'Path (in form of obstacle course)'

Stills from 'Path (in form of obstacle course)'

Performance/Video/Installtion: Barriers, Bottles, Hammer, Computer Screen, Toys, Lights, Barrels, Canvas, Books, String, Car Bumper, Ladders, Sunglasses, Bricks, Toy Doll, Wood, Paper, Paint, Pencil, Oli Pastel.


I am interested in the concept of paths. They take many forms and cross each other in different ways, depending on their form. The human mind is trained to follow paths as, for the idea that it leads to somewhere, but it is not always sure where it leads to. It can be compared to vechiles, such as the train, which has a set track on which it runs. The only difference being that humans do not have a set track that they follow, or do they? Because we can't see it, doesn't mean it is not there. For instance, an aeroplane still follows a set course, even though unlike the train, there is no physical path laid out for it to work on. This brings up the question about the importance of paths, and of following them. We do it without knowing, a simple walk to the toilet is like walking down a flight of stairs, or through a dirt track in a forest. The human brain sees each path and the body follows accordingly.

For this piece, I wanted to focus on the biggest path of all: life. There has always (and still is) a great debate about whether we are following a path laid out for us by some higher power, or whether we make the path as we go along. Either way, the path still exists. We leave a trail behind us of footsteps, moments, rubbish, smells, scars, phrases, laughter, pain, pictures, objects, songs, the list is endless. I decided to collect random objects that I encountered on various journeys, and ones that I had already in my possession. I then assembled an obstacle course consisting of these objects, and proceeded to follow this path that I had laid out for myself. The idea of assembling an obstacle course was meant to represent the everyday challenges that we have to overcome when following each path that we take. I would record my actions whilst going around the obstacle course, of which were both pre-meditated and improvised, in order to be relevant to normal situations. When I had finished, what was left was a trail of broken bottles, smashed computer screen, painted walls, amongst other things. This represented the trail. I left it as it was, and then projected the film through the installation on to the back screen, which still had paint and writing on it from my performance, in order to create a ghostly atmosphere. The final result was a viewing of the past, present and future. The video allowed the audience to see how this 'bombsight' had come to exist, but also by watching the video, could see what was about to happen to an already destroyed object. Each member followed my every move round my path, both through the video and through their own imagination, examining the obstacle course itself.