Last night saw the first of our selected London International Festival of Mime events – spent in the Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House in the company of Derevo – a group of mime, dance and theatre artists.

I specifically wanted to see this performance as it seemed to have a seriousness to it that I have not found in other mime performances I have been to yet. It was also possible to meet the performer after which was of course another incentive to go on this night.

The performance itself was thoroughly gripping and if sometimes swinging violently between moments of hilarity and darkness this added to the tension. The music was powerful as a thread which connected the fragments of mime, theatre and dance together and developed alongside the performance cleverly.

The most interesting part of the night for me was the Q&A session. I was intrigued to see Anton Adassinski; the man behind the ideas out of character and hear anything he would share. But it also got me thinking - How much as performers should we give away about our processes and the inspiration/concepts behind what we do?

Adassinski explained that the work grew out of initial improvisation sessions and that he felt that the work was never completely finished; there were always things being adapted right up until the performance. I could relate to this as it is representative of our work too.

However, it was quite clear and understandable that Adassinski was uncomfortable being asked to explain verbally his take on Harlekin, (the central character in the show), as this would have undermined the integrity of the performance. I felt he was right to keep some things under wraps. After all, some things are best left unsaid and the best responses are spontaneous and should be personal to the individual.

Vanessa x

In March, MOC will be performing at an exciting event organised by Platform 33, in collaboration with classical club-night Nonclassical. More about our performance to come as we go behind the scenes on our rehearsals, but in the meantime Platform 33 are hosting another very exciting event, their 1st Birthday Party! 

Platform 33 has been going for just over a year, and is run by director Chloe Booker, whose mission is ‘to provide a way for people to discover and explore different art forms, by using unconventional venues and putting the most diverse artists side by side. ‘

The event is this Saturday 19th January, 8pm at Arch 61, between London Bridge and Waterloo, and already has 6 acts confirmed with over 40 performers involved!

Tickets can be brought in advance from their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/events/319659571481235/ or on the door. 
http://platform33.co.uk/

Hope to see you there! MOC x

This week it was the turn of the Battersea Arts Centre, somewhere I have wanted to check out ever since I moved to Wandsworth last year, but simply haven’t found the time, you know how it is! BAC is a very quirky place indeed, housed in an old town hall, it has a very artsy and bohemian charm about it. The cafe is a great space, with very affordable tea and coffee, and just as we were packing up from our session to wander around, a band were setting up, and make a note that this is great venue for an intimate gig. 

Over our coffee today we discussed what needs to be done regarding our exciting appearance at Rhinegold’s Music Education Expo in March (www.musiceducationexpo.co.uk), more about that to follow. We also diarised future rehearsal dates for both our Saatchi performance and our upcoming Platform 33/Non-Classical collaboration with Emma Miller. Our first rehearsal with Emma is on Saturday, and prior to this we have given ourselves the task to each bring along one stimulus to brainstorm, leading us to a starting point for the work. For our Saatchi performance on the other hand, our commission will take inspiration from art work in the current exhibition. 

Although there isn’t a gallery as such at Battersea Arts Centre, the whole place is a bit like an installation, from the carpeted chairs to the neon sign encouraging the viewer to ‘Start A Revolution’. It has an air of the unfinished about it, and this adds to the character. With their mission to ‘reinvent theatre’ it’s a theatrical hub, and we will definitely be returning to check out some of the events.

Have a good week! MOC x

Today I decided to visit the Barbican centre to see the current installation Curve which I have heard great things about. When faced with a two hour wait I decided to postpone my visit! Instead I popped in to the British Museum; as a Londoner who had never set foot inside the place a trip was well overdue! Alongside Egyptian mummies and old relics that are so historically interesting I inadvertantly stumbled upon the clocks and watches room. Wow - what a treat! And to be there as all the clocks struck 2pm was completely aweinspiring! All the different chimes and bells created an cocophpony like nothing I had heard - definitely worth a trip. Walking in to the Great Court - the largest covered square in Europe is breathtaking too!
The Curve will have to wait for another day - watch this space!
Vanessa x

