Cataloguing, compiling...

After 2 and a half days of reviewing documentation (!), the next half of the third day was spent cataloguing and making notes for Alexis. I also made her a DVD of what I thought were the 'best bits' and colour coded the tapes so that each colour represented a different performance outlet (like performance poetry, live music, theatrical et cetera). I later quizzed Alexis on the footage and she told me that most (not some) of her work is actually improvised, and that scripting her next piece is a challenge. I said to her perhaps that she should just have some key lines to go back to and improvise around them rather than totally throw it out the window. After all, this her performance 'style'.

I also went to see 'Hot Hot Gossip' by Dayna Macleod as part of the 'Edgy Women' festival. It was a lesbian theatrical soap opera, and was very sexually explicit, but enjoyable. I was in a dilemma as to the politics, or in this instance the lack of, staging a lesbian drama. Queer plays were initially staged to counter and introduce queer politics, but now I think it is possible we could be 'post-politics'. I suppose that could be a thing to celebrate... But I'm starting to sense a very big lesbian influence in the performance scene here. Alexis' contemporaries have also suddenly become very interested in me and asking me about myself... And why I have chosen to come to Montreal. I think it really reflects more on her than it does me!

I am now back to researching record labels that will be of use to Alexis

Research/ rework

I think I have managed to reclaim the respectful distance needed to continue this relationship. Alexis and I are meeting tomorrow, and she has more or less agreed to my activities and I am currently researching 'The Day of the Dead' celebrations in Mexico and some record labels that may be interested in Alexis' band project 'Mankind'. 

It is the first time I have encountered the celebration 'Day of the Dead' so it was very interesting for me to read about it. It is a festival that celebrates Mexico's Aztec, European and American influences through it's iconography. From 31st of October (our traditional halloween) to the 2nd of November, people give out sugared skulls with their friend's names embossed on them and 'dead bread'. The comparison between this ephemera and the ephemeral nature of art struck me really heavily, and there are so many ways you could go with this festival. I also found out that eating and death are very heavily associated; in France they found that people would eat bread and wine by someone's death bed to 'eat their sins'. 

Researching for record companies made me reflect on the effort I have put into my own work; have I really tried to promote myself professionally? I think the answer would be a sadly resounding no. I am also forced to reflect on my attitude towards promotional packages and I have had a bad attitude towards them. Getting it perfect irritates me, and sometimes I am guilty of doing a rushed job with these things. I must put more of myself into them; if they do not reflect myself then how does that look to promoters, venues et cetera. I shall pull and archive my website, as well as invest in some good promotional shots. Lastly, I will endeavour to do a 'video only' shoot in a performance space; to recreate my performances solely for camera and editing, as well as archiving some other performances.

One thing I lack is organisation of my practice. Although I feel it is slightly hindered by my full time work, I must come up with a plan and stick to it. With the first year of my MA drawing to a close, I am determined that by September when my second year commences, all these elements will be in place. I also have a performance coming up in May at 'Gorefest Burlesque' in Bristol which, to be honest, is a much needed goal to work towards as well as a chance to do some debelopment and research on a piece I have been thinking about for quite some time.

I feel better about being in Montreal, too. From Monday morning, French seemed more natural, as well as walking along Rue St Catherine and ordering lunch; I have managed to adjust after the fully blown culture shock of last week. A lot of it was to do with confidence and how scary it is to be a foreigner, to be 3000 miles away from home with no-one to rely on but yourself and how you can rely on your own social skills and diligence to survive.

I think now I'd rather be here a few months!