For the DIY11 Picnic, Katheryn Owens delivered a sealed envelop with a letter written by Holly from Lucky Pierre with contributions by Anne Langford to Alyn Gwyndaf. He read the letter with the video playing in the background. In total, the presentation lasted approximately 3 minutes.
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Hello, dear Alyn,
This is Lucky Pierre. We really wanted to be here at this DIY picnic to learn about the other projects and to meet everyone. We thought we could feel like we were here by being part of the presentation. You agreed to speak (thank you again) and said you would enjoy the challenge of going in blind—of being an empty vessel and given something to perform. That thought was distilled, somehow, into this sealed envelope idea which we all thought was Ed McMahon/Oscar Awards funny, and so here we are. We are a little worried that we will come off as supremely bossy but we really just wanted to be with you all—so let’s just talk about the project, together.
Please start the video.
The Sky Is Falling. The Money’s All Gone was an 8 week project that co-opted the “free” on-line course model of corporatized higher education.
How can artists respond to and work against despair amid evidence of ongoing economic, environmental, and social fragility?
One of our goals was to create a framework for understanding this fragility through study and artistic expression.
We read a lot. We watched films.
Philosopher Brian Holmes gave a lecture in Michael & Kevin’s living room that we broadcast live over the internet with all of us in a chat space together.
All this while we were reading about Capitalism encroaching ever more into our personal space via 24/7 online presence. (Thank you, Johnathan Crary).
Here are some of the prompts given for creative work, the results of which are shown, in part, in this video [Take a deep breath, Alyn, and read as fast as possible, faster and faster!]:
• Dispose of something you once thought of as essential. Create a map of where it was – where it went.
• Think about the epicenter of fault.Chart out the major disasters of the last 100 years.
• Is there still time? Decide. Organize a campaign of persuasion, large or small. Deploy in public space.
• Do not look at/interact with any personal (market-driven) electronic communication device or platform for 24 hours. This includes all internet, television, Facebook, texting, cell phone. This also includes Skype, twitter, Google docs, email. Go to sleep for at least 8 hours. Do not document your experience in any way. “Meet” with another participant and discuss what happened during your 24 hours “away”.
As the material became overwhelming in every sense, we gathered in groups in London and Chicago and to discuss it all, sometimes over drinks. We scheduled Chicago/UK Skype conversations that, for us, were a beautiful interruption to our mornings before we had to go to work.
Alyn, another participant, Anne Langford also wanted to be here and could not, so she offered her response to the project for you to please share now.
From Anne:
“I’ve read on the tube. In the lift. On the stairs. I’ve gotten quite drunk with Alyn (and others) whilst wearing a wedding dress and discussed the impact of Methodism on my value system., approach to life and making art. We might begin the Methodist Art Collective – that excites me.
I might join Care or Women for Women International or Oxfam and stop trying to make theatre that changes the world and just focus on the change the world bit. I can choose to be big and change the world.
I’ve been bold. I’ve been challenged. I’ve read things I didn’t know had been written. I’ve fallen in love. I’ve been fired up. I’ve been reminded that full time doesn’t equal full on. I‘ve found some elders and inspirers (is that a word?). I’ve found some provocateurs. I’ve found some friends. I’ve found some compatriots. I’ve found some people on journey. I’ve glimpsed a way of practising that isn’t all about me. I’ve faced up to my possibilities and opportunities as an artist.
I’m angry. I’m full of ideas. I’m full of compassion. I’m ready to go. The Sky is falling. The money’s all gone. Like you. I’m here. Like You. I’m ready. Why on earth would we wait?”
Thank you, Anne and Alyn.
In closing, we would like to thank all the participants in the course. Their rigor, commitment, and artistic response inspired us and we feel grateful. Thank you also to LADA for creating the space for all of this to happen.
With affection,
Lucky Pierre
