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.