Connected Through, With and in the Arts
Susanne Bosch is an artist working in and with public. From 2007 to 2012 she has been joint Course Director with Dan Shipsides for the MA-Programme Art in Public at the University of Ulster in Belfast. She works predominantly in public and on long-term questions, which tackle creative arguments around the ideas of democracy. Works include among other things issues around money, migration, surviving, work, societal visions and participation models. She formally uses site- and situation-specific interventions, installations, video, drawing, audio, dialogical work, in addition formats such as writing, speaking, listening, workshops, seminars and Open Space conferences. http://www.susannebosch.de/
Project examples
CASE STUDY 1
Joseph Beuys http://www.social-sculpture.org/ Reading in English: Adriani, Götz, Winfried Konnertz, and Karin Thomas: Joseph Beuys: Life and Works. Trans. Patricia Lech. Woodbury, N.Y.: Barron’s Educational Series, 1979. Bastian, Heiner: Joseph Beuys: The secret block for a secret person in Ireland. Text by Dieter Koepplin. Munich: Schirmer/Mosel, 1988. Borer, Alain. The Essential Joseph Beuys. London: Thames and Hudson, 1996. Buchloh, Benjamin H.D.: ‘Beuys: The Twilight of the Idol,’ Artforum, vol.5, no.18 (January 1980), pp. 35–43. Buchloh, Benjamin H.D., Krauss, Rosalind, Michelson, Annette: ‘Joseph Beuys at the Guggenheim,’ in: October, 12 (Spring 1980), pp 3–21 De Duve, Thierry: Kant After Duchamp, Cambridge (Mass.): MIT Press, 1996. Murken, Axel Hinrich: Joseph Beuys und die Medizin. F. Coppenrath, 1979. ISBN 3-920192-81-8 Oman Hiltrud: "Joseph Beuys. Die Kunst auf dem Weg zum Leben." München, Heyne (1998) ISBN 3-453-14135-0 Potts, Alex: ‘Tactility: The Interrogation of Medium in the Art of the 1960s,’ Art History, Vol. 27, No.2 April 2004. 282-304. Ray, Gene (ed.): Joseph Beuys, Mapping the Legacy. New York and Sarasota: D.A.P. 2001. Rosenthal, Mark: Joseph Beuys: Actions, Vitrines, Environments, London: Tate, 2005. Schneede, Uwe M. Joseph Beuys Die Aktionen. Gerd Hatje, 1998. ISBN 3-7757-0450-7 Stachelhaus, Heiner. Joseph Beuys. New York: Abbeville Press, 1991. Temkin, Ann, and Bernice Rose. Thinking is Form: The Drawings of Joseph Beuys (exh. cat., Philadelphia Museum of Art). New York: Thames and Hudson, 1993. Tisdall, Caroline: Joseph Beuys, New York: Guggenheim Museum, 1979.
CASE STUDY 2:
Otto Scharmer http://www.ottoscharmer.com/ The pages of this site capture the evolution of Theory U and Otto Scharmer's work. Otto Scharmer, author of Theory U, is an action researcher who creates innovations in learning and leadership that he delivers through classes and programs at MIT, the Global Classroom online programs, Presencing Institute programs, and through innovation and change projects within and among organizations and communities. CASE STUDY 3::
Jeanne van Heeswijk Jeanne van Heeswijk is a visual artist who creates contexts for interaction in public spaces. Her projects distinguish themselves through a strong social involvement. www.jeanneworks.net/ http://www.jeanneworks.net/files/esy/i_0019/Paul_O_Neill__The_Blue_...
CASE STUDY 3
Maria Linares MARIA LINARES. Visual artist. This Site includes actions, videos, projects in public space, images, CV, texts, interviews, links and news. http://www.marialinares.com/ http://www.marialinares.com/projects.php?image=0
Personal Reflection
Action
I was asked to post on the self assessment exercise we did on Day 2 after lunch. Each participant was asked to take 4 sheets of paper, and draw on the front of each one a graphic representation of how they were feeling in terms of 1 - body 2 - intellect 3 - emotions 4 - energy/spirit On the back of the corresponding image, participants were asked to write what each of those 'voices' were saying/feeling, and also to note the relationship between each of the voices -Â were one or two in dialogue? was one particular voice coming out as most dominant? I found this exercise a simple way of intervening in the day, so that I could stop and gain a sense of what was really driving me, rather than simply going along and not paying attention to my learning, or to the situations and learnings around me. I was surprised by what I found when I really started to pay attention to the different elements at play inside, I had thought my body was tired, when really it was fine, it was my intellect that was tired... I had thought that my energy was low, when really it was more a case of feeling a little sensitive on the emotional side. By making these invisible dialogues visible, I was able to counteract and rebalance them... which of course led to a more attentive and present 'me'. An excellent exercise! Have doodled this a few days since, and its really helped in my decision making and general focus :)
JOURNALLING EXERCISE
Personal reflectionaction exercises
OTTO SCHARMER, source http://www.ottoscharmer.com/tools/exercises.shtml access deeper levels of self-knowledge, and to connect this knowledge to concrete action steps Purpose • To provide a process of self-reflection that allows to move through all phases of the U within one exercise. • To move into the deepest level of the U-Process: Presencing. • To connect self-reflection to concrete action steps. Outcomes • Access deeper levels of self-reflection & knowledge. • Learn how to use Journaling as a reflective tool. • To connect self-reflection to concrete action steps Time A minimum of 45 minutes is required. Depending of the context this journaling process can take up to 60-90 min. Materials Pen and paper for each participant. Principles People & Place Journaling is a personal process. Never ask participants to share their journaling notes in public. After completing a journaling practice you may create an opportunity to reflect on the experience of journaling. Again: emphasize that participants decide what they want to share. Journaling means that you think through the writing not to think and reflect, and then write up the reflection. With the instruction emphasize that participants want to just start writing and see what emerges. Process Step 1 Preparation: • Prepare a safe space that allows each participants to enter into a process of selfreflection without distractions. • Make sure everyone has slowed down.