MOC are just beginning rehearsals for our next collaboration with physical theatre artist Emma Miller (check out our website for more about her work), and to fire up our imaginations we’ve been checking out some of the big names in mime. We are therefore really excited that the London International Mime Festival is back, and it starts this week! Follow our lead and get your tickets early, as rumour has it the shows sell out in a flash!
http://mimelondon.com/

Every Monday we catch up over a coffee to reflect on events of the past 7 days, plan our ‘to do’ lists for the upcoming week, and to have a general brainstorming session with our business caps on! As 2012 drew to a close, we compiled a long list of venues across London that we want to check out, and as most of these have a cafe attached, we made it a New Year’s resolution to rendezvous at a different venue each week. We will be filling you in on where we end up and the topics on our agenda each week in ‘Reflections and Projections’. To mark the first edition of R&P, you get a bonus 2for1, as I’ll be filling you in on the last two meetings, getting you up to speed with our January plans and escapades so far!
Last week we chose the Saatchi Gallery, and the Pret opposite (the coffee shop was a tad too pricey). We will be performing at the Saatchi in a collaboration with The Purcell School young composers, and wanted to get a feel for the space prior to rehearsals, so took a wander round before discussing ideas and plans for the project over a brew. The Saatchi is such a great space, a series of high-ceilinged white-washed rooms, flooded with light (see below). There is a minimal feel to the gallery, allowing the viewer to stand and reflect on the artwork without intimidation. This is a very contemporary gallery, and so you really do need time to take in the art on display. I particularly liked that there was no description on the walls about what you are seeing, sometimes I feel this detracts from the art, which is often meant to stand alone and be freely interpreted (although a description can be found in the gallery guide purchased from the box office, should you need a bit of guidance).

Tamarin’s got a new show!

The exciting artist and writer Tamarin Norwood has a new exhibition at the China Gallery in Oxford titled ‘Well you have to draw the line somewhere’. 

We collaborated with Tamarin last year in a series of workshops with young composers on the Sound and Music Summer School, and created a performance collating our work throughout the week. It was such a great experience to brainstorm and create with her, and gain a unique insight into the way she works.

Here’s a little bit about the show:

Norwood’s practice uses lines from language and drawing to momentarily trap a given object or event against the moving point of time, only to leave it behind as time moves on. In WELL YOU HAVE TO DRAW THE LINE SOMEWHERE, Norwood uses the line as a motif for questioning how everyday objects and events might be trapped or ‘inscribed’ as art, and how these artworks might subsequently be released to disappear back into everyday life. Revisiting the visual language of early 20th century experiments in readymade art, Norwood repurposes her own domestic objects to ask what their inscription as artworks might mean for the uninscribed objects left behind in everyday life. Throughout the exhibition a performative narrative is played out by the artist who is living at home with these remaining uninscribed objects. This narrative prompts the question: where do you draw the line between the inscription of the everyday object as art and the disappearance of the artist into everyday life?

http://www.thechinashopgallery.co.uk/exhibitions

Don’t tread on these egg shells!
Check out these truly amazing egg shell sculptures! Yes that’s right, when Chinese artist Wen Fuliang left his job as a wood carver, he used his skill along with his incredibly steady hand to create beautiful artwork, depicting places of interest on EGG SHELLS!!

First Wen empties the egg with a syringe then carefully sketches his design onto the shell. With nerves of steel he then takes the shell in one hand, while using the other to slowly carve his intricate designs using a fine diamond bit of an electric rotary tool!

It is a slow process, but as Wen proves, patience is a virtue! 

We’ve decided to blog about our creative journey, both individually and as a group-behind the scenes with MOC. We’ll introduce the artists we work with, the interesting people we have meet along the way, those whose work inspires us, and anything else that gets us fired up. Alongside these posts will be diary style entries, offering an insight into our artistic process. We want to encourage others to have the confidence to follow their artistic vision, because as we are learning, if you are truly passionate, dedicated and hard working, people will respect both you as an individual and your art.

Love MOC 

I hope you all had a wonderful festive day yesterday, and are now sitting wrapped up in the warm devouring all the leftovers!

MOC have been very busy over Christmas creating for you our ‘12 gifts of Christmas’! Check them out on our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Music-Off-Canvas/334864546537673, enjoy!

Love MOC x