Wednesday 2 October 2013

Second Sight – Resonance by Artist Susie MacMurray, July 2013, Fabrica,

This newly commissioned piece by Susie MacMurray was created using several thousand sheets of musical manuscripts, each piece made into a cone shape and suspended from the ceiling to create a huge yet very delicate floating work which hung in the centre of the main gallery space  




 Hattie and I (Katie) arranged two Second Sight events one on Monday 8th July and the other Tuesday 23rd July. Having both been volunteers for three years, this is now our second event where we are temporarily co running the workshops while Naomi is on maternity leave.  We decided to arrange a gap between each workshop which we felt worked well.
We welcomed a new volunteer Angie who had heard about Second Sight through Connie our long standing regular participant.

For the Second Sight session Hattie and Katie had gathered a variety of objects relevant to the work to handle, such as spare manuscript cones which were given to each participant  to touch and handle during the audio description of the work created by Hattie.



                                                                        
                                                                       

What followed  was a guided walking tour around and underneath the installation. Ideas that were explored;
How the natural light changed the perception of the piece and what would it feel like on a dull day.

                                                       

Experimenting voice sounds with the installation and whether the tone changed from standing directly under the piece compared to around the outer part of the installation.

                                          


(Photographs taken by Eva Kalpadaki)

Next Katie created a mixture of resonance sounds using a variety of different percussion instruments for example; dried pasta and pencils rolled onto the top head of the snare drum and tambourine. Other instruments included a glockenspiel and a bicycle and desk bell.  Realising that the dynamics changes with each event depending on the participants attending, one group was happy to listen to my demonstration of sound, the other group were very keen to ‘have a go’ and creating a multitude of sounds and conversation points around the topic of resonance.



                                                        

Angie the volunteer used her music teacher experience by informing us that if you sing into the snare drum an echo vibration would sound through to the other side of the drum.

                                                        

Keeping with the music theme, Hattie played a recording of Spem in Alium by Thomas Tallis – a piece which had been played many times in the gallery space during The forty part motet by Janet Cardiff. While the group were listening to the music Hattie distributed a variety of paper made up of different sizes and textures for participants to create a piece of sculptural work of their own, inspired by the workshop – an amazing variety of work was produced!

The final part of the afternoon was fuelled with a variety of biscuits(chocolate macaroons were very popular) and tea. Katie began the informal discussion by initiating questions inspired by the exhibition. However a very much participant led discussion evolved which included the universal language of music and the incredible power it can have even though there may be no words, the joy of being part of a choir or playing in a band, the long term emotional connection with certain music and the ability it has to reawaken strong memories and emotions, and the various ways music can influence a space and the space can influence the music.



                                                        
                                                       

 (Photographs taken by Nadja Derungs)
                                       

Another area of discussion  - How artist Susie MacMurray wanted to use the history of Fabrica as previously being a church. One participant was able to give a very interesting account of the importance and respect the Holy Trinity church had on the community of Brighton as a place of worship and gathering. The church was always full and had been bedrock to the population of Brighton.

The two Second Sight workshops were both very well attended by both regular participants and several new ones and a re-established group.
Even though the foundation and activities offered for each event were the same, there was recognition that the dynamics with each group changes dependent on the participants present who naturally led how the discussion flowed and the amount of “hands on” participation. 
I found both workshops to be an enlightened, challenging, enjoyable, unique and privileged shared experience, as well as working in partnership with Hattie in preparation with research, outreach and organising the event. I continue to look forward in gaining knowledge and experience for the next Second Sight as part of the Autumn exhibition.

Written by Katie Bailey

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