INDEPENDENT GROUP ZOOM MEETING [28/04/20]

As recommended by our tutor, we met again on Zoom to discuss the steps we need to take as a group to take us through the final weeks before publishing and launching our online exhibition. We have recently had a confirmation that the new revised deadline stands as the 22nd May, which applies for all of the work, both individual and group work. The exhibition itself will also be launched on this date, and it is decision we need to make as a collective as to whether we choose to have it open for a specific amount of time, or to keep in open for a prolonged duration.

The main areas we discussed within the meeting were surrounding the key and vital group aspects of this unit. This was because we'd previously concluded that we would all focus on the individual creation of practical work for now, and then leave a minimum of two week length of time to organise and curate the exhibition. We therefore discussed such things as which platform we would use to create and construct the digital exhibition space, the assembly of the catalogue, manifesto, posters and to also considered creating online zines and additional features and accessories to accompany the exhibition.

We came to the conclusion that using Artsteps would be the most dynamic, easy and engaging platform to create the show on, with all of us having access to the account to have our input in the curation.

We also discussed the idea and development of such areas with regards to giving out roles to each group member to undertake such things. In a previous meeting and discussion, we had decided that with regards to the posters, we would all create an individual designs using the same basic structure regarding font, layout etc and simply changing the background of the poster to include personal images from this project. This reinforces the idea of 'Vague', relating to everyone having an independent and alternative view and interpretation of 'what photography is', leaving the aims and intentions of the exhibition loose and open to interpretation.

This idea was also brought to attention with regards to what our exhibitions overarching theme currently stood at. This is something that has been worrying me ever so slightly when creating work, and thinking about ideas. Considering the drastic and abrupt changes we have experienced with regards to the process of creating this exhibition, it was inevitable that this theme would perhaps become somewhat lost along the way, as with everything going on in the outside world, university work for this unit hasn't been the centre of attention at all times for us all. With the current situation altering all of our lifestyles in drastic ways, it has been inevitable that this has hindered and altered our personal approaches to creativity, thus altering our interpretations of the brief.

However, saying this, we did discuss how there are some reoccurring themes within the work we've discussed to date. these including using a documentary style of photography, exploring themes of time, and memory, in relation to photography's intimate relationship with light.

Currently, I am struggling in seeing how my work fits in with such themes, as I feel as though I've gone for a more direct questioning of 'what photography is' (not necessarily better or worse, just different) in terms of looking at our relationship with the medium in everyday life, as opposed to using it to investigate such ideas. However, I am confident that as we work closer together as a group, and have more regular conversations and dialogues via zoom and our collective chat, such concerns and worries will start to clear up, and the focus will be more drawn to the celebration of work created in such uncertain and unsettling times.