Doing

In 2008, 2009, and 2010 Culture Push invited 5-10 professionals from different fields. Half of the group was asked to bring a small activity that could be taught to and executed by the group within 30-60 minutes. The activities were all specific to their respective practices or fields. All those who attended were required to participate in all the activities--there were no spectators. The goal of this workshop was to introduce all the participants to other ways of thinking through ‘doing'.

While sharing practices with each other through hands-on experiences, the participants were encouraged to think about questions such as: What is it that interests one about what s/he does? How can an embodied practice be translated to other bodies? How do we perceive or experience philosophy behind a practice, through physically trying it out?

DOING 2010:

The third DOING took place on April 4, 2010, at 319 Scholes Performance Space in Brooklyn, New York. The invited 10 participants went through 6 activities on that day.  The same participants traveled to Whitney Museum of American Art to share their DOINGs with 100 museum guests on April 16, 2010. This event was called “Storm Your Brain.” Video of Storm Your Brains workshop at Whitney Museum's website.

Participants / Activities:

Saul Melman (Artist/Doctor) led “A Wound Drawn Together.” An Emergency Room doctor controls chaos while avoiding error to efficiently identify a singular correct answer. An artist welcomes accident in order to create more questions in the search for meaningful ambiguities. "A Wound Drawn Together” is an activity that invites participants into the space where these two seemingly polarized practices collide.

Dustyn Roberts (Mechanical Engineer) led “Racing Mousetrap Powered Cars.” Mechanical engineers design things that move and work well. There are a lot of factors to consider—forces, torque, friction, materials selection, speed, environment—and a lot of possible outcomes. In the “Racing Mousetrap Cars” activity, participants can see how subtle changes in parts and materials can affect the performance of the final mechanism, as well as how they can construct models to ensure success.

Deborah Gorman (Chef) led “The Ephemeral Edible Art.” As a chef, Deborah Gorman creates little masterpieces, labor-intensive edible sculptures. Diners may take a moment to visually honor these creations, and then in mere seconds the art is masticated, digested and ultimately defecated. This evening, participants get to play the role of a chef and create small edible sculptures, which can later be savored.

Matthew Bauder (Composer/Saxophonist) led “Rainforest Crunch (For electric kalimbas and electronics).” In “Rainforest Crunch,” sounds from homemade electric kalimbas and effects pedals create complex notes and textures. These sounds are brought in and out of audibility by a mixing board with separate volume controls for each instrument. Participants are invited to improvise on the instruments as well as alter the effects settings. Surrendering to the architecture of the “forest,” participants should not be attached to what they are doing; rather, everyone should trust that they are one part of an ecosystem of sound.

George W. Hart (Mathematician) led “Mathematically Correct Breakfast.” As a sculptor, George Hart sees mathematical beauty everywhere, creates geometric examples, and shares them with others. A quest for elegance can start with a question like “how can you slice a bagel into two linked halves?” In this activity, participants will answer that question by slicing bagels in an interesting new way.

Yvonne Meier (Choreographer) led “Release and Score Technique.” Release technique uses specially designed images to let go of hidden tensions in the body and realign with the natural forces of gravity and counter balance. Yvonne Meier extends these imageries to Score technique, to invite spontaneous movement explorations into her dance.
More images from DOING symposium on April 4th. 

More images from Storm Your Brain workshop on April 16th.

Go here for extended bios of the professionals that led DOINGs.

*DOING 2010 is made possible thanks to the Whitney Museum of American Art and 319 Scholes Performance Space.

DOING 2009:

On Sunday, November 15, 2009, at Abrons Arts Center in New York City, ten professionals gathered from different fields: Astronomer, Mathematician, Yogi, ER Doctor, Performance Artist, Singer, Writer/Childcare Organizer, Graphic Recorder, Economist, Visual Artist. Photos of the event can be viewed here.

The symposium ran as follows:

Activity 1: Authentic Movement with Aki Sasamoto
Activity 2: Making Telescopes with James Lowenthal
Activity 3: Graphic Recording with Nora Herting and Heather Willems Lunch: rice balls
Activity 4: Suturing Skin with Saul Melman
Activity 5: Mosaic Exchange with Michael Edgecumbe
Activity 6: Yogi Teaching with Claudiu Vaduva

DOING 2008:

On Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center in New York City, eleven professionals gathered to share their practices with each other.

The symposium ran as follows:

10:00am Introduction
Activity 1: Authentic Movement with Aki Sasamoto, Clarinda Mac Low, Arturo Vidich
Activity 2: Shape Singing with Chris Peck and Sam Sowyrda
Activity 3: Cooking Steak Tartare with Iri Greco Lunch: catered by the Noodle Bar, with a gift of dessert from Wine Cellar Sorbets
Activity 4: Sound Walk with Andrea Williams and Jennifer Walshe
Activity 5: Projection Drawing with Brian Clifton and Christine Brown
Activity 6: Geometricing with Pau Atela
3:30pm Open discussion

*DOING 2008: Workshop of Practice was made possible thanks to the AGGP Grant from the Rema Hort Mann Foundation.