Thank you to everyone who has participated in the 'Four Legs' project. It turned out to be an ambitious event - as I tried to cover a lot of territory in a short time. This extended from the dog community to dance and an investigation into what ideas to do with movement, sensation and the body can offer. And then a look at community - with particular attention to the spatial characteristics of the dog community - and what this may offer in terms of how we come to know and experience the world.
Underlying all this is an interest in creative potential - creativity in a critical sense - and how the shift from representing ideas - through performance or choreography to participation/activities(such as dog walking) can enable a shift in understanding. In part I approached the project as an art making challenge - where the focus is on participation and in this case the community that results as an alternative to the making of objects/artifacts/choreography. I consciusly avoided 'making a dance' that would somehow endeavour to improve lives or capture an experience.
The next step will be a report to the NZ Recreation Council in November. Its interesting how they are willing to consider the positive influence of dogs.
Sincere apologies to all those who received an invite to the final show with incorrect details - a correct one did go out - but sadly not to everyone.
And yes I have been a very random blogger - having discovered that to take it seriously is a job in itself - and I am much more interested in getting out and about.
Thank you to the Caroline Plummer Memorial Foundation for the generous support.
More than ever I see the influence of dogs as positive on the lives of the individual owners, their immediate communities and the broader community.
Thank you.
Sean Curham
Welcome
Welcome to 'Four Legs BetterThan Two'
'Four Legs' is a community arts project based on the experiences of dog walking.
Everyone is invited to participate.
This project is about how dogs shape our lives. Based on the stories, memories, joys and benefits of dog walking 'Four Legs' looks at how our dogs influence the ways in which we experience and interact with the world.
'Four Legs' also reflects on the nature of the informal community we become part of as dog owners and how this community produces a sense of belonging that enhances our lives.
All dog owners are invited to participate in the project. There are many possible levels of participation from a simple comment on the discussion boards at popular dog parks to shared walks.
Contributions to this blog site are most welcome. These could be in the form of photographs, short stories or video of your favourite walks. As the project develops this site will gather dog stories from all over Dunedin, to create a network of 'who's who' in the most popular dog areas.
Out of the project will come several different events. The most important entitled 'Four Legs Better Than Two' is the heart of the project. The experiences of dog walking will be gathered in the most inventive ways. Including the use of 'dog cam', shared walks and audio recordings this will be a light hearted and undemanding process. From these records will come the stories of dog walking and the community that we become part of through their influence. To participate in this stage please email me at sean.curham@otago.ac.nz.
The final event will be an informal showing of these stories and records - with plenty of food and drink - to which everyone is invited.
The other projects that from part of 'Four Legs Better Than Two' include an installation at the University called 'Big Dog', a sound work called 'Growly Dog', ongoing discussions on the dog park boards, 'Commune' a project with the post graduate students of the dance programme at the University of Otago , 'Good dog, bad man' a white board cartoon that is contributed to by passers by and a very light hearted project called 'Dog Park Karaoke'.
'Dog Park Karaoke' - is being created in response to the informal nature of the dog community. This event gathers its material through a process of chance encounters reflecting the informal, mobile nature of dog community interactions. We never know who we will meet. Will it be the 'regulars' out walking their dogs or will their be unknown 'newbies' on our patch? There are a number of different recording devices 'floating around' in the dog community - being handed on from person to person. These include postcards, a dog phone, and a camera. By recording your dogs information via these devices you will become part of the project building a profile of your dog.
'Dog Park Karaoke' will then be 'performed' in local parks where owners will trigger this information and a giant image of their dog. Of course more food and drink is required.
'Four Legs' is a community arts project based on the experiences of dog walking.
Everyone is invited to participate.
This project is about how dogs shape our lives. Based on the stories, memories, joys and benefits of dog walking 'Four Legs' looks at how our dogs influence the ways in which we experience and interact with the world.
'Four Legs' also reflects on the nature of the informal community we become part of as dog owners and how this community produces a sense of belonging that enhances our lives.
All dog owners are invited to participate in the project. There are many possible levels of participation from a simple comment on the discussion boards at popular dog parks to shared walks.
Contributions to this blog site are most welcome. These could be in the form of photographs, short stories or video of your favourite walks. As the project develops this site will gather dog stories from all over Dunedin, to create a network of 'who's who' in the most popular dog areas.
Out of the project will come several different events. The most important entitled 'Four Legs Better Than Two' is the heart of the project. The experiences of dog walking will be gathered in the most inventive ways. Including the use of 'dog cam', shared walks and audio recordings this will be a light hearted and undemanding process. From these records will come the stories of dog walking and the community that we become part of through their influence. To participate in this stage please email me at sean.curham@otago.ac.nz.
The final event will be an informal showing of these stories and records - with plenty of food and drink - to which everyone is invited.
The other projects that from part of 'Four Legs Better Than Two' include an installation at the University called 'Big Dog', a sound work called 'Growly Dog', ongoing discussions on the dog park boards, 'Commune' a project with the post graduate students of the dance programme at the University of Otago , 'Good dog, bad man' a white board cartoon that is contributed to by passers by and a very light hearted project called 'Dog Park Karaoke'.
'Dog Park Karaoke' - is being created in response to the informal nature of the dog community. This event gathers its material through a process of chance encounters reflecting the informal, mobile nature of dog community interactions. We never know who we will meet. Will it be the 'regulars' out walking their dogs or will their be unknown 'newbies' on our patch? There are a number of different recording devices 'floating around' in the dog community - being handed on from person to person. These include postcards, a dog phone, and a camera. By recording your dogs information via these devices you will become part of the project building a profile of your dog.
'Dog Park Karaoke' will then be 'performed' in local parks where owners will trigger this information and a giant image of their dog. Of course more food and drink is required.
Monday, August 10, 2009
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