Kitty Martin, 27 January 2013

Attended by:

Aimee Corbett, Jenn Lunn, Amy Lipwatt, Michelle Owoo

General discussion about Consumerism and devising a piece around that issue.

We've got too much stuff which makes the stuff we have of less value. How do we find

a way to pass stuff on rather than throw it away? If we don't do that we live as

hoarders in mountains of clutter.

The Occupy Movement - a desire to let all that stuff go.

Consumerism & guilt, eg, buying headphones for £50 and donating £50 to charity to

alleviate guilt.

Buying treats - expensive items v things that money can't buy.

Shopping has become a hobby, so much so that retailers open at 6am on Boxing Day.

BOGOF's - consumer thinks they've got a bargain/have “won”. Feel like a winner but

the real winner is the retailer.

TIME - gets consumed. We are all less able to keep boundaries re work/leisure time.

Catch 22 - Advances in technology are supposed to be time saving but time speeds

up and no additional free time is created.

“Things” define us.

When did consumerism begin?

Survival of the fittest - used to be physical survival, now it's social survival.

Differences between attitudes of different generations

Previous show - devised by finding discarded items/ephemera in the street as the

impetus for making work.

Previous show - a journey collecting audio stories then returning with a show,

performing it along the same route.

Devising method - use Open Space as the forum for discussion and the devising

process.

Sources of inspiration

“Little Brown Dress” - worn every day for a year.

“Tales from Outer Suburbia” by Shaun Tan

“Space Hijackers” - acts to confront consumerism, eg a race up Oxford Street to

collect rubbish with logos on it.

Mark Devon - an Artist, who shredded his life possessions in a shop window.

Helpful exchange of contacts for potential sources of funding & Director/Dramaturge

from participants. Thank you to all for a stimulating conversation.

Tags:

Devising, consumerism, Consumerism, devising