Degradation Mark One:
Considering the implications of positive and negative words/messages, alongside the value of aesthetics, Censored Sensibility spent two hours writing out the message ‘HAVE A NICE DAY’ in detailed and attractive font. The time it took to create and the length of time it remained reflects our whole piece – durational, gallery-like, installation-based – effectively and proved an encouraging place to start. Placed in a thoroughfare area of the LPAC, the piece became known as ‘Degredation’, and our primary concern: will people be precious about stepping upon a work of art, and one that has a positive message? or will the work degrade, with passers-by not considering their effect on the work?
It was well-noted that we had spent a considerable amount of time working on creating the piece, so the breakdown of the work was interesting to see. People’s concern is showing disrespect to the piece while it is still being worked upon, or while its artists are still present. However, given the steady Degredation of the work over a week and a half shows that this concern does not translate to the every day. It proved interesting to see the gradual change and, given that Censored Sensibility is largely concerned with the power of language, that a positive message does not necessarily encourage great thoughfulness.
Degradation Mark Two:
Large-scale re-formats seem to be something about which we’re quite keen, but perhaps Mark Two was a step further than necessary. A durational and large-scale recording of ‘HAVE A NICE DAY’ was taken in the outside courtyard of the LPAC, our second home and a place of frequent people traffic. Though a good opportunith, it did not experience enough degradation to truly and effectively represent the message and implications of the installation. Loss of a memory card may have been a blessing in disguise, because we moved back to a simpler and more effective format.
Degradation Mark Three (or, Mark One Revisited):
Returning to our original format, ‘HAVE A NICE DAY’ became a gradually degrading chalk message of which pictures were taken to document its breakdown. These images were compiled into a presentation which was projected in the Censored Sensibility gallery and in front of which people were invited to sit and look at the degradation of the piece. As theatre-makers it is important to be flexible, open, and creative. Nothing we do is an exact science, and not everything will go perfectly to plan. We felt this here and in every installation (none were without their problems) but it was certainly worth it for every moment of learning, every opportunity (or, arguably, need) for new ideas, and as a test (and therefore testament) to our commitment to the work, something which we feel certainly came across.
SM.