THE BRIDGE PROJECT: International Media and Performance Initiative

TForum is a forum for discussion of issues raised in TheatreForum articles and texts or other aesthetic, cultural, or political issues of interest to the theatre community. (ProQuest Information and Learning: ... denotes text missing in the original.) The Bridge Project was created in August 2004 when we went to the Centre for Ideas and the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, Australia. We worked with both students and established performers during a four-day digital video shoot at an old temperance hall in Melbourne. During our visit we directed theatrical scenes featuring the students and artists and filmed their work on digital video. The filmed material included two basic elements. One was a series of monologues both spoken to the camera and punctuated by cut away shots. The other was a series of long tableau-like shots in which the performers slowly repeated enigmatic phrases, while being blindfolded as the tableau evolved into a filmnoir composition. We returned to the USA with the material and began work on new artistic projects-theatre and a visual art installation. These pieces will be presented in New York in 2006/2007. The material was also left with the participants in Australia so the participating artists and students could use the images and text for their own art works. Since the experience in Australia was so positive, we have decided to extend the project to a wider format, including six to ten countries around the world. We will spend ten days to two weeks in each country during 2006/2007 working with local students and artists to produce raw artistic material that will be made available to the international network of artists and institutions created by the project. The Bridge Project has four initiatives: 1. International WORKSHOPS Artists will travel internationally to conduct workshops, give lectures, and film new material for the project database. 2. International ART DATABASE Workshops and creative activities will be documented (film, video, journals) and this material will be made available to all who participate for the creation of their own new art works. 3. International ART NETWORK. Artists traveling to different countries will work with students and interested professionals from fields including art, industry, and science. Local participants will be encouraged to establish relationships with production and distribution resources in their own country and internationally. 4. Project DOCUMENTATION and METHODOLOGY The project will endeavor to develop a methodology with participating artists that will explore contemporary approaches to art making. The Bridge is a collaboration in which, seeded by the initiating artists, the results from each country are then combined in many different ways by many other artists. …