ITLN
IMAGINARY FRIENDS
New soundscapes and music for ongoing collaborative project
IMAGINARY FRIENDS...
"My imaginary friend is:
half dog, half horse, has big and sincere eyes. Sometimes it flies like a butterfly....Makes a warm bird like- sound. And so the air around him is clean and clear."
From Imaginary Friends
April 29th 2020
08-06-2020
DETAILS
Imaginary Friends In Isolation is a collaborative art project that was created in response to the lockdown.
It is a continuation of a workshop project run by experimental printmakers Jairo Zaldua and Nicola Green. The initial idea was for people to take part in a printmaking workshop by visualising an imaginary friend, either one they have had since childhood or one created on the day as a way of trying out printing techniques.
With the onset of lockdown measures it was decided to continue the project online in a different form. People could message a description of their Imaginary Friend, an imaginary companion for childhood or an idea of a friend helping them through the isolation period. This image was then interpreted by Jairo and Nicola. The additional collaborative element was to then engage other artists to interpret the image alongside the original statement in video and mixed media.
Tobias was brought on to add a further element of soundscapes, as the fourth and final part of each sequence, suggested by each of the visualised Imaginary Friends.
The turnaround being a few hours from receiving a digital copy of the new print from Jairo and Nicola.
"The method is: Someone writes in and describes their imaginary companion/s. Then Imaginary Friends Arts create a visual response. Next they send me their artwork and original statement so that I can make a soundscape using the newly created visual persona in tandem with the initial description provided.
Headphones are required for the full experience. My recommended method: Read statement - look at image, close eyes, recall the image in your mind’s eye." TZ
There are currently plans for an exhibition when lockdown finally eases properly, though these plans are getting pushed further into the future. Imaginary Friends Arts are currently working on digital montages of the original prints to engineer imaginary meetings between Imaginary Friends. The original contributors are contacted to give permission for their friends to meet other characters and then they describe possible conversations or comments that would ensue.
The instagram account can be followed here
Further reading:
In Interview at Unseen Sketchbooks 18/07/2020
In conversation with Redbrick magazine 12/05/2020