AUC ART - Collective Experiments of Meanings in Life Experience

AUC ART

Collective Experiments of Meanings in Life Experience

Over the next three months, starting Saturday, April 2nd 2011, I propose a structured weekly workshop dealing with “meanings in life experience”, where we intuitively, actively and constructively try to understand, mould and appropriate into ourselves the meanings of particular themes in every-day experience.

Every Saturday, I will introduce a topic based on a personal experience, which I will ask you to elaborate on as you wish. This will be issued in a print-out version, along with a simple explanation.

From 1 o’clock to 5 pm, at the dorms, the time will be scheduled into three parts. 1. To interpret the theme, 2. to develop upon it, and 3. to create something new. This structure is set to generate discipline, but the method is entirely up to you. Every person in the group is free to start a discussion, collaborate or even brain storm individually if they wish. They may experiment with ideas and plunge into try outs and begin their production process during the workshop or after.

At the end of the workshop session, members may continue their projects and finish them for exhibition the following Saturday. This “exhibition” is a group demonstration and discussion which may last up to 30 minutes. During this session, peers can develop a critical and constructive analysis of each other’s work (and please don’t be sissies). The projects should be concluded within one week, however, if a member feels he/she must continue with the project, he/she may extend it for one more week.

The purpose of this collective experiment is to achieve an artistic approach to life (conceptual and practical), to develop specific techniques, methods and thought processes, to inter-exchange skills and experiences, and to indulge in Amsterdam’s cultural life.

The workshops will include: (i) sharing skills and specific knowledge, (ii) researching and experimenting with a range of materials, (iii) excursions to galleries, museums, venues and other interesting sites of choice.

There is no definite word to describe these workshops. They are not solely fine arts oriented, design oriented, conceptual oriented, or whatever. They are everything you wish to pursue. This may feel somewhat confusing; you may not know where to start or what you wish to try out, but these are collective workshops where we can help each other be more autonomous. (If you have any questions, I will always be available to hear you out and help you find your way.)

Areas of interest may range from film to knitting, music or flower arrangement to “running naked through the park to test people’s reactions”. Art is everything. Or is it? I propose a space, in this great community we have formed in Carolina Mac Gillavrylaan, to expand and create. We may discuss artists, scientists, bureaucrats. We can focus on lawn mowers, oil lamps and the fat geese in the canals… The point is to be aware of a world outside of AUC and then bring it back in to share amongst ourselves. We all have stories to tell, why can’t we show them?

My name is Sarah Rodrigues, I’m a new student at AUC and, to be frank, I’m tired of all this academic crap. Don’t you agree that if we don’t engage in something practical, we will become sterile, with no grasp of life! What does it mean to be living? And I don’t just ask the question theoretically, don’t feed me ethereal bullshit, show me what it means. Let me feel, hear, touch, see your world.

I propose that at the end of these three months, we can organize an end-of-year exhibition at AUC to display all our projects – 12 in total. I will also try to get sponsorship from AUC for materials and general support.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions or queries.

To sign up, just add yourself to the Facebook group and show up for the workshops, every Saturday at 1 o’clock, my common room – 1014, 3rd floor, 1st building, 2nd entrance (on sunny days, we may meet outside). Everyone is welcome.

(Refreshments and snacks might be included if everyone chips in).