dance, text, draw

‘The Future is Social’ residency (21st March to 1st April 2011) at artist John Latham’s Flat-Time house was an experiment between artist Sonia Boyce and post-graduate students across Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon Colleges of Art (CCW), University of the Arts London (UAL). The aim was to explore issues that arise from making contemporary art created through a process of collaboration and participation.

On day four of the residency Boyce asked us to divide into two groups and for each group to work together in order to document an event from the previous day. Together with my collaborators, who consisted of the following CCW post-graduate students: Johanna Berger, Rivkah Hetherington, Tracey Payne, Scott Schwager and Rosalie Woods, we each re-created an experience of our choice in ten minutes.

dance, text, draw Part I, II, III, & V, (top) and Part I concertina book (bottom) © Deborah True in collaboration with CCW post-graduate students: Johanna Berger, Rivkah Hetherington, Tracey Payne, Scott Schwager and Rosalie Woods

Part I

My idea involved the collaborators dancing the steps from a routine initiated by Boyce during the session facilitated by Barby Asante. As they danced I noted the sequence as the following text: two steps to the side; two steps to the other side; two steps back; step to the front; step to the back; turn to the side.

dance, text, draw Part I, concertina book © Deborah True in collaboration with CCW post-graduate students: Johanna Berger, Rivkah Hetherington, Tracey Payne, Scott Schwager and Rosalie Woods

Part II

I asked the group to draw in response to the rhythm as I repeatedly spoke the words of the text that described the dance routine. As a result a series of drawings were produced. The text and drawings were exhibited together at Flat-Time house as part of Last Fridays, South London Art Map on Friday 25 March.

dance, text, draw Part II, concertina book © Deborah True in collaboration with CCW post-graduate students: Johanna Berger, Rivkah Hetherington, Tracey Payne, Scott Schwager and Rosalie Woods

Part III

Copies of the drawings were then made and folded together to create a book. Collaborators of both groups were invited to draw on the blank pages in the book by responding to the original drawings.

dance, text, draw Part III, concertina book © Deborah True in collaboration with CCW post-graduate students: Johanna Berger, Rivkah Hetherington, Tracey Payne, Scott Schwager and Rosalie Woods

Part IV

Janine Harrington gave a live performance using choreographic thinking in response to the drawings contained within the book. Harrington’s diverse body movements were determined by the different drawings that were revealed as a result of turning the pages of the book.

Part V

Deanne Tremlett documented Harrington’s performance piece through a series of drawings that were produced in response to her body movements during the live event at Flat-Time house as part of Last Fridays, South London Art Map.

dance, text, draw Part V, concertina book © Deborah True in collaboration with CCW post-graduate students: Johanna Berger, Rivkah Hetherington, Tracey Payne, Scott Schwager and Rosalie Woods

The Future is Social Team: Sonia Boyce (Principal Investigator) | Gabriela Salgado (Web Editor) | Trish Scott (Co-ordinator)

Book Designer: Chloe True

dance, text, draw Part I, II, III and V concertina books
2011 Sonia Boyce: The Future is Social - the work that was not mine
Wimbledon Space, Wimbledon College of Arts, University of the Arts London