Angela Goh

Knowing that each Responsive Residency is exactly that, responsive, and that everyone’s approach to research, interests, and methodology differs so greatly, I in no way whatsoever know how to give advice for anyone else entering into their own Responsive Residency. I can only speak from a point of view which is tied specifically to my own experience of the program. But, perhaps something might spill off the edge of this specificity, so the following are some decisions I made during my research and I don’t assume they will be relevant for all cases:

Start. A starting point can be hard to find when swimming in a sea of questions. When everything and anything is possible, maybe you feel trapped by endless possibility and bogged down by freedom. Pick something and run with it. Maybe the content doesn’t matter as much as the rigour that follows it.

Be in a bubble. In my initial interview Margie predicted that we would find ourselves in the studio in a ‘conceptual bubble’. This absolutely came true. But a bubble ended up being what we wanted and needed. A bubble is an environment where you can germinate something, kind of like a greenhouse. Of course, contextual understandings of what you are cultivating is very important, but take the opportunity to be in a bubble, and find out what is important in there. Have the understanding that different things will be important if/when these ideas reach a ‘harvesting’ stage. Acknowledge and be honest about the pressure you feel in this new situation. Devise a way to deal with those pressures which is on your own terms.

Soften the edges between what is work and what is not. Osmosis feels good. Bring together art and life, and put together a team of people that you want equally in both. Trust group chemistry. Practice togetherness.

Stick with it, some things require time. Don’t be so precious with time that you are not able to be generous with it.

Believe in what you are doing enough to defend it. Understand its importance. If you don’t understand it enough to defend it yet, then maybe you don’t understand it enough to discard it yet either. Remain open to listening to outside people’s thoughts on the research ideas.

Believe in contradictions. Sometimes they are an acknowledgement of the existence of complexity.

Feel excited. Have fun.