Extending my own practice
My primary art form is as a live artist and contemporary theatre maker. Or at least this is what my Twitter Bio says (@mharrisonlord), I think I'm not actually restricted to a discipline, this is why I like the term live art as its beautifully broad and somewhat undefined. In the past 18 months I've been an emerging artist in this bizarre world of freelance performing. With my own shows touring England; the majority of which are solo with the exception of one work whereby I bring in freelance performers. I understand the need to work collaboratively, even for my solo projects. I have dramaturges, photographers, and marketing, business & administration advisors. However, it's been a long time since I've worked collaboratively in a theatre project. In fact, it's something I've only ever done within the context of academia. It's not my primary art form. The Residency consists of 11 other artists: actors, dancers, writers, visual artists, scenographers, animators, directors, dramaturges, film makers & live artist. And as if that isn't enough when it comes to creating an interdisciplinary work we've had the best classes with some of Spain's finest contemporaries. Joining the residency in Valencia for 5 weeks, and I'm writing this at the end of week 3, has already provided me with some of the best laboratory workshops I've ever had and an insane amount of personal time with absolute masters of their fields. I've developed new skills, beyond anything I've explored before. I did my Ba degree in Drama & Theatre, and I'm currently doing my Masters in Drama (Performance Practice): I've done contemporary theatre movement, even a couple of sessions in Skinner Releasing, and psychophysical movement derived from Grotowski. But movement certainly isn't my discipline. However, after a week with Bea Fernández she's provided me with an understanding of my body that I've never had before. And for our performance on the 28th July I may be performing movement sections - I mean, nobody saw that one coming. And that's not just it... I've also worked with Cris Blanco, Jaume Ibáñez, and Patricia Pardo; as well as receiving lectures from Roger Bernat, La Dula, Agusto Production, and had a tour of IVAM, watched 2 brilliant Spanish theatre works, 2 outdoor movies, and a dramaturgy battle. And all of that is alongside 2 full weeks of sharing processes, art forms and building content for a devised, collaborative, and inter-disciplinary performance work.