The Love(less) Workshop

For my final project in Digital Processes, I knew that I wanted to do something that involved being open and personal with others. I wanted to put together an event that involved people engaging in an activity that allowed them to be vulnerable. I know, however, that this idea is not entirely welcome by everyone and it would be difficult to attract participants. For this reason, I staged "The Love(less) Worskshop." I reserved a room in the Warch Campus Center, created a Facebook event inviting people to participate, and it came together. During the event, each participant was told to write a break-up letter and a love letter, and that is what they did. I had songs about love playing during the event itself in order to stimulate the writing process.

In "Relational Aesthetics" by Nicolas Bourriaud, he talks about the "arena of exchange." He states, "The exhibition is the special place where such momentary groupings may occur, governed as they are by differing principles…[and the arena of exchange] must be judged on the basis of aesthetic criteria, in other words, by analyzing the coherence of its form, and then the symbolic value of the 'world' it suggests to us, and of the images of human relations reflected by it" (18).
My event aimed to create this arena of exchange where everyone participating in the same vulnerable activity, and were thus able to relate to one another in this way; by being vulnerable and tapping into their personal feelings. It was my effort to comment on the "world" of social barriers that exists and to delve into the "world" of openness where people are able to relate to one other on a personal level.

After they wrote the letters, I interviewed each person and asked them the same few questions.
Here is my video documentation of the event and interviews.

Enjoy!