Infant Journal article, Creative Bonds artist-in-residence

  Together with Dr Madeleine White, we published an article on the Creative Bonds artist-in-residence in Infant Journal, "Parental participation in a visual arts programme on a neonatal unit". Infant 2010; Vol 6 (Issue 5) pp 165-69. 

"Creative Bonds": a practical performance-based workshop for 3rd year medical students, Special Studies Module, Glasgow Medical School.

On 14th June 2010 we gave a joint presentation with Dr. Madeleine White to third year Medical students at the University of Glasgow as part of their module in the Medical Humanities. This was followed by a half day practical performance-based workshop. workshop outline:-

Aim:

Explore communication, non-verbal communication, behaviour and how we all subconsciously adapt and change behaviour in different situations.

Objectives:

· To heighten observation and non-verbal communication skills.

· To consider physical spatial relationships and how these influence how people behave.

· To explore embodied experience as a means of self and group reflection.

· To relate these experiences to experience of medical practice and working

Methods:

The use of practical exercises drawn from performance and improvisation exercises and group critique, as developed through our own art practices.

Day 1 - voice, research & development for Phase 2, Neonatal Project, working with Director, Susan Worsfold

We used the cut-ups of parents' texts as the basis for several days working with Director, Susan Worsfold. Our aim was to open up the process of working with the parents' text and to begin to relate this to some of the issues raised so far, including: the role and challenges of being the artist - facilitator, relating the texts to the physical space, both real or imagined.

We used Nadine George's voice technique as the basis for the practical research using voice, delivering lines of text to each other, while moving around the space, positioning ourselves in an imagined space of the neonatal unit, and using breath in between shifts in focus and orientation.


observations / reflections

• How do we treat the texts? Do re work and tidy up the cut-ups, or are they were work in progress after all?

• Space and the gaze as mediator.

• Video and audio recordings as mediators.
   
• Phrases on the wall and clear instructions or set of behaviours for delivering and selecting those phrases. Place these around a space.
   
• Would a "closed" performance be an appropriate format to explore?
   
• Develop techniques and approaches to help explore with parents and medical staff, to help them separate themselves from their words.
   
• What other material do we have which we haven't explored so far?
   
• Could we make something for them and present this back to them and invite them to develop aspects of this through performance? This approach worked while we were on the unit, but would it work now?
   
• In Phase 1 of project we created a context and situation and invited others to experience, shape and comment on this, ie. conversation, questionnaire, photographs. Could we develop this in Phase 2. Could the parents provide the "rules" / behaviours and we read / deliver a text or vice versa? This could combine interrupt / press pause / interject into this to shape what that becomes.

• How text can effect movement, and how space effects movement and text.
   
• Find specific spaces? Combine video material? Concern not to make too specific to one space. Find what is general to be able to apply this and make specific. Consider the question: What is the opposite of this space?