The art-based research practice on landscape 20.-23.7.2015 in Tampere, Finland was facilitated by Australian director Bagryana Popov in collaboration with Finnish movement practitioners Raisa Foster and Antti Marjakangas.
Antti Marjakangas reflects his experience (translated with minor edits from stream of consciousness writing done in Finnish on 23.7.2015.):
The last four days. A lot. Depth, variety in ways of being. Facing also my own limits. Exploration.
An open approach, which feels very good. Yet focused. Feeling of life. Especially in the combination of voice and movement, and the work with mental imagery.
Photo: Raisa Foster
Top moments: While animating Raisa with voice, while moving from forest images and memories, while grounding on the moss.
Does chronology matter? The work was circular, with deepening parallel processes, that fed each other. Actually did not feel like working at all. Exact and sensitive way of directing, that I appreciate. Also the conversations during breaks brought up topics and concrete questions for research. I’m feeling respected, heard and seen. Liberating. But also something that reveals my own mental prisons.
Photo: Bagryana Popov
Discoveries: The same text does not work in all locations. The power of images (re-discovered again!) and their fragility on the other hand. A deep question that comes up surprisingly. A question about unity, meaning and purpose.
Photo: Raisa Foster
Memories: Lättyjärvi. Poems that guide us, but can be let go of once they have served their purpose. The layers of my life. I can begin from anywhere and go deeper into it, allow it to deepen. I can discover a personal relationship in this moment, a form of dialogue that impresses and surprises me. Feeling connection in song and synchronicity in movement. Listening and the depth of sensing creates this. Having the courage to reveal myself. Having the need to to protect myself and to hide something. “Not yet!” But when?
Photo: Bagryana Popov
Performance as a ritual – can that lead me into something new and surprising? On the other hand, the work felt natural and everyday, organically effortless.
Words: The exactness of words, investigation. What are they pointing to? Does the exactness matter? When does it matter and when not?
Photo: Bagryana Popov
Towards the demo: What do we want to share? I would like to invite people to have the possibility for similar experiences that we have had. Pausing, tuning in. Allowing emptiness. Waiting and patience. This is enough. Existence is and that is enough. Always.
But why do we experience separateness from nature? Is is a thought structure that facilitates progress? Would we really be happy with less, with more simple being? A discontinuity, jump, change of theme. Still feeling natural. Because of presence and sensitivity. No endeavour. Trust and peace. No need to know. Does any of us know? Or do we know together? What arises from interaction? Can it be sought, or only let happen? What is truthfulness? Are there too many demands? Can I let go? Ultimately, everything is true.
