The idea of creating an intervention together came naturally. I initially reached out to Neelabh because of his experience in fashion design, and he was also keen to explore the concept of identity through his project.
We started with an idea that we developed in this docs, booked the equipment at university, and decided to hold our intervention on Wednsday, October 16. Our plan was to set up in The Street, inviting people to participate.
Easy, right? Not at all!
October 16th of 2024:
When we arrived at uni, we realized it was too bright, making it impossible to photograph silhouettes as planned. Determined to find an alternative space, we searched throughout the building, only to discover it’s quite difficult without a reservation. We finally ended up at the photobooth near the photography studios, experimenting with the lighting we had. It worked somewhat but not as well as we hoped.
We learned we needed more focused lighting, so we booked a specific light from the Loan Store and decided to try again the following Monday, October 21. We printed posters and placed them around uni, hoping people would engage.
21st of October:
That day, we came better prepared, having also reserved a pod at the library. When we arrived, we noticed an open area next to the library that felt more inviting, so we set up there. The setup looked impressive with the frame and lighting working perfectly, but we encountered a new challenge: inviting people in was difficult, and many didn’t want to engage. Everyone was suddenly going late to tutorials. The poster also didn’t attract attention, as it blended into the overwhelming amount of other posters on every wall at CSM.
We managed to take pictures of friends and their friends, but still, others wouldn’t even glance our way. We ended up with 15 pictures, which we counted as a success, though it wasn’t as engaging as we had hoped.
We packed up and decided to try again this week, but I think we need to reframe why we’re asking for people’s silhouettes and consider what we’re offering in return. Those who did engage enjoyed the experience, but the intervention didn’t create a strong impact.
The photos might be useful for our exhibitions, though I’m not yet sure how to integrate them.
I’m certain that if I’d tried this without Neelabh, it wouldn’t have been as successful, as his experience with the equipment was invaluable while I felt a bit lost. I really appreciate him sharing his expertise and teaching me.