Muizenburg South Africa 5 April 2014

Agents of Change and the way the process breaks down the divides has been very inspiring (and even made a slight crisis in a way).  I have never experienced people feeling so open and free to talk, or sharing the bonds between us in such an open way.  I can only think it is about breaking out of work/social identity.  It is something I would love to keep doing, because the process has massive impacts on my life and the way that I want to see and relate.  A person in our group spoke about the very gentle non-invasive process last time, and it is that way, but it's also the emotional meaning which gets shared without any defense, and the way the public interact so freely which has been so inspiring...Nicci 5 June 2014 

Global warming is part of the earth's cycle but there is a need to adapt our day to day activities.  

Change is inevitable but  we reflect on why and what will happen.  So there is a need for awareness, but also an explanation, if this then that, action and reaction.  There's a ripple effect.  So the idea of social sculpture creating an awareness without imposing ideas needs to happen on a more regular basis.  It's almost like a silent protest (in effect it is).  The sculpture element would be much stronger if more people participate.  Eye contact is an important skill to get people to interact, because people are inherently shy!

 For me, this process was very different to the last one.  I enjoyed facilitating.  The thoughts which came up, based on the theme, how do I work in the world, connected to vulnerability.

In part, today related to a recent twitter debate where a writer of satire was called misogynist, and the vulnerability I associated with putting work out and my own feelings of vulnerability at getting involved in the debate.

Wearing the very bright orange jacket I felt both protected and exposed at the same time.

I'd positioned us out I the way of the main beach and the surfers, and I wondered if this was related to my own feelings of vulnerability.

We were. Very accepted by the public, who were shy to approach us, but also congratulated is on our efforts.  We felt very welcome, though the public was as shy as I was.  All in all, there was a sense, for me, of shyness, interaction and acceptance, which recurred throughout the process.

The idea of global warming is overwhelming.  You, one, versus the billions of people out there;  can we as a collective change?  Will my singular being have an effect (globally)?  Yes, butterfly effect does happen far enough - does it effect enough people; enough to change them to make a difference?

People are shy.  Children are less uninhibited and more curious.  Although I think of the above, it does not upset me or make me despondent because I believe in God; who is in charge of everything.  That does not make me irresponsible but even more with a sense of responsibility.  If someone gives you a gift, do you go out and destroy it?  I don't.

On the beach I realized my insignificant size in the world and how small are my related worries.  At the same time there was the realization that small things can have big impacts and so I must be cautious of my impact on the world.

I contributed to the project/sculpture by taking photographs.  That way I can bring in the skills I have.  It is interesting to take photos of the members of the social sculpture as each of them think in their own and different ways.  I understand better how tall 3m actually is by trying to fit in the poles in the photographs.  3 m is. Very big difference.

Everything is very quiet and peaceful.  All I can see is the wind, the sea and the playful screams of children.

One member of the public thought we were life savers and asked if he could swim.  We became aware of the power of jackets/uniform from this.

Person one:  this is a capitalist world.  We rely on fossil fuels.  I worry about political will in a political world.  People are capable of creating change, but politicians and commerce block possibility.

2). Is global warming a natural process, like the ice age, or do people add to it?

3). Global warming film festival showed me the dangers of the ecological state of our world.  I've started recycling and dividing my rubbish.  If everybody does a little bit, all the parts make Iona whole.  But I hope the water level doesn't rise too quickly because I don't want to move out of Cape Town.

The thing with nature, it needs to be really bad before people take notice and start changing.  It needs to effect them directly, eg flood.

Throwing out our fridges helps.  There has been a nice age before.  Why should there not be another one?

Well done, it is a great job you are doing!

All Photographs were taken by Danny Attfield.

Thank you to each Agent of Change for collaborating and to Nicci for shaping and guiding this AoC process in South Africa.

http://nicciattfield.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/agents-of-change-project-south-africa/

http://nicciattfield.wordpress.com/2014/05/31/the-spaces-between-us-how-do-we-work-in-the-world/

MAP 2013, Eastfield College, Dallas Texas, 7 October 2013

http://www.makeartwithpurpose.net/blog.php

 -Mine started off with a sense of I was sure I knew everything in my life and that there were only one/two routes possible for life. Within your explanation, “potential-thinking process,” I caught myself believing everything I have only been taught. I came to the realization that all choices/situations have limited to unlimited opportunities. At first, I questioned, “What made him believe he knows what he is speaking about?” I had always seen point-of-views from my military aspect and never truly my own. After seeing that, I questioned everything I have ever learned and how it was set up to “herd” me through assembly lines to work until I die, which reinforces that I am just a number. I asked myself if it was something I truly believed in, or was it psychological warfare to say it until I gave in to believing it? Then, I began looking at everyone else. I began seeing numbers, instead of people, built to keep this machine well oiled. I began doing everything that everyone has ever tried to prevent me from doing because I knew that I had done my best for him or her, but lost my sight. Now, my sight is back and my dwindling flame has been refueled to help any and every one who has their hand up, whether they know it or not, and fight for humanity as a whole again . By Gerrod

Because of my current viewpoint on climate change I felt that the AOC process perhaps would not affect my thinking in a profound way. Throughout the process I tried to connect directly to my concerns.  I know that climate change is imminent and that it will have catastrophic effects, so for me this wasn't like having a lightbulb go off.   However, the process of donning the life preservers, holding the 3 meter sticks, and writing in the AOC journal assisted me in creating a very direct and bodily connection to the fact of sea levels rising and the potential effects.  It wasn't difficult to come to a realization about climate change or to know that it affects me on a deep level.  What was difficult was the act of remaining open and connected to my concerns, an integral part of  the AOC process.  I've since realized for me that the in order to connect to my conerns I need to remain present with both my mind and my body.  This project has driven me to strive for connectedness and being present. By Iris.

