ARTISTS TALKING

# 9 [24 May 2008]

Wednesday 21st May, the day of the shoot: 

11am:  We began our photo-shoot at the Theatre Restaurant, John Street, not far from Sunniside Gardens.  The Theatre Restaurant supported our project by offering us their attic studio space for costume change.  Carl Gregg (Design and VJ artist) arrived to record the event for us and collect video footage to mix into his own vj performance.   Dave Foster from Square Photography and Dave from Shambles boutique (Sunniside) worked together on the photography - and we are all really looking forward to seeing the results.

 12.30:  Moving on down John Street, we descended on Eauzone Cafe bar who had agreed to host the first part of the shoot which links our characters to their Sunniside history.   Gemma as Mary A Jedball, a dressmaker by day,  kicked the shoot off in Eauzone with her dressmakers dummy.  

1pm:  Lunch, which Gemma and Kirsten managed inspite of the corsets and bustles.

 2pm:   Outside in Sunniside Gardens the main surprise of the day was how well the characters all worked together - it turned into much more of a team effort than we were anticipating.  With Sam and Mitch (from Sunderland University) arriving to help Carl with supporting video footage, the whole day took on a sort of film crew feel. 

 3.30pm:  Finishing the day at Square photography studio, Carl collecting film footage against a white background. 

 So the project continues, with Gemma`s next residency day (date yet to be arranged) set to discuss the photography, and how we might tie this all together into a cohesive exhibition.

# 8 [19 May 2008]

We hadn`t planned, at the beginning of the project, that our photo-shoot would have a Victorian feel.  So it was interesting that the characters that appealed were from the mid 1800s.  This of course has meant that we have been on the look out for costumes with a sense of victorian.   

 We have recently had help from wardrobe department of the Royalty Theatre in Sunderland, and found costume items for Ross that have come together really well.   Ross is playing around with hair and make-up ideas, that will give his Primitive Methodist Minister character a punk edge.  

 Our photo-shoot in Sunniside is set for Wednesday.   Tuesday will potentially be an opportunity for us all to meet up beforehand, though we have managed to do a surprising amount of planning via email. 

 Gemma will perform her part of the shoot inside and outside Eauzone cafe bar .  (the site of no 25, residence of the dressmaker Mary A Jedball).

# 7 [7 May 2008]

Our vision for the photo-shoot is to organize an event which facilitates collaboration between local businesses, and a mix of artists, student artists, designers and photographers.

 As Art-wave weaving together the strands of this collaborative mix has become our art.

Interestingly, Gemma`s practice as resident artist becomes subject matter. 

Last Monday we also looked round `the Place` in Sunniside.  We have been fortunate enough to be offered one of the early exhibition slots in the new performance space (prior to its official opening).   the Place is an inspirational mix of old and new, and influenced our choice of project title ... what do you think you`re looking at

# 6 [6 May 2008]

The meeting last Monday was a good chance to discuss how the characters are developing, and the practicalities of getting everyone together for a photoshoot.  Setting a date was quite a logistical task, but we are now on a countdown to Wednesday May 21st. 

 Guided by Gemma, Kirsten has decided to focus visually on one side of her character and has chosen the widow rather than the schoolmistress, with dramatic effects. 

 Phil has acquired costume items from a local gentleman, Mr Brian Moore known as "the spectre".   

Gemma is guiding the development of these characters, and the idea of how character is portrayed by burlesque performers. 

Ross`s primitive methodist minister has proved the most difficult to develop.  I think it has great potential - a methodist minister with a twist of punk to reflect the radical nature of this victorian breakaway movement.  The concept is really exciting, but now we have set a date we are running very short of time to get this together.  Hopefully as a collaborative effort we will pull it off,  and Ross will `model` the character for the shoot.  We may be able to borrow costume items from the Royalty Theatre, but have yet to have this confirmed.

 The photoshoot will be held in various locations in Sunniside Gardens throughout the afternoon of the 21st.  We`ll need to be organized to get the most out of the day,   but at the same time retain a certain amount of fluidity.  Our objectives are to assist Gemma in creative directorship, facilitating the creation of images (for exhibition) and the recording of footage for Carl Gregg`s vj performance. 

 Also of course to create something visually different ...

and on the subject of something visually different that leads to the subject of titles.   We now have one for our project: 

What do you think you`re looking at 

......   the Sunniside of Burlesque.

# 5 [27 April 2008]

We have been doing alot of our communicating and decision making by email.  So tomorrow it will be good to have the chance to all get together again in the same space. 

