First client meeting 01.10.08

Taken us a while to catch up with the blog and how it is going to function; it's new to most of the group. So, a little late, here is some input from our initial client meeting on wednesday.

01.10.08 – Group Meeting Minutes

* 10:00-16:30 at Sharrow Community Forum, The Old School, South View Road, Sheffield S7
Present: Simon Birch/ Trish O’Shea/ Carolyn Butterworth
Tilly/ Jen/ Hoi Sun/ Tori/ Pól/ Avinash/ Kris/ Jonny/ Hayley/ Helen/ Julie

­Points discussed
· Introduction by clients and live project group members
· Presentation by TO’S and SB of previous work (excerpts from Territory 1, Human Rites, Residue, Braim Wood), with introduction to approaches to subject matter
· Themes discussed in relation to SB and TO’S’ work (among others): Proportion, movement, confinement, spatial relationships, perspective, the body, illusion, scale, viewpoints, place, structure, architecture, self, past, present, and the future, the power of memory.
· Introduction by SB and TO’S to role of public engagement in relation to both their work and the brief
· SB talked about collaboration between choreographers and artists (Cunningham/Cage/Rauschenberg), and the potential benefits/drawbacks
· Q&A following morning session – a first chance for group members to explore interpretation of the brief with the client
· Task set for group by SB and TO’S: individually experience and record a range of spaces within Sharrow, with particular attention to themes discussed in the morning session (see attached notes from client for further information) (2 hours)
· Task in pairs (run by SB): breathing exercise to engage with the movements and awareness of self and others
· Group task set by clients: responding to our individual experiences in Sharrow, the group were asked to alter the hall’s arrangement to consider the impulses and movements of the users, as well as reactions we had observed during the exercise. Furniture, craft materials and found objects were used; the group was encouraged to work in a free manner, in whatever way it was felt was appropriate (45 mins)
· Following the ‘making’ exercise, group members individually explained their contribution to the installation, including relation to earlier observations in Sharrow. Discussion and interpretation by both group members and the client expanded on these ideas and offered an insight into personal responses to the brief

Key Outcomes
* There is no fixed end idea as to what the client expects from the group – they have no preconceptions about what will be produced
* The work undertaken during the live project will serve as a starting point and inspiration for a future Birch O’Shea project
* The location and duration of the final idea is not fixed – these factors should evolve from the group’s work, with the client’s guidance. Therefore the scheme may or may not be site specific
* Intervention and alteration by users would be suitable
* TO’S and SB discussed themes in relation to one of their own pieces of work. Whether the Arch project suggests or evokes a particular theme is something which the group can decide
* It was agreed that questions concerning public engagement would be discussed in the next workshop, as well as exploring the idea of themes

Actions
* Reflect on the day and begin to interpret what the scope of the brief could lead towards – Everyone (ongoing)
* Investigate precedent material which could broadly be of interest - art, dance, performance, public engagement – Everyone for Monday
* Get a group email/point of contact organised – Jonny
* Begin to consider points of contact in related organisations – TO’S/SB to email contact list through – (TO’S/SB)

­Next Meeting - 10am Thursday 2nd October (group) 10-12pm
- Friday 10th October (w/client)