XCO EVENTS: 090210/REPORT/CONVERSATION/W.Ewald & B.Cook-Disney

VISITING SPEAKER: WENDY EWALD & BRETT COOK-DISNEY

Notes & Responce to Discussion 

In the discussion Wendy and Brett tried to address some of the questions we asked:

Adam: What issues with negotiated identity did you encounter in your collaborative work?

Mycah: What are the extents and limitations of collaboration?

Lydia: How do you get an audience involved without explaining too much?

Cameron: Horizontality: how do you keep from dominating?

Violeta: What is the role of the artist in the collaboration, and what are the aesthetics of collaborative pieces?

Sowmya: How do you perceive ownership in such projects?

Roshen: How do you get people to sacrifice something to be part of collaboration?

 My Reflections From The Discussion

During the presentation, I could not help but question to what extent is their work is truly free from a dominating imposition of personal ideologies. It seems that many aspects are controlled, which, in my opinion, are key to the production of a work of art. For instance the materials used (charcoal, pastels), the intensity of colors and the presence of thereof as opposed to black and white, the outlining of the image (1^st done by the artist) and even the choice of the picture, are all important aspects manipulated by the artists. I think that there is little artistic leeway given to the other collaborators. How different would the pieces look if they were painted, shaded in black and white with charcoal, outlined originally by the others involved?  I think what they do as a collaboration is unique and inspiring on many levels, but I cannot help but question whether they should let the communities dictate more in terms of the artistic process.

Key Notes Addressed

• Wendy and Brett talked about how they start with simple ideas such as the "Alphabet" and then ask a group of people for instance the Latino kids in Durham "what does language mean" and ask them to choose words that they feel are particularly their own. 
• Coming up with projects one needs a place of inquiry, not a direction however because the latter imposes too much of personal ideology. It is not about directing someone else, but letting them dictate how they wish to be perceived. Truly, it is a practice of being an open person. 
• Projects have evolved from being an immediate response to an newspaper article or an event to an over time project about a neighborhood. 
• Failure is an opportunity for breakthrough. 
• Negotiation stretches further than finances; in collaboration we are all negotiators. 
• In the West, tradition art does not foster collaboration, and often meaning /perception is imposed by the artist.
• Is there a time when conflict and tension is a positive force in collaboration? The answer: a definite YES by both Wendy and Brett. 
• It is important to let people decide whether or not they wish to participate. 
• If you do not create your own experimental community then you are a part of someone else’s.