Luminary lecture & Arty sports club, Rosa Johan Uddoh

Rosa is amazing, therefore terrifying. I went to her luminary lecture because I missed the one on Wednesday. 
The audience was mostly fancy art people, which was unusual. It's like luminary lectures are the grown-up version of the Wednesday ones. You hear the chat and the way they mingle professionally. I noticed that the drinks get fancier, depending on how 'important' the speaker. Helen from the Tate commanded snacks. I saw a list once of the prices Ljmu charge for hospitality and catering. 
Rosas guests all knew each other and sat with one another, someone told me they were from the Biennial. I don't know how I feel about the Biennial. I know I m supposed to be interested and want to be involved but it feels a little exclusive to me and perhaps a little old fashioned. I don't like that it feels like a special club- which was exemplified by their behaviour attending this lecture. I thought the lecture might have been for them.  
I am writing this a long time after the lecture so I can't remember much. I do remember the video of Rosa's performance 'why are all my tutors white, baby? 2018and her talking through 'Black Poirot'. I hate Poirot, I hate how posh it is. I am realising how grumpy I am. Rosa is very intelligent and has an expansive vocabulary -which I often struggled to understand. I also find it hard to understand people unless they have a minimal accent, sometimes I didn't know what was going on. 
Black Poirot is so well written, it was very long but because there was a pace and she spoke of unfolding events I enjoyed it- I am watching Australian Masterchef while I am writing this and every time the judges taste the food it makes me laugh. They take it so seriously. So many people are literally starving in the world and it is funny how affronted and disgusted someone can be with a bit of grainy meringue. I often think about how the humour and themes in these things could be translated into a piece of work. Rosa's take on Poirot and her performances take a serious subject but the lightness of her approach perhaps forms a greater connection with the viewer. It was so long ago that it's difficult to try and compare her to another artist. 

Arty sports club

I have gone along to Rosa's Arty Sports club and read the texts attached in the emails. 

Audre Lorde has been an incredible discovery. I also read a text about women throwing that has aligned a few stars in my head. It has made me view performance art by women in a different way. I remember going to one of the student shows; 'Art_notwg', and thinking how unusual it is to see women moving their bodies in such vigorous and free motion. I don't know if this was intentional

They made a fort from cardboard boxes, which one of the women burst apart - I am not sure if this is symbolic. It seemed heavy handed but I have been trying within my own work to not only include myself and the bodily aspects of myself but also to break passed my expectations and wants. I need to push myself into the uncomfortable and free. I can see this in my squares, this is something I have been consciously trying to de-frame. 
This group has been such an interesting project, at the next meeting we will talk about how we will turn the discussions into an exhibition or performance. 
I am desperately shy, despite being very comfortable in my own skin. I joined an acting class for beginners for 10 weeks to try and physically break out of my comfort zone, it's hard and horrible but I believe it'll benefit my work massively.