GW: INSTALLATION IDEA GROUP CRIT

A tricky one today and possibly the least useful crit so far as my work is in a state of flux and I had nothing really to show my peers. I have only just started fully evolving the Global Warmning multi strand narrative idea which aims to bring together lots of elements. The aim is that when these seeming disparate elements are all curated in a space they will hopefully work together harmoniously creating one piece , narrative and idea and create meaning and message.

For the crit I had no real work to show so all that my peers got was an explanation of my intentions in terms of dealing with the topic of climate change but weaving a fictional narrative through the hard facts of the issue. I am 90% sure that it will be an installation but as I have mentioned I am also interested to see if the work can live online and re-use and recycle the elements for other audiences. Also all of this is provides good foundations and background for possibly developing it into a film script somewhere down the line.

To re-cap the piece see the post dated the 21/06/2017 for the full details but for the skinny it is weaving the conflicts of 2 scientists who predicted global warming and then set up a movement to warn the public. They found incriminating evidence of cover ups and conspiracy and one was found murdered and the other one disappeared and assumed suicide only to reappear 40 years late with scores to settle.

To date I have been researching the global warming key dates and then creating my story around this. I am if you like story-lining the piece and developing the characters and backstory making sure it is water-tight and the facts are all solid.

The installation piece would chart this story with a variety of the elements listed below as possible exhibits/artefacts.

• Real (faked) TV News package on Ben Wrights reappearance. Also quick was to do back-story and exposition.
• A documentary/IV with someone who claims to be Ben Wright. Style and mood and tone currently not 100% clear.
• Ephemera from the early days of the movement. Photos, posters, film, tapes, books, newspapers, badges, letters, documents etc.
• Wikipedia presence/entry.
• A blog supposedly by Ben Wright.
• A website collating all of this possibly by the film production team working on the documentary on the back from the dead Wright.
• Possible performance piece with the actors/cast walking around the exhibition in and around the audience in character if anyone spots them.

I aim to inform and educate about the issue of climate control BUT in an entertaining way. The piece will blur real hard global warming facts spun into a fictional narrative and characters (ever-present themes in my work) to hopefully grab the audiences attention and take them on a journey so they do not even realise that they are being informed and educated as they experience the piece. I like to call this "stealth education". Being a teacher it is amazing how much information and education you can do under the guise of making something fun, entertaining and with enigmas and questions to ask of the material as it unfolds.

Below are comments From The Crit and my thoughts on these underneath as to how I can take these forward. As I mentioned my peers seemed a little confused by the idea and as it is still very in-flux it may have been my communication of it that made it ricky to understand so feedback was not great from peers and tutors alike but here it is.

Scaling the project.
It does seem quite overwhelming and I need to scale it down. The feature film script can wait and I will concentrate on the installation and decide on key elements and possibly not create/make them all.

Truths: More truthful than the truth?
More exploration of the truth in factual and fictional works and especially art, film and installations. Liked the comments that it makes the truth more entertaining and digestible and less brow beating though.

How will it be presented? Who is the audience? How is it working?
I feel the installation is the best way currently working towards the show. This will also help to define the type of audience and their dissemination of the piece. I will need to rest the elements on the unsuspecting more to get feedback.

What EXACTLY is the concept? Who are you provoking/teasing? From that position you can create a responsibility/sensibility.
Communicating the global warming message in an engaging, entertaining way and making the informing and educating happen within this Trojan Horse style. I like the idea of hidden clues and a sense of knowing if you spot them too though.

Amy mentioned a "faked" doco where characters created by police from deceased children. Chase Amy about more details about it.

Dorothea Bryard? Certain truthfulness.
Need to follow up on this as not 100% sure why mentioned.

Carolines relative book "On Thin Ice". early scientist working in Antarctica on climate change. Book.
Mention this to her and see if I can borrow.

Liked the idea of digital footprints left and deleted files. Wikipedia page?
Less important for the installation idea but could be developed into the future.

Performance? How will it perform? Philosphical or political?
Need to consider this. My head says political with the issue but there are so many philosophical and ethical undertones about notions of the truth, fake news, spin and the media to play with. I feel these are side issues though and the performance will be primarily political.

What do we bring to it? Our assumptions.
Really interesting this and i need to consider the baggage people bring to the issue. My aim is to breath some life and entertainment over what has become a very stale and unsexy issue as far as the media and general public are concerned. There is no immediate event or crisis it is a slow burning one that human beings cannot see and find it hard to rally against. My aim is to approach the issue a different way, to a different audience in a different venue.

Peter Watkins: War Game 1965. Also Threads. Fictionalised accounts in a doco style.
Get these out and look at them for ideas and inspiration.

Damien Hirst: Venice exhibition.
Deals with real artefacts salvaged from the sea. Research this for ideas.

A Follow on email from Emily mentioned the need to create tests and work for the big crit in a couple of weeks time and to chart this. The idea needs testing in front of an audience.
I agree and this will be my focus over the next 2 weeks. Firstly nail the narrative and timeline then create possibly the TV news piece.