 Phil put us in touch with Shambles vintage boutique and arts cafe, originally with a view to their possible help over costumes and as a base where we can meet and discuss ideas. 

Our initial meeting at Shambles has led to more than this - contact with Dave, "Photogracky" (based at Shambles) and Dave,"Square Photography" based in Sunniside, who are both interested in supporting the project and working together at the photo-shoot.

Paul and myself are really excited about this development and the potentials of two different photographers with two different styles working on the same shoot. 

This also really supports our (Art-wave`s) concept of collaboration.  Not just collaboration with other artists but also with local businesses - the concept on which On Screen In Street was also based.

 So tomorrow we have alot to discuss - an all important update on costume development from Gemma, and chance to meet with Ross, Kirsten and Phil to discuss ideas about their characters.   In addition an opportunity to meet with two Daves and discuss how the shoot might work.

We are also using the photoshoot as an opportunity to explore ways of working again with Carl Gregg, design ad vj artist.  There are potentially alot of logistics to get into place!

What I find fascinating about this kind of project is the snowball effect.  Allowing a project to grow and snowball leads to exciting possibilities that werent anticipated.  (At the same time it becomes a challenge not to loose sight of the manageabilitiy of what is developing.)

# 4 [24 April 2008]

We have really felt that to make this project complete we need a character related to the ship-building industry.

With this in mind Phil has chosen French shipbroker Wigdohn Edouard, living at no 14 during the 1800s.  Phil has also been inspired by his family history, as his grandfather was a ship`s captain.

Gemma is giving us a step by step account of her character in the making.  A fascinating insight into the life and means of a dressmaker in the mid 1800s, who by all accounts were usually pretty impoverished and may have increased their income by "less worthy means".

Gemma`s building up an impoverished, shabby-glam,`heroin-chic` character, reflected in this make-up. 

On a different subject.  As Art-wave, having set this in motion we`re pondering our roles.  Weaving together all the different strands of the project has become our art, and Sunniside is our canvas.

# 3 [20 April 2008]

Gemma`s chosen character is Mary A Jedbal, aged 28 at the time of the 1861 census, a dressmaker at no 25 Norfolk Street - though Eauzone cafe bar now stands on the site of 25.  We are planning that Gemma`s character will be supported by several others in a photo-shoot on location during May, and we are also working with Kirsten and Ross, students at Sunderland University.  Kirsten is interested in Margaret Turnbull, a widowed schoolmistress at 13 Norfolk Street and Ross`s chosen character is the primitive methodist minister, Sampson Turner.  So the photo-shoot is set to have a Victoriana feel, all characters from the 1861 census.

In our first meeting with Gemma, we discussed generalised misconceptions about burlesque.  Going beyond, for example, one ill informed viewpoint  that burlesque  is little more than sleazy strippers on tables, the funders have put their faith in us to deliver a project that is interesting, different, entertaining .... our challenge is to be intellectual with a sexy edge.

We have taken photos of some of the architectural features that we feel might inspire costume design.  It is not hard to see how black iron railings might resonate as striped stockings.

# 2 [15 April 2008]

We have been researching and compiling census information for a while, and have come up with some potentially colourful characters.   For example Sampson Turner, aged 66 years, a primitive methodist minister, at 14 Norfolk Street in the 1861 census. 

Whats interesting about this project is that we are all approaching it from different angles, whilst having the same goal.  Sally is researching local history, particularly from the social angle.   Gemma of course developing burlesque characters - linking her practice to Sunniside.  Paul, interested in the architecture and reading the history of the buildings.  And myself - interested in putting two things together that would not normally be associated ...  and see what happens.  Phil (Wardle) is also on board - (he first introduced us to Gemma) and will be developing one of the characters. 

 Its also an interesting exercise in exploring our respective roles within a collaboration - as the project unfolds. 

# 1 [13 April 2008]

We`ve been fortunate enough to be funded by Sunniside Partnership to develop a project idea, and to offer Gemma a residency to work with us in Sunniside.  Gemma`s residency is spread over a couple of months so there`s plenty of time for artists interaction as the project evolves.  We`ve decided to take characters from local history census information and use burlesque as a tool to bring the characters to life.   Similar to On Screen In Street we`ve asked some students from Sunderland University if they would like to be involved.  Our plan is to develop three or four larger than life `burlesque-esque` characters and take them into Sunniside Gardens. 

 We are looking for a title for our project that reflects this concept and shows, perhaps, a different side to Burlesque.