TERM 3
Betty returns
Given that my plans had to be pushed back, I now had to collect more stories and have the "first draft" event in one term.
As I couldn't secure funding for it, I started making decisions about how I could make it happen anyways.
The event would now be happening in my house share in Finsbury Park (which made complete sense for the feeling of getting into somebody's intimacy), living room would be a feedback area, the kitchen a bar, the garden the social area, and the hallway leading up to the bedroom would host the concept presentation. The three bedrooms would be treating three topics I had identified as being misrepresented on social media : Living abroad/travelling, Dating and Sex.
Betty's Website
I decided to create an online platform to first collect more stories to inform the narrative of the event, but also to see how people would react to sharing online instead of in person like in the Vulnerability Booth, if the website could become an entity of its own, as the live event or the booth.
The website was going through my thought process and explained what I was trying to do, it introduced the concept of the Lost Tales of Betty's Life (the immersive event) and finally asked people to share a story, creating a data-base of personal testimonies that people could read before sharing themselves.
Click ME
Click ME
Research and ideas for the design of each room
As I established that this piece would be an experiment, a first step, I decided to try out different things, methods, in each room then ask the audience for feedback on what they felt was most efficient.
I decided to have one room to be more theatrical, one more participative, and one more based on narration/observation.
For the aesthetics, the Itinérances Room would be inspired by the Surrealists from the 50's, the Dating Room would get the disco vibes from the 80's and the Sex Room would follow the more neutral guidelines of Sophie Calle's work.
The Rooms
Click Them
Final Outcome
Welcoming
The audience received and address and were told to arrive there between 6 and 7.30. Once they arrived, they were greeted by Betty at the front door and she gave them a couple explanations about how to approach the experience.
Hallway
They were then sent in the hallway where the concepts origins was laid out. After reading it, the followed a trail of photographs showing Betty baring herself emotionally and physically, the trail would lead the to the first room.
Concept Introduction
Itinérances Room
The first room was the Itinérances Room, treating traveling and living abroad. The audience walked in on a performer wearing a dress from which lines were hanging, and on those lines the performer was hanging pictures. The audience was instructed and the entrance of the room to pick up a picture and read the story on the back out lout then to drop it on the floor.
ITINERANCES ROOM
Dating Room
The audience followed the hallway again, read the instruction outside the dating room there were invited to get in. Inside the room, different outfits were hanging from the ceiling from colourful balloons, all labelled with negative opinions, a video is playing on the wall showing Betty going mad trying all of them on but never being satisfied. Once they experienced the room, they were invited to put together their own outfit on a mannequin and label it with the reason why they would end up taking it off and changing it.
DATING ROOM
Sex Room
The last room was the Sex Room. People had top open the door after reading the handout, then step into the intimacy of a bedroom where Betty was debating with opinions on her sex life. Different objects placed around the room, labelled with a person's name and a date were evidences of former sexual encounters. Listening and reading about different pronouncements and statement positions about women sexuality from radically different points of view, she was trying to make up her mind about her own experiences by matching pictures representing feelings to each object. This room was pushing the audience into some kind of voyeurism, by making them explore the room, look into drawers to discover new objects and observe Betty's personal struggle.
SEX ROOM
Social Areas
After going through all the rooms, the audience was asked to give feedback and suggestions on ipads about how to improve the experience and take the project forward. After that, they could get drinks at the bar and mingle and discuss in the garden.
FEEDBACK AREA
Personal Reflection on the project
I am really happy to have pursued that project. I got some really positive feedback from people and great suggestions on how to take it forward.
The event I created wasn't a final thing, just like the website or the booth, it was me experimenting with different artistic mediums to open up a dialogue about current cultural issues.
During the development of the project, I have been applying to different summer residencies to take my project forward before I start working in fashion in September.
I have been invited to CASA NA ILHA in Brazil to work on developing the project further for a month. I will be living with 5 other artists working on different projects and followed by a tutor all throughout the month.
I know that there is a lot of room for improvement but I am really happy to have put it out there so I can now start to refine it based on something concrete, opposed to a hypothetical idea.
I hope I can get more in more people interested and find more engaging ways to treat difficult social and cultural issues.