Tag Archives: end

ab in Anatum’s FINAL post

Posted on by Antonin Brinda

FINAL

In my two week residency I achieved what I wanted to achieve – I did intensive ten days (or nine better to say, because one day I took a break) research in an Anatum’s Abode and the city of London. My interest in the research was to feel, to understand, to explore specific site (so we might call it „site-specific research“) – the London megalopolis. Important part of that work was also one day (18 hours) durational performance/observation in the London’s Tube/Overground/DLR system.

I prepared a workshop which unfortunately didn’t happen because of the lack of participants but was replaced by its variation done in two people next day.

I participated on two collective events in Anatum’s and in that occasions I executed two performance pieces. Performances were adapted for the specifities of the evenings itself – first one spoke about the history and present of the Anatum’s Abode, second concentrated on the extension of human communication possibilities.

And finally I presented a lecture „Sexuality in dystopian movies.“ The way it happened, the number of pleased listeners, consequential discussion and created atmosphere was maybe the biggest surprise and biggest satisfaction in terms of my residency.

Below you find some photos with which I am saying goodbye. I would like to warmly thank for the possibility given to me and highly recommend the residency for any other possible applicants.

Thank you.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

ab in Anatum’s day 10 & 11

Posted on by Antonin Brinda

DAY 10

That day I was recovering from the previous whole day Tube experience and preparing afternoons workshop. Unfortunately (and actually quite unsurprisingly as well) no participants appeared.

It was understandable for me because I was offering a four hours workshop in a Sunday afternoon when most of the people have time but on the other hand they also want to rest. When writing a proposal for the event I did my best and was ready to present quite interesting experience, I think. On the other hand I don’t know almost anyone in London so maybe the invitation didn’t came to the right people.
But what can one do, right? 🙂

Below you can see that I was ready – empty space as well as the sweets and tea were anticipating people impatiently.

IMG_7503 IMG_7506

DAY 11

The compensation came another day. Lee and I decided not to forget the Tube research so easily. We entered the Bank station an for approximately an hour we were practising systema, Russian martial art technique in which Lee is skilled a bit and is also able to hand over that knowledge (thank you Lee!).

So we were „punching“ each other, liying on each other, rolling on the ground and so on. One of the goals of my potential workshop was achieved – the Tube became ours playground.

People in the Tube are encouraged to „report anything unusual“ but apparently what we did was still quite usual because nobody – even the Tube employees – was interested in what we do.

By this 11th day I finished the most important and biggest part of my work in Anatum’s Abode. In the 11 days I was exploring possible approaches of how to understand the London megalopolis, I was taking pictures and writing notes about that research. I planned the workshop as one of the results of the work but it is not so importnat that the workshop didn’t happen. The Anatum’s Abode gave me unique, long enough possibility to work on the theme very close to me. I don’t regret that there is no final performance or exhibition (I presented continuously my research on the web and I aloso did one performance, had a lecture (see my next post) and am going to have another performance in Thursday so I deffinitely leave some traces behind in Anatum’s).

It is difficult to sum up what I realized when exploring the Anatum’s Abode in the first days and later on when walking, cycling, busing and tubing the City. I would say that it is important to use all of the differnet approaches how to get familiar with the city. Only one is deffinitely not enough because than you’re missing something.
But the most important thing I found is that observing a city is not enough. Minimally as much important if not more is to meet a people living there. Without a people any city would be – partially – just empty, scary, boring space.

I hope this research of mine will continue in my master program in theatre I’m about to begin next year in the Theatre Faculty of AMU, Prague, Czech Republic. It is nice to know that there is already some work done from which I can build my next research.

report anything