Methods of Investigating

After watching the documentary movie (Varda, 2000), I found it to be an inspiration for my future projects. There are connections that relate to my investigation. Agnes Varda attempts to discover new relationships between the past and the present, presenting the concept of an old craft job in a modern context. The vinyl record shares this aim; it serves as a trace of the past, collaborating with the idea of a progressive city. The city, with its rules, societal judgments, and consumerism policies, is the primary stage for the actions in the movie.

My video project both begins and ends with the phrase ‘Le chant,’ which means ‘singing’ in French. The final shot captures a signboard with missing letters for an old shop called ‘Plumbers Merchants,’ and ‘Le chant’ is what remains from the original name. This serves as an example of how things change their meanings when placed in a new context. Additionally, there is an effort to compare, display, and explore an old, demanding craft job (Agnes’ gleaning or, in my case, plumbing) from a high artistic perspective (Jules Breton’s drawing and Simon & Garfunkel’s song). This ideological eclecticism establishes a connection between our works.

Furthermore, I found a sense of relativity with Georges Perec’s ‘Species of Spaces and Other Places’ (1974). Perec (1974, p. 50) said, ‘You must set about it more slowly, almost stupidly. Force yourself to write down what is of no interest, what is most obvious, most common, most colorless.’ In my project, I aimed to find uniqueness within the realm of casualness, exploring new angles of view, weaving patterns from both the city and the record, and redefining the primary functions of things. The vinyl record aided me in emphasizing this specialty, particularly through a comparison of the micro and macro worlds.

Georges Perec (1974) highlights urbanism, such as road signs, traffic lights, street numbers, and intersections, which make our lives more convenient, much like the needle moving on the record, always following the prescribed path. Perec (1974, p. 58) analyzes how commercialism and necessity often hide behind romanticization, ultimately dressing up commercial interests. We tend to adapt and disguise the concept of our needs. The final frame in my project highlights this idea significantly, contrasting the romanticized ‘Le chant’ with the very commercial ‘Plumbers Merchants.’

After reading Perec’s work (1974), I realized that our methods of observation align. He describes his process as an exploration to solve problems in a way no one has before, noticing things that were previously overlooked. His method of transforming the idea of space in the mind through changes, divisions, and distortions of its content is similar to mine. In my project, the city becomes a software for soundtrack development, utilizing its tools (directions), disruptions (diversion signs), and workspace (streets).

Reference list

Varda, A. (2000) ‘The Gleaners and I‘. Available at: Paris, Ciné Tamaris

Perec, G. (1974) ‘The Street’, ‘The Neighbourhood’ and ‘The Town’ in ‘Species of Spaces and Other Places‘.  Available at: London, Penguin