots I got on sale and a very old pair of second-hand blue jeans. I’m green and comfortable.
Filming what I called the ‘Dug Out’ section.
I’m not sure I enjoy questions, but let’s answer some anyway.
“Q. How do we adjust when plans go awry? ”
“A. Cry a little then remind yourself it’s a valuable part of the process. ”
Anyone who knows me, knows that I do not enjoy change – even good change. It’s unsettling for me and then I must readjust myself. However, during a creation process you must be prepared to refine. Keeping everything – unless for a specific purpose – isn’t useful or beneficial.
I approached the making of this film in the same way I approach my writing process: I planned, allowed myself to freely respond to stimuli, then, I looked at what I had and cut back.
Remember my when I couldn’t get ‘triptych’ to leave my mind? Well, in the end I pushed it out. Once the final footage came together, three screens felt distracting, clunky, and useless – so they had to go. I will however keep triptych in my mind for another time – stay tuned 😊
“Q. How do you connect and fully articulate a theme that is given to you?”
“A. You immerse in knowledge of said theme and discover where you can stretch yourself to respond creatively based on understanding and appreciation. ”
As a self-producing artist, I mostly choose my own theme and ideas. It is an incredible privilege to be able to share with others the things that are already inside of me. However, there is something rewardingly uncomfortable about being given a theme. For this commission I was given the themes of: care for the environment, sustainability, and nature.
This allowed me to learn something new, to think of new ways to articulate myself and my art, and it broke me out of my usual processes.
Dancing in (with) Nature
I consider myself to be an introvert at heart. I love expression and feel life very strongly, however, I need that space and time in silence (with Grey’s Anatomy humming in the background) to recharge from the extremely stimulating experience it is to be around people – both live and via digital platforms.
Maybe that’s what I love most about nature. There isn’t silence – there’s always something, but not usually someone. In the quiet times you’re surrounded by the complexity of life, light, air, and water.
When I dance outside – in green spaces – I feel connected; not alone. I feel challenged by the art of navigating the terrain with each movement and every step I take.
And I love a challenge.
I am comforted by unexpected clumps of mud that slid their way inside my boots, wiggling between once warm toes and relaxing there until I can find relief.