Chapter 4: routine

We started this week on Monday thinking we had class but then it turned out that we didn't. So we didn't do much.

Tuesday we had a session of what I consider it’s our only class in which we talk about art. In this session we talked about religion, theater and rituals, based on a book written by an anthropologist. It was probably one of the most interesting meetings I've had so far. We also discuss the different ways to understand things to start thinking that the audience does not always understand what we want.

Wednesday we finally started to get information about the Erasmus. We start on February 25^th and end 30th April in Strasbourg. The idea is that during our time there, we participate with conservatory to prepare a performance that will open on 29th and 30th April. Before we go we will spend a week in a village near Ancona, Italy, where we will make a series of workshops about art and performance with Gerry Pilgrim. In the afternoon Pilgrim came and gave us a talk about her work and the truth is that I really liked her ideas and performances. She recovers the stories hidden in abandoned buildings filling them once again with the ghosts of the past.

Thursday we went to see an exhibition of an author who explores the erotic and the body. It does it through images, sculpture and performances, plus a phrase painted on a wall. For me it was something so abstract that I could not understand its message or intention. It happens often when the message from the author is not represented in a more or less explicit way which unfortunately is common in modern art. The rest of the group seemed to have a clear opinion both for and against the project.

Friday I was finally able to make the first laundry but there’s no dryer so I hang the clothes everywhere over the weekend over the heaters etc... In the afternoon we had a wardrobe workshop about how to use the sawing machine, the overlock and the industrial iron. In the evening we went to see a documentary called Estate: A Reverie directed by A.Zimmerman. The documentary was very interesting and quite easy to understand the intentions of the author, the problem I had with the film were not only with the mess of shots but also lighting issues preventing the audience from really connecting with the stories being told. After the showing there was a Q&A but for the first half part there was a man who didn’t introduce himself showing his work even it was just amateur work while the director sat patiently next to him. A little bit after ten as it seemed that it wasn’t going anywhere, so we decided to leave and go play drinking games at a friend’s house. The public transport also ends early here so the night although entertaining was short.

As for the weekend it was a quiet again, I booked my flight to Italy and Strasbourg and began making plans for Christmas and New Year.