Sorry, Not Sorry

4 March, 2017

Even our younger Shepps were involved in creating art for our 2017 festival. Children have very interesting ways of looking at the world and this can be seen when giving them an art task. The design of the visual art piece was simplistic but sweet. It was the name of this adorable town in block letters with designs inside framed by two drawn trees.

Driving here, it was a little difficult to find. Heading down the street, I could not spot it at all, but once I turned around there it was! Strike that. There it was. (No exclamation mark). There were a few construction cones around and a big car (that some inconsiderate person parked) in front of the lot entrance. This small piece was set on a sidewall and its location was very underwhelming. I think it would have been more effective if it were in a spot that got more foot-traffic just because it is a piece that I would stop briefly at or admire as I passed by. I understand that these art festival pieces are meant to be spread around the Shepparton area; but then it could have at least have been situated better because I almost did not even see it.

I’m sorry not so little ones, you are in secondary school so I don’t know if I can call you children, but I really did admire the piece itself! If there is one thing you should take away from cynicism you encounter is everyone has their own opinion and that’s why we have vastly different artworks in the world.

Now I’m Famous

4 March, 2017

The Inventi ensemble performed a few marvellous, upbeat pieces for us in their performance session. Personally I don’t see myself listening to classical music for extended periods of time, but I found this entrancing. The beauty of the sounds they could make with their five-person band was incredible, more so when they explained that an orchestra normally performs the last piece they played. Hopefully my confusion of when to clap was not too noticeable. It took me longer than it should have to notice that when they paused, they needed to reset and were not performing a new piece. I was prepared to rupture into applause but the church hall stayed silent. Good thing I saved my self the uncultured outburst when no one else broke into applause.

A fun little incorporation by the Inventi ensemble was for one of their performance pieces, the Committee Meeting, our work-shoppers were brought to the stage. This piece in particular tells the story of a meeting and the rumble of noise is the attempt to yell over each other within the hypothetical meeting. The ensemble instructed our different self-made instrumental groups when to play and the rhythm. The sound of our “bassoons” by far dominated the space! That was the most amazing part for me that it was interactive with the community, which aligns with the aims of the festival. It was also glamorous when we walked out of the hall and I was complimented on my bassoon playing because people saw me holding my instrument. In actuality they were commending me for being able to stand up there and not for my tone deaf tunes.

This Inventi ensemble is popping up all around Shepparton, literally! We saw them on opening night popping around the Aussie Hotel to play their pieces. This morning they were also jumping from spot to spot and performing for anyone passing by. A pleasant surprise, I bet, for the local Shepps. The travelling musicians embody mapping by spreading their glorious sounds to a range of people whom can all appreciate it no matter who they are. A truly fantastic thing to think about that music really does connect us.

(Video 1. Opening of Inventi ensemble and community collaboration of the Committee Meeting)
(Video 2. Ending of Inventi ensemble and community collaboration of the Committee Meeting)

Bassoooooooooon!

                                                                                                                4 March, 2017

The  main course today was the music that graced (and maybe shocked) my ears. The workshop with the Inventi ensemble was surprisingly fun! I was not sure what to expect because the description in the program was not very helpful, but in the arts when is anything clear? The workshop was a very child-like activity and the members of the ensemble leading it were each what I would call a “people person”. Melissa, in particular, was very interactive with the children involved. So we were given three options of instruments we could construct out of a few supplies including rubber bands, cardboard cylinders, rubber gloves and shoeboxes. One of the instruments the Inventi ensemble coined a “harp”, which was a shoebox with rubber bands. Another was the “shaker”, which was basically a rain stick with macaroni inside. Last but not least, because it’s the one I chose, was the “bassoon”. This was made with a cardboard cylinder, a rubber band, tubing, and a rubber glove. Once it was constructed this contraption made a deep and bellowing foghorn noise that filled the corner of each room. This is something I would definitely run down the street with blowing just to shock the unsuspecting pedestrians. We were also able to cut a hole in the cylinder, allowing us to create different pitches. What a fun little workshop, although I could see myself getting light headed from just wanting to play around with it all day.

