Critical Correspondence

MR Festival 2009: Catalogue of Engagement: PARTICIPATE/ PERFORM

by Maggie Bennett
MR Festival Spring 2009: Roll Call

AUNTS FACTORY
RPPP Loft, Bushwick, April 18, 2009, all day

Making things is empowering, and inspiring. Show up, look at objects, imagine a transformation of the materials, and get to work. A few hours of input, and a product is created. I was overwhelmed with the abundance of materials. Kept saying, “Just start somewhere, and trust that your imagination will take over.” I created the components of my project (Rent A Friend) in order of most immediate gratification to most vague and conceptual. Felt a conflict of wanting to do the more serious work of my project — writing a contract of acceptance and commitment to friendship — but felt pulled to stay around group’s surge of crafting. Old question of isolation for creation: Did I come here to create my project and must isolate myself to do so, or did I come here to engage in the community, the group production, and possibly let go of the self-proclaimed integrity of my project? Felt the comrade-ship of side-by-side workmanship as sacred. Wished I could have stayed in the loft all day.