Social Sculpture Research Unit | Social Sculpture Research Unit

Social Sculpture Research Unit | Social Sculpture Research Unit

AOC Portland Milo State Park, Chinook Camp, Lewis and Clark Eco-phsycology group 16 August 2011

 I have to say that I do not have a lasting impression of the exercise.  I could have benefitted from more frontloading about the relationship between visioning a change in the world and the thought I was to hold onto.  I did not write anything, as it was to positionally awkward to hold the depth gauge and hold a notebook.  Instead I preferred to simply hold the gauge, often changing my hand position to see how this felt (I liked holding it high, like a staff).  The most interesting thing I did was change my field of view.  I was on the edge of the group and would periodically change positions so I was looking at the group, and then facing out away from the group, so all I could see was nature.  It was interesting because it elicited feelings of being alone, versus amongst a group.  So, this is what I have for you.  I hope this feedback is useful.  Feel free to ask me any follow up questions.
Matt

PORTLAND Oregon, USA, Open Engagement at PSU, 15 May 2011

http://www.social-sculpture.org/category/news-archive/news-and-events-2011/

Kalk Bay Cape Town South Africa December 2010 COP ART group

Thank you to Lara Kruger for navigating this AOC intervention! All photographs were taken by Lara too.

As a facilitator of the process I found the following things challenging:
·         Working with such a diverse group – diverse in terms of cultural background, age (ranging between about 17 and 50), language (English, Afrikaans and Xhosa and also the type of language/ vocabulary used) and amount of experience in working with artistic process (some of the participators are practicing visual artists and designers, some have a very traditional understanding of what may me considered as art, some were very open to new ideas around conversation and art(full) processes and others had difficulty in understanding concepts/ ideas that are imaginal, metaphorical, non-physical).
·         It was hard to facilitate the process, but also be fully present in the dynamics of what was happening in the group.
·         I was at times unsure if the process was really “working’ or being useful to the participants. At these times, I was not sure if I should intervene, do more explaining, ask more questions, or just give the process a little more time and space so that it may unfold between and within participants.
·         There were no cheque books or notebooks in the kits/box. I only discovered this just before the process started, so had to improvise very quickly. I made makeshift booklets for the conversation maps and the exchange of cheques were cut from the process. Participants still had there questions in tangible forms (written in the booklets) and were able to take it home with them, but exchanges with members of the public was only done verbally.
·         One artist in the group reacted very strongly on the suggestion that all of us have the potential to act as artists in this world. This reaction came in the form of an email after the process. I will forward this email to you, for your interest. I found the strong (in some ways very protective of the term artist) response quite interesting and It made me think about the power and difficulties of language and the way in which we work with words, a lot.

Things I found interesting/ stuck with me:
from the responses in the second group conversation it was evident that there was a big need in the group to know more about climate change. They mostly realised their own need to know more, when confronted with questions by the public. So in this way the experienced help participants to shape new questions and to identify a need for knowing/ knowledge. We were able to in some way address this need in the days following at the CFE were we had informative talks and processes regarding the facts of climate change.
It seemed that the public appreciated the interaction with the participants even more so because they realized that the participant were using the kits and working with their own questions and concerns as apposed to a standardized version of climate activism/ awareness/ action.
The above mentioned challenges were very useful in my own process of developing ways in which to be the “responsible participant” in processes. Lara Kruger

Participating in the agents of Change process opened up various aspects of my understanding of Social Sculpture. Curious of it for some time before hand, actually participating at the Kalk Bay event last year revealed something I did not expect. What I appreciated most about the event, was that I had a new legitimate space in society, even for just a short while, where I could publicly work on a particular question, that I had swimming around in my head for some time. This was valuable to me, as while I stood there I was not standing there with a particular context, background, or role, but instead standing there with a single question, this was very empowering, and allowed me the room and freedom to explore my own inner world, with the help of those near me. It was a truly intimate experience that was sincere and embodied. I also had an amazing conversation with a father and his 5year old son. They and had come to Kalk bay for the day and were enjoying the sea and the space. His son asked his dad what we where doing, and his dad gave his explanation, which was very close to our intention to dealing with questions surrounding rising sea levels. Afterward we started a conversation, the three of us, and I shared the question I was working with, which was refined and deepened from this interaction. It seemed to me that most people I interacted with, and the other participants I spoke to who used the kits, shared this experience, that being, the value of being involved with the question, working inwardly in a public space, it made the event not an installation or a performance, but a deeply personal process that relied both on introspective work, and interactive work. Also it allowed us to carry our questions around climate change, and not be "know-it-all's" about the issue. There are so many questions floating around the challenges of environmental decline, and climate change, and it seemed that this was a valuable space to work with these questions. In the discussions after working with the kits, those who were not that familiar with climate change, felt that the kits and the space, allowed them to work with others, to deepen their understanding, revealing the valuable social learning capabilities of the the Agents of Change process.

By Dylan McGarry

San Francisco, Intersection for the Arts, January, May -July2010