Swapsies!

                                                                                                                          4 March, 2017

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Welcome to another wonderfully hot day of the Festival. I began with a journey to find the red painted Refrigerators. This one I was pretty excited about! Three fridges, one with books, one with CD’s and one with DVD’s. It’s a fabulous idea to take one little step back from the kindle, Spotify and Netflix to see these art forms expressed in a different way. I managed to find the one with books inside and there was quite an assortment. It ranged from books like Woody, a children’s book, to 50 Shades of Grey, definitely not a children’s book. Unfortunately since the other two fridges were inside the Visitor’s Centre and Gloria Jeans, I did not get there before those stores closed. This was a little disappointing, as it was advertised to be 24/7, but there’s always tomorrow.

(Image 1. Art Fridge in Marketplace (only 1 of 3 fridges))

Opening with the Arts

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                                                                                3 March, 2017

In the opening ceremony, of course we were introduced to a few art pieces. Obviously the audience didn't come for the free food, well maybe they did, but ideally they came for the works. The new piece displayed on the gallery wall, which is an art form called cartography, is something that is a brand new concept to me. It was strangely appealing to look at the colourful fruit crates from different vendors.

The artist, Sean, went to multiple orchardists to collect the variety of information, which he used to create and interactive online instalment. If you click on the image of the different fruit crates it will give you information on the orchard it came from. This does not help with my insane fruit addiction; seriously, I probably bought a week’s worth of fruit just for this weekend. So Sean, you have earned a ‘thumbs up’ from me merely on the fact that you remind me of my obsession.

I was intrigued and satisfyingly impressed by Matt Head’s musical composition of around the town Shepparton sounds. It was visually appealing to see the bird’s eye view, filmed with a drone, of this little city along with its environmentally made music. All in all, a fitting start to mapping Shepparton visually, audibly and with fruit!

                                               

(Image 1. Cartonography with artist Sean Rafferty standing in front at opening night)

(Video 1. Sound Map of Shepparton by Matthew Head presented at Opening Night)

So this is Shepparton

3 March, 2017

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The quaint courtyard where the Opening Ceremony was held was not what I expected. The live music quickly became background to the chattering new comers trying to find their way and see what was happening. Looking around, I wasn’t sure what was going on or if there was much more to come. Luckily my question was answered when our amusing festival runners, who even from a distance seemed to be lively and fun, walked up to the stage.

The 2017 Shepp Fest has taken on mapping as a theme, but it goes beyond the geographically physical definition and expands to explore behaviour and ideas. The artists of this festival have engaged with the local industries in order to create these hopefully innovative outcomes, which I will be able to investigate over the next few days.

The Mayor of the Shepparton City Council welcomed us to the 21^st birthday of the festival, which impressively is the longest running arts festival in Victoria. I will have a drink to that and I suggest you do the same. The 44 events over the next 17 days are organized to create a community conversation using the arts to bring us creative and curious minds together.

Being not well versed in the history of the festival, the award ceremony slightly lost me with the constant name-dropping. A little chuckle did, however, come over the crowd when the history of the John Head award was revealed. Apparently after the trophy of a harmonica was made for the first receiver, who is the namesake of the award, he pointed out the harmonica was in fact up side down. A fact Head did not let the Fest organizers forget on the night of his reception as he comically held it upside down to mime playing.

As the day grew later, the locals came out for a Friday night drink after work. It was a minor but noticeable disruption as they began their banter over the already quiet speakers despite their microphone. These locals did not look prepared to give up their Friday night spot for the arts, but as a fellow member of the aspiring arts community I understand the struggle of outsider’s dismissal. Our next obstacle on this hot sunny day was the spontaneous rain cloud that made its way over our heads. Of course this didn’t deter our community from trudging on because if rain is the worst you can throw at these art enthusiasts, I say bring it!

(Image 1. SheppFest Opening Night)