Coffee Chat - Completed!

Taping at the Forest Cafe has come to an end, as all good things do. I will need some time to step away from this experience. Letting go with this project seems so much harder than with other taping projects I have done. Nowhere before have I done this as an event before. People seem much more interested in the work when they see it being made in front of their eyes, it seems to draw people more in. It is a bit like Tschumi's thinking the landscape and architecture as a platform for an event and life in general. It also reflects on my latest thinking paths.

I used to be a firm believer of the 'Genius Loci' idea, but now I think it is us who give a place a spirit and transform it into a place. Of course there are certain natural and cultural monuments which have an emotional impact on us, because of their greatness, but still that greatness is defined by the people experiencing it and on some of us even these won't have an impact. The more I experience, read and research the further I drift away from the 'Genius Loci' idea. Like at the Forest, without the people there, the building would be nothing more than a bunch of structured stones. This building comes alive through the people and all their efforts. To be able to map their movements and at least for a little while feel a part of this was fantastic. By doing this whole project I have come to realise that it us who create our environment and no one else. We call the shots.

A very good lesson to learn I would say, especially for my design skills. It makes me think back on my design ideas for the Grass market in Edinburgh about a year ago. with this project I wanted to create a big spiral within the space, activating the whole space as a platform for and symbol of free movement. I am slowly starting to re-focus my thoughts for my future dissertation on human-spatial interaction and doing research via the placing of my lines. But how do you write about these things? How do you build up a valid case when it is all based in experience, interaction and visual research, and very little written words?

Progress 3 - Coffee Chat

Yesterday had a half day taping session which ended with a short boogie hour at 1.00 in the morning. I am starting to get to know people a lot better. With this I am starting to have more dialogues with people. I got a lot more WHY-questions, which to me have been a really good learning school.

I managed to finish of the main staircase, hallway and part of the cafe.

Tonight and tomorrow I will be having a night off, but Saturday I will be taping all day.

The photo was taken by Erica

Progress 2 - Coffee Chat

Last night I was taping from 17.00 till 23.30 and this morning I was again up at 6.00 to go to work. My back and knees hurt, whoever said art is easy should be shot! ... But, it is really worth all the agony.

Last night I was working on the staircase in the back of the Forest Cafe. The floor in the cafe was too mucky and wet because of the rain outside. I was hoping to finish the staircase area last night, but unfortunately did not manage. The Steps have this little lip sticking out, which makes taping them a bit more of delicate job and hence take a bit longer. Hopefully I will finnish it today.

For the cafe area I am planning to have a few strong lines running chaotically into the space together with some smaller compositions scattered around. This will reflect on the constant changing of layout of the room and the constant shifts in occupation of the space.

I will be taping from 14.00 till 21.00 (probably later).

Regards
Sarah

Work in Progress - Coffee Chat

Yesterday I started taping in the Forest Cafe in Edinburgh. This is the first time I have done my taping so publicly. It is a really good experience, as you get lots of immediate responses from people and occassionaly a WHY-question. These questions are probably the most challenging of this whole project. They make working in such a open environment incredibly interesting. One night taping in this environment has pushed my thinking so much further. After this project I will start writing my project statement for my dissertation. Finally pin some points down, give myself some proper guidance for the future.

Also the people in the forest are very supportive for which I am incredibly gratefull!

I will continue taping tonight at 18.00 till about 21.00 and Wednesday from 14.00 till 21.00 and hopefully (and Sadly) that will be me done!

Coffee Chat

Exhibition/ performance by Sarah Foque

11-17th of August

Forest Cafe, 3 Bristo Place, Edinburgh

Coffee chat deals with the spatial politics of a transitory space. A café has an ever changing occupancy; its non-physical spatial boundaries are therefore in constant flux. The work aims to pick up on these constant changing spatial arrangements and to visualise the movements through and usage of space through the abstract language of coloured lines. By this approach the artist hopes to uncover the hidden relation between the architectural boundaries, the boundaries of personal space, people’s movements and the public realm. The visual quality of the art work aspires to make people aware of their environment.