Assessment 3 challenged me to look at a place as something more than a physical location. To find connections between emotion, people and a space.

Working with Alyssa Leo, we collaborated and explored the idea of sacred places in relation to the Bourke Street Mall busking community. Provoking the idea that a sacred place does not have to a physical environment, but has the potential to be a mental state caused by one. Music is known to have great effect on people around it. Whether that be the performer or the audience. Speaking to your body when it dances and your mood when you hear it.

At Bourke Street Mall, there are 4 major locations where people are able to busk. After researching the art form, I discovered that there are extensive restrictions surrounding the busking community. You not only have to apply for a permit, but abide strictly by there classifications of busking. As listed in my previous blog posts, the extensive rules somewhat hinder how free the art is. Typically an act of freedom of speech, busking is an expression which allows people to share there talent in a positive way.

I spoke to many buskers throughout the process, all of which have pure joy when performing. One stating that “If you’re happy watching, then I’m happy playing. Its as simple as that”. Indicating that whilst he is in his own sacred place and loves the music, he is creating a sacred place for the audience too. Whilst the two are separate, they also interlock in the relationship formed. The interactive performances work to bring the viewers into the buskers safe and sacred, personal space.

Our presentation provoked thought about the limitations when filming the buskers. It is evident that we felt as though we were imposing on there space. For future work, we need to take away that fear and move towards a closer observation point. Whilst this was not necessarily a criticism from the class, it did pose the question of when it is acceptable to step into someone else’s sacred place. Once you are in does that alter the level of sacredness for that person. I think that if a place is sacred enough to you, sharing it with others can often be quite therapeutic. Developing a connection with that person and talking about your connection to the place.

When creating the video, I experimented with different filming techniques. Using panning shots and zoom variation to develop focus on different parts of a shot. I also manipulated the clips to illustrate the empty spaces and embodiment of space when the buskers were not present.

Overall I believe that we have opened only a small portion of the busking world and have potential to explore further. In the next assessment I hope to look specifically at the life of an individual busker, documentary style and interview based. Discovering there lives outside of busking, how they began, the passion behind a performance and the reason they perform at all.

Feedback from our presentation:

• The class was naive to the logistics of busking and the process of site decisions
• Comments made on the use of empty space and in particular the manipulation of my footage and how I edited it as though I removed the buskers with photoshop
• Questioning our distance from the subjects. Felt as though we were nervous to enter other peoples sacred places and film up close, everything felt a little bit distant. This provokes the question as to whether entering someone else’s sacred place can remove the sacredness for them.
• Future assessment looking at focusing on an individual as opposed to the space they consume. Potential for interviewing a busker, finding their story and seeing the life outside of busking and how it is effected by the busking world. How the two worlds collide and influence each other.
• Liked the image of the buskers seen through the bars of a chair, representing the laws and limitations
• Most people new that you had to have a permit but didn’t know what getting a permit consisted of and what happens once you have one.

From here I think it is best to investigate the concept of interviews. It may be that we need to interview multiple buskers in order to discover an influential story. To do so, we can attend another busking meeting on a Wednesday morning and pitch the idea, otherwise to speak to busker individually as they setup for performances or take breaks etc.

Today we discussed the notion of place, what defines sacredness and how one place can have meaning for one person and mean nothing to another.

To me I associate a sacred place with memory. For example if I am to go home to my parents house in NSW there are places throughout the environment which I associate with my childhood which I define as sacred. The cubby house I built in year 5 which remains touched only by weather and the passing of time. The hill in which my brother made a hut overlooking our property. A place which has limited access due to rocky hills and gullies. No road leads to this place, nor the remains of one, we are granted access through our memory of the route to take and the process of trial and error in our past.

For other people, sacred places are associated with religion or culture. We discussed in class the sacredness of the MCG. As a MCC member myself I have a connection to the space. The space represents a community and Australian culture.

Class cancelled today.

Alyssa and I met regardless of the class being cancelled to discuss the possibilities of different locations. Discussing the effects music has on the world and individuals. We have decided upon investigating Bourke Street Mall and the busking community.

The City of Melbourne released a Street Activity Policy in 2011 defining what it is that is deemed busking. Busking is defined as sounding or playing a musical instrument, singing, reciting or performing conjuring, juggling, puppetry, miming, dancing or other entertainment or doing any of those things concurrently. Busking also includes the activity of drawing any message, picture or representation on a pavement, paper or canvas surface.

Whilst this appears relatively broad concept, it is followed by the following list. Cutting out numerous possibilities and developing the idea of restrictions of this free act and laws stopping creativity.

• selling or street trading of any kind
• artists selling pre-fabricated work – pavement artists must be actively engaged in producing their artistic medium and not simply selling displayed artworks
• photography
• arts and crafts
• drawing and painting on postcards, t-shirts, bags or other goods
• touting, spruiking or advertising
• political rallying
• religious preaching and promotions
• fortune telling including tarot card reading and palmistry
• massage, chiropractic treatment or any other physical manipulation
• face or body painting
• temporary tattoo applications including henna
• cosplay and soliciting donations for photos taken while dressed in character costumes
• mascots
• fundraising on behalf of a charity, cause or organisation

Today Alyssa and I had a meeting with Robbie to discuss our ideas for the assessment. We have decided to investigate the busking culture at Bourke Street Mall. Discussing the key points of the limitations and laws surrounding busking, the mental and general health associated with music and the influence technology has on our ability to observe our environment. Robbie provided us with a contact within the busking community, allowing us to enter their world.

Discovering that they meet every Wednesday morning to discuss busking locations. It is a discussion of prime Realestate, with the best sites being at Bourke Street Mall and the remainder surrounding the CBD.

For todays class Alyssa and I did a site visit instead of working in tute.

As I have been in charge of the video/audio part of the assessment, I began filming based on my previous observations of the place. Trying to capture the elements surrounding the buskers as well as the buskers themselves. It was interesting to observe the empty space before it was consumed by the entertainment.

My primary focus when capturing the busking sites was to film from a distinctive angle, so that during the editing process I could easily manipulate the shots.

It was interesting that whilst I have visited the site on numerous occasions, I was still able to get carried away listening the the performances. Time appears to change when listening to music and you begin to feel as though you judge it based on the length of a song. For example, i know that most songs average 3 minutes in length. Therefore I knew if I listened to 3 acts I had been there for around 10 minutes. However in the busking world, this doesn’t appear to be true. Due to the art form being so interpretative and individual, the rules of the music pop world don’t apply. I got lost in the environment and resulted in overstaying the limit on my car park.

Sound Observations:

Trams:

• Thud over rails
• High pitched warning bell
• Electrical hum
• Ticking
• Squeaky doors opening

– Stroller clicking

– Keys smashing against one another (more aggressive than a jingle)

– Intense horn from small car

– Traffic lights bop sound for pedestrians

– WInd pushing leaves along the ground

– Kids crying, lots of kids crying

– Crowds blurring conversations together

– Authoritative voice providing tram times and information

– Ambulance siren

– Toddler smacks hands on pavement

– Clapping to buskers

– Didgeridoo music with base drum providing rhythm

– Melodic flute playing. Observer states “I have goosebumps all over my arms from this”

– Soft piano

– Release of pop music from shops as doors open