In the process of this project, I get a very decisive inspiration from the book “Species of Spaces and Other Pieces” by George Perec. He inspired me to observe space through a different, careful perspective. In the chapter “ Street”, he observes the street rigorously. From the structure of the street in Paris: buildings, pavements, trees, gutters, and junctions, to what happens on the street: people, cars, shops, and cafes. So in my own project, I use these methods to deconstruct the physical site I choose: Roundhouse. It is a concert venue and also a historical building. I begin investigating it with the architectural structure. What is it made of? What is the external silhouette look like? How does it divide into different parts inside? What is the purpose of each part？
And with the continued investigation, I focus on the things that happened on the site.
Like Perec took notes on the number of operations of a driver, I take notes on the conversations, the behaviours, the interactions and the collective responses that happened here.
These methods of observation and investigation really gives me an unexpected experience of process, helped me to expand the site into a huge amount of information and material to produce a visual project.
On the other hand, the documentary “Gleaners and I” by Agnes Varda influenced me a lot on the form of the project. In this documentary, Varda uses a very personal, humanist approach to investigate and document a group of people: Gleaners, from those picking fields after the harvest to those scouring the dumpsters of Paris. I was enlightened by the way she recorded and edited. She found out what is funny and what mattered to her: heart-shaped potatoes, trucks on the road, and abstract paintings that made of stains. At the same time, she voices a critique of capitalist society. Varda’s way of filming is very intimate, casual and at the same time very detailed. Combined with accurately paced editing and narration, it feels like you are having a face-to-face conversation with her and listening to her inner thoughts. And in my own project, I also chose to use a DV camera and an analog film camera to make the experience of the audience more intimate and immersive. And for the editing and voice-over, I also try to connect with the audience while expressing my own thoughts.