the most important thing here is the involvement of the performers, this is this piece.  The information collected is not as important, it will be exhibited simply to show the project actially took place and for people to gather and talk about it.

Can I ask for people not to concentrate on the data part of this, i never stressed the importance and now it is taking over!

the most exciting part is in the performers mind when they are walking down the street.  If it is not exciting or stimulating then they simply wont take part, which is fine....I don't want every single person in the world doing this...


In terms of audience...This is something we cant really know about here, but we can guess.  

let me tell a story.

i was walking home last week, i walked through a station and noticed two people, not together (i.e they were not friends, or related) walking through the station, going almost seperate ways.  they were moving in time together and stopped suddenly together, completely unaware of other others presence.  i was in awe, absolute beauty and i was the only one who saw it (as far as I know)

i imagine people will see six_events in motion, but perhaps they won't know what it is....im at a bit of an end there...would someone like to help me out and talk about audience in this situation??



best

Matthew

Nowhere else to go - except where you're going - like Damien Hurst and John Cage - way out.  I'm not saying it's not art - just that I find it very hard work to like it.

POUNCE, RIP, BITE!!!

No, thankyou ros. Very pertinent thoughts, very well-articulated. Will try to get back to this (after teaching  )

Since splitting the thread has necessitated the loss of Matthew's original post from this one, here it is again, so we can remind ourselves how things started:


Hey everyone!
I'm new here...so please talk to me!

I am a 22 year old composer, living in London and just finishing a degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

I thought I would start by telling you about a project of mine called SIX_EVENTS

six ordinary events, like getting on a bus or sitting in a park, all become performances over 6 days in January 2008.

These events are pieces of music...or art....whichever one you like.
Anyone can do them anywhere they are in the world, who knows...this might turn into a record breaker!

if you like this (and I hope you do!) please read the following information, which is from the myspace page.

i am interested in John cage, and happenings, intermedia events, conceptual art...that kind of thing and would love to speak to likeminded people.

And as this is a forum...if anyone wants to discuss anything about anything in this post....then go for it!
****


SIX_EVENTS is a project by the composer Matthew Lee Knowles.
It is in keeping with his love of Conceptual Art, Happenings, John Cage, George Brecht, Fluxus, Event Scores, Tasks and turning simple ideas into potentially complex situations where an infinite number of outside and unpredictable factors can influence the focus.

It is also an experiment, very much in keeping with the 60's way of thinking. Matthew thinks of this project as a worldwide simultaneous happening and is encouraging performers (for they are performers) to record their involvement in any way (photo, film, audio, poetry, writing, drawing) to be exhibited in London after the event. (NB: Video files should be uploaded to youtube)

The first event takes place on January 21st 2008 and there is an event every day (with exception to Saturday 26th) with the final event being on Sunday 27th January.

Performers are free to execute their performance at any point during the day and in each event have to follow through a task. These tasks range from clapping hands once, to simply not thinking about the length of time one will ride a bus for.

Events call for certain times and durations to be recorded and sent to the composer; these timings and durations will go to writing a new piece of music in late 2008.

Event four (supermarket) calls for receipts to be kept, it is hoped that performers will send their receipts to Matthew through the post or scan and email them to six_events@yahoo.co.uk

Performers should constant listen to the sounds around them, they are hearing a very unique composition. Also, anything at all of interest should be documented, if something happens (someone accuses you of acting suspicious, a pigeon sits on your head, you fall asleep, you trip up....) please write this down and email to the above address.

NB: you do not have to take part in every single event, you can choose just one if you so wish


here are the actual events

Event one BUS Monday January 21st 2008
On the prescribed day you should board any bus, at any time.
The length of your journey should not be premeditated.
When you are ready, alight the bus.
You should record the times you boarded & alighted the bus.

Event two ROAD Tuesday January 22nd
On the prescribed day, walk down any road.
You should clap your hands together once, at any point.
You may walk at any pace, but must record the name of the road & the duration of how long you walked for.
It is at your discretion to how long you walk for (at the end of the road, you could turn around & walk back.)

Event three BUILDING Wednesday January 23rd
On the prescribed day you should enter any building.
Discover the building for a duration of up to one hour.
Sit down at least once & close your eyes.
You should record the time you entered & left the building.

Event four SUPERMARKET Thursday January 24th
On the prescribed day you should enter any supermarket.
Walk down every isle at your own pace.
On your way round you must pick up any item for less then £1
Go back to your original starting place, in the supermarket.
Before paying for your item you must move one other item in the store to another place, an incongruous position on another shelf.
Pay for your item & keep your receipt.
You may not own the bought item, it must be given away or thrown into a bin.

Event five PUB Friday January 25th
On the prescribed day you should enter any pub & ask one person any question you wish.
You should request a glass of water, you should not drink it.
Leave the pub.
You should record the time you entered & left the pub.

Event six PARK Sunday January 27th
On the prescribed day you should enter any park
Sit or stand on a green area for any length of time
You should look up to the sky at least once.
You should record the time you entered & left the park.



http://www.myspace.com/six_events
http://www.myspace.com/composermatthewknowlespianist


email to six_events@yahoo.co.uk

Can I just clarify......?

I thought you were going to do something with the data we sent to you, and that that construction would be the 'piece'.

I now get the gist that in undertaking the tasks, that is the actual performance.  Is that right?

I realise now that it still meets the "art/music as a shared experience" roslynmuse suggested, but at a meta level.

I will be experiencing my time on a bus, but also at the back of my mind knowing I am sharing the experience of participating in the event with (several / some / many) others?

And if I am not the audience, but solely a performer, other people watching me time myself on the bus will get that experience.  (Do I have to tell them I am performing?)

Is any of that near the mark?

Tommo

I have emboldened the sentence above that (to me) indicates one of two things: a) your project is totally immaterial to our experiences; or b) our experiences are totally immaterial to your project.

I nonetheless (very genuinely) wish you well with your project. But (as they say on The Dragons' Den) "I'm out"!

Baz

But you're missing my point increpatio! There isn't anything there YET! If the experiences of the participants mean anything (which they must for this project), why are we given no information as to how?

In any event, it cannot be claimed that "experiences of participants" are anything other than experiences of participants (there is no way in which they - in themselves - could credibly be described as "works of art"). The question is (and needs answering still): how exactly are these to be crafted by somebody else into a "work of art"?