Margie Mckay, Long 2012. (Site specific ritual based performance)              

My current idea has drastically changed to the idea I presented last week. My site, of course, is still the same and the idea of transforming it into something it isn’t is still significant. The idea of transformation is that I will cleanse the tunnel of the negative connotations I have of the space. My new idea influenced by Kate I have now decided that I will transform the tunnel by using ten diverse rituals or instructions rather.      ‘Ritual performances can serve to calibrate and track the passages and personal metamorphoses we make throughout our lives and are capable of opening portals to interconnected reflexive states and experiences of communitas within audience (participants) and those leading the ritual’. (Mackay, 2012) I shall then perform these instructions prior to assessment day and document them using video, audio and pictures which I can then showcase in a studio space. Since I decided to alter my idea I have been working on creating the ten rituals I shall follow, currently these stand at:

1. Take off your shoes, walk the tunnel and feel the coldness on the soles of your feet.
2. Walk the tunnel again, blind fold yourself, protecting yourself from the bitterness the tunnel feeds.
3. Select a portion of the wall to cleanse. Wash, wash and wash it again, until it sheens.
4. Sweep the floor until all the filth has vanished.
5. Decorate the tunnel; turn it into something of beauty.
6. Admire its new look. Touch, smell and listen.
7. Talk to the tunnel, befriend the tunnel.
8. Give the tunnel a gift.
9. Lie down; take a moment to just be present at the tunnel.
10. Say goodbye to the tunnel.

I have decided although it wasn’t necessary that I would do all ten rituals over the same period. I have currently given myself a time scale of 5 hours from 4am to 8am on a Friday morning, (a similar time scale to when I found out the news my piece is influenced by) But if I find I need more time to put the care and attention that this piece deserves I shall.  During the process of completing these rituals. As I already stated I will be documenting this process by film, audio and photographs but additionally I have decided to bring back any other components of the cleansing process. For example I will be bringing back any equipment I used and more specifically – during ritual 4. I will be collecting the ‘filfth’ that has been swept up to showcase in the studio as well  bringing back the brush I swept the fifth up with back with me.

Whilst continuing with developing my idea, I am constantly referring back to Marina Ambromovic and her way of preparing herself for her own performance art. ‘Sitting straight and allowing my breath to crinkle out memories, thoughts, and emotional treasures were enjoyable in a way, and although I could have physically continued on, in an instant, I felt my heart curl inwards and I knew that the growing and opening had come to a close for the day. My emotional self was exhausted’. I feel I am pushing myself mentally, to limits I find uncomfortable by actively thinking about my loss for the purpose of my piece