It’s the before moments.
The moments we experience individually whilst together in our practices before sharing artwork. The personal rituals. The preparations to anticipate the moment of sharing.
Working collaboratively, we are aware of these before moments whilst inhabiting a shared physical space. We work through our own rituals at the same time, in the same location. Aware of their external readings, but the internal intentions and processes remain hidden to each other.
Work the body intensely to ground in that space, feel the body and gain control… focus.
Pause.
Breathe deeply.
Find light and air in a different space, outside this space.
Ready to re-enter.
Digitalising collaboration gave us a realisation of the individual and invisible nature of these moments. The distanced collaboration across new digital platforms offered different processes to connect and develop.
In a digital space, the independent before moments felt isolated and alone. Lacking an external felt presence. The internal intentions are always invisible to each other, but digitally this was more profound.
What about the before moments of collaborators who contribute at earlier stages of the process?
Shelley Owen & Josh Slater