On Sat 22 and Sun 23 September, I have tagged along “others” for the Lancashire Encounter Festival. But it was way more than that.
Jamie Holman, (artist, writer, and lecturer at Blackburn University and College) has been co-commissioned a piece titled Live the Dream with Fabrications, British Textile Biennial and Super Slow Way: a beautiful banner representing disused mills, past and present, acid house, JOY and HOPE.
On Sat the performance piece was executed twice within the Museum. During the first performance, I actually took pictures; during the second one, I performed. I was standing there, heart pounding, part of the piece. On Sunday, instead, we all participated in THE RED DREAM PARADE, walking, dancing… having a lot of fun, actually.
It was the first time I actually participated in something artistic since I moved here in 2008. And I took my camera with me. That camera that was so much part of me and my life and my almost profession for some years; that camera I have barely touched since I came to the UK; that camera that meant so much to me, behind which I hid, and played with, and was an extension of me. THAT camera.
It was awkward at the beginning. I don’t actually like the pictures I took (but I will post them anyway…). And I felt extremely tense and tip-toeing around people, not knowing what to do, where to go, what to shoot, where to hide.
Still, if you see other pictures of the first performance inside the Museum, you never see me. I still retain that real and journalistic aspect of photography which I enjoyed, whether it was after the war in Croatia, during a wedding, or at a performance piece: I hide and disappear because the photographer is never the centre of attention.
So, horrendous pictures, with no contrast, no pzazz, no sparkle, but kudos on me for not being seen: well done girl ♥