Step 2 Read each question, and ask the participants to write down what comes to mind. Continue with the next question when you sense that the majority of the group is ready. Don’t give participants too much time. It is important to get into a flow and not to think too much. Questions: Read each question and allow participants to journal: 1. Challenges: Look at yourself from outside as if you were another person: What are the 3 or 4 most important challenges or tasks that your life (work and non-work) currently presents? 2. Self: Write down 3 or 4 important facts about yourself. What are the important accomplishments you have achieved or competencies you have developed in your life (examples: raising children; finishing your education; being a good listener)? 3. Emerging Self: What 3 or 4 important aspirations, areas of interest, or undeveloped talents would you like to place more focus on in your future journey (examples: writing a novel or poems; starting a social movement; taking your current work to a new level)? 4. Frustration: What about your current work and/or personal life frustrates you the most? 5. Energy: What are your most vital sources of energy? What do you love? 6. Inner resistance: What is holding you back? Describe 2 or 3 recent situations (in your work or personal life) where you noticed one of the following three voices kicking in, which then prevented you from exploring the situation you were in more deeply: o Voice of Judgment: shutting down your open mind (downloading instead of inquiring) o Voice of Cynicism: shutting down your open heart (disconnecting instead of relating) o Voice of Fear: shutting down your open will (holding on to the past or the present instead of letting go) 7. The crack: Over the past couple of days and weeks, what new aspects of your Self have you noticed? What new questions and themes are occurring to you now? 8. Your community: Who makes up your community, and what are their highest hopes in regard to your future journey? Choose three people with different perspectives on your life and explore their hopes for your future (examples: your family; your friends; a parentless child on the street with no access to food, shelter, safety, or education). What might you hope for if you were in their shoes and looking at your life through their eyes?
Personal reflectionaction exercises
9. Helicopter: Watch yourself from above (as if in a helicopter). What are you doing? What are you trying to do in this stage of your professional and personal journey? 10. Imagine you could fast-forward to the very last moments of your life, when it is time for you to pass on. Now look back on your life’s journey as a whole. What would you want to see at that moment? What footprint do you want to leave behind on the planet? What would you want to be remembered for by the people who live on after you? 11. From that (future) place, look back at your current situation as if you were looking at a different person. Now try to help that other person from the viewpoint of your highest future Self. What advice would you give? Feel, and sense, what the advice is —and then write it down. 12. Now return again to the present and crystallize what it is that you want to create: your vision and intention for the next 3-5 years. What vision and intention do you have for yourself and your work? What are some essential core elements of the future that you want to create in your personal, professional, and social life? Describe as concretely as possible the images and elements that occur to you. 13. Letting-go: What would you have to let go of in order to bring your vision into reality? What is the old stuff that must die? What is the old skin (behaviors, thought processes, etc.) that you need to shed? 14. Seeds: What in your current life or context provides the seeds for the future that you want to create? Where do you see your future beginning? 15. Prototyping: Over the next three months, if you were to prototype a microcosm of the future in which you could discover “the new” by doing something, what would that prototype look like? 16. People: Who can help you make your highest future possibilities a reality? Who might be your core helpers and partners? 17. Action: If you were to take on the project of bringing your intention into reality, what practical first steps would you take over the next 3 to 4 days? Step 3 Reflection on the Practice: Split up the group into pairs, and invite them to reflect on their experience. Again, mention that journaling is private and that each participants decides want they want to share.
Skills exchange workshops
Title: Sew Sow Garden Patchwork.
Total time 2.5 hrs
About: Fusing an investigation of the plant world and needlework. Process: The overall session plan is first introduced. 5mins Participant then draw a plant name and its seed from a hat to investigate. 5mins Particpants group with others who's plant choice matches theirs in companion planting. 10 mins While in groups participants will investigate their plant choice individually under the following guide lines. A.Plant family B.Image of flower and leaf C.uses. food , medicine , 20 mins This is followed by a short demonstration of needle work, A. the back stitch B .The top stitch. 10 mins This will lead to an introduction on how these two simple stitches can be used for embroidery and applique. 10 mins Participants are then asked to use their new skills and knowledge to: Create a patch to represent your plant through pictures and words using cloth and needlework. 1 hr Participants will work on their patch along side those in their companion plant group, chatting and exchanging knowledge on thier plant. When your patch is illustrated you can then take a little pot and sow the seed of your plant and place it in the centre of your patch. At the end all the patches will be exhibited in thier companion group and all the groups come together to create a full patchwork garden. People will have time to roam the garden. 30 mins (and tidy up inc)
Life Drawing Learning: through drawing, you need to really look, observe. This is a very intense dialogue with the outside world and an expression on paper. Drawing a body always connects to your own body. As “embodied practice� suggests, we understand always the world through our vehicle, which is our body.
Drawing: A step by step process to see the world, to express the world via a language, in this case the language is drawing.