9. Reflecting on our group starting Objectives

When we began this project in September, we set out to create a piece centred around a portrait series by artist Bryan Charnley.  These seventeen works were Charnleys' attempt to authentically convey his internal experience while reducing and eventually cutting out medication prescribed for treating his paranoid schizophrenia, creating a self-portrait and journal entry for every day of this journey  (Charnley, 2022) (Charnley, Bohannon, 2022).   We aimed to show a person challenged by schizophrenic delusions descent into becoming increasingly paranoid and disconnected from their 'self' and how isolating this experience can be.  


When researching for this piece, I focused on the specific delusions and intrusive thoughts Charnley was suffering from.  The concept of thought-broadcasting is depicted heavily in Charnley's portraits and regularly mentioned in his journals.  This delusion is when a person becomes paranoid or convinced that others can hear, intercept or influence their thoughts (Ohwovoriole & Block, 2021).  We included many references to this within our choreography in the form of gestures in order to portray a sense of paranoia to the audience.

(Charnley, 1991)


While I do think that we conveyed that sense of paranoia and overwhelm to the audience at times overall, I feel that the piece lacked climax and, because of this, may have felt lacking in intensity.  We attempted to amend this near the end of the process by focusing on dynamics; however, the soft, mellow dynamic that encompassed most of our music made this challenging.  Suppose we had considered how the ebb and flow of the music would hinder building intensity with our choreography earlier in the process; this issue could have been amended.  Overall this experience is a helpful lesson and something I will keep tabs on in any future project.



Bibliography:


Charnley, B. (no date) Self Portrait 10, Bryan Charnley. Available at: https://www.bryancharnley.info/self-portraits-2/charnley_self_portrait_series_10/ (Accessed: December 5, 2022).


Charnley, J. and Bohannon, N., 2017. Bryan Charnley: Art and the Expression of Schizophrenia by James Charnley & Nick Bohannon. Asylum, [online] Available at: <https://asylummagazine.org/2017/09/bryan-charnley-art-and-the-expression-of-schizophrenia-by-james-charnley-nick-bohannon/> [Accessed 9 October 2022].


Ohwovoriole, T. and Block, D.B. (2021) What Is Thought Broadcasting?, very well mind. Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-thought-broadcasting-5101228 (Accessed: October 28, 2022).  

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