Todays presentation provided an interesting perspective given from our classmates. Key feedback included:

• “It was amazing how different the two people were, you could tell that Posy was fresh and excited about busking whereas Lindsay illustrated the pessimistic viewpoints.”
• “It would be cool to investigate further into the unwritten rules when it comes to busking, do  you have to give a donation if take a photo? How close can you stand, what is protocol?”
• “Going back to last year, Bourke Street was home to a travesty, what effect would that have on the buskers? Does it take away from the sacredness or does it make this site more sacred? Were they there when the car drove through a crowd of people? Did it harm their community?”
• “Shows the contrast that Posy is so open to talking to you, she let you into her space at home and let herself go whereas the other guy was reserved and spoke in question/answer format”

When speaking to Posy she said “I find it more important to put time and money into my music rather than expecting to get it back”. This concept contrasts Lindsay entirely when you hear him speak of expecting a donation after someone takes a photo. It is so unique to find someone who plays music in a public space without a materialistic goal associated with it.

In terms of the Bourke Street car attack in 2017, I find the notion of community is addressed here. Instead of this travesty taking away the feeling of safety within the space, I think it brings people together. Buskers think of themselves as crowd gatherers, they pull people from different backgrounds, ethnicities and schedules to simply stop and take a moment to appreciate. The power of music to me shows that life goes on after someone causes such pain, people move on in strength and music gives a voice to a broken community.

In order to develop our final poster, I challenged myself by using Adobe Photoshop. A program that whilst I have used before, is a vortex of tricks and shortcuts which I am not yet privy to. Self teaching via the internet, I managed to manipulate two images to create the desired effect.

As seen in the image attached, I have cut two faces in half and attached them as though they were one. I have done so to emphasise our primary prompt behind this assessment. The contrasting worlds and lifestyles which can be found associated with one activity. The “Busking world” has so many within it, although often classified as one. My image aims to create a visual representation of the differentiation between each person.

Seated in a board meeting setup, production planning took place to day. It is interesting how each area communicate with each other. Each group actively effect one another and cannot continue unless everyone is entering their own information and keeping up to date.

In terms of progress with my assessment, the band I was originally working with have failed to respond to my various messages. I have organised instead for a new busker called Posy to interview on Friday. She has been a fantastic help and great with communication. I was set back a few days due to my loss of the first interview, however if all goes to plan tomorrow I will be back on track.

We have decided that our interview questions are as follows:

• How did you get into busking?
• How do you feel about people filming, snap chatting, instagraming your performances and sharing them?
• Do you perform more for yourself or for the people who get to enjoy your music
• Its our understanding that Bourke St Mall is some of the prime busking real estate, were you performing for long before you started performing here? Did you ask to play here or were you asked?
• Do you consider busking your job or just a passion that you have? Do you work anywhere else?

Focusing on why it is that they busk.

Todays site visit to Testing Grounds provided an insight to the world of activation. It is amazing how you can manipulate a space when presenting. Taking a public location and making it your own.

We discussed how when you are approached in the street by a stranger trying to give you something, it is more often that not met by resistance. Why is this? Often they are trying to give you flyers, whether they be discounts at local restaurants, promos or information about religious groups. When they walk up to you, you don’t know what their motive is, however 9 times out of 10 the receiver says no thank you and walks away without a second thought. What could you do to make them respond differently? Is it someone stepping into your space that makes you resist? Or is it our pre-trained thoughts in our minds which associate these people with negative connotations.

When working at We are the projects we do together Joseph explores the idea of giving power to other people. Developing a space for people to be creative, however transferring the power to the public. The idea of giving the projector backpacks to others allowed them to express themselves without previous thought. Making impromptu decisions as to what they wanted to display. Quite often I feel that it is our first instinct which is the most powerful and meaningful.

Research behind the mental impacts had by music.

Mohana, M. (2018). Music & How It Impacts Your Brain, Emotions | Psych Central. [online] Psych Central. Available at: https://psychcentral.com/lib/music-how-it-impacts-your-brain-emotions/ [Accessed 10 May 2018].

Music & How It Impacts Your Brain, Emotions

Tuesdays site visit provided us with an opportunity to connect with different buskers and begin the formation of relationships. One being @benwhitingmusic and the other a group formed of three members @amberisles. We discussed the prospect of hosting an interview with both and gained their consent to contact them to organise further.

Alyssa is now taking charge of Ben Whiting, whilst I focus on Ambersiles. They have not yet responded to me to setup a meeting date, however were enthusiastic about working with me when we met at Bourke St.

Alyssa and I have now created a google doc in order to gather questions we wish to ask during the interview process and the angles taken. We are still unsure as to whether we wish to ask the same questions to each performer or take alternative approaches. It could be a good way to show the contrast between different buskers and their contrasting motivations.

Todays site visit to the exhibition space provoked questions as to how the class should format the presentations. Whether we should collaborate to form a cohesive piece or simply combine our projects into one long video. Either way it has been decided that we their is a lot of room for experimentation and creative exploration.

Alyssa and I have organised to meet up on Monday to do another site visit to Bourke Street Mall. We plan to get in contact with some of the artists and put forward the idea of working with them. Aiming to lock in at least 2 interviews and begin the formation of a relationship. We are focusing on discovering what is behind the musical front, what inspires and causes the music.

It is also important to focus on showing and not telling. Robbie suggested today following the busker from there home to the site and filming the progression. Ideally we would show moments like clicking a guitar case shut and plugging in an amp. Small parts which make up a story and background.

Develop 20 words describing your site, process and thinking. Exploring the ideas, concepts, source, materials, processes, interests, discoveries, contexts, disciplines, field of enquiry etc.

• Identity
• Opportunity
• Formalities
• Selfless
• Lifestyle
• Sound
• Music
• Audience
• Entertain
• Humbling
• Performance
• Occupation
• Passion
• Limitations
• Reasoning
• Contentment
• Balance
• Endorphins
• Privacy
• Solitude

Now cull 10 of the words above:

• Formalities
• Privacy
• Music
• Balance
• Contentment
• Performance
• Humbling
• Entertain
• Sound
• Selfless

Now pair the remaining words in association:

• Occupation & Reasoning
• Passion & Endorphins
• Solitude & Audience
• Opportunity & Limitations
• Identity & Lifestyle

Pair the same words in different combinations:

• Identity & Reasoning
• Occupation & Lifestyle
• Passion & Limitations
• Opportunity & Passion
• Audience & Endorphins

Develop 10 new words:

• Energy
• Interpretation
• Articulate
• Expression
• Imply
• Convey
• Intimacy
• React
• Generate
• Conversation

Now pair the 10 new words:

• Generate & Conversation
• Convey & Imply
• Articulate & Expression
• Intimacy & Energy
• Interpretation & React

Generating overall goals:

• Representing an unknown voice
• Bring the background into the foreground
• “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life”
• Difference between occupation and lifestyle
• Intimate nature of performing personal music/songs for strangers

Throughout todays class we were able to explore the key words surrounding our idea. Provoking different potential perspectives surrounding the busking community at Bourke Street. It is evident that we are interested particularly in the identity of the buskers and how they came to be a part of this sacred place. Is it that they were born into the music world? Did they begin as a way of earning money? What is there story? We aim to put a voice to someone who is often unheard. Which is ironic considering there entire performance world is based on being “heard”.

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.