The Last Bell - update

After a lot of thinking and discussing my idea with people around me I came to a conclusion that I am trying too hard to link the piece to the degree show, when in fact it is a piece of work in itself that can exist in the moment in Latvia in my old school as I ring the bell. So my original idea of a live transmission became too focused on the degree show moment for the people or in time of the degree show, rather that a focus in itself. 

After a lot of thinking and analysing I have made a decision to fly to Latvia and ring the bell the morning of 25th May, record it and film it for documentation. Then fly back and enjoy the degree show in the evening and be part of it. It was hard for me to accept this version as it became completely detached from the degree show, the only connection was the date and that it was the end of my studies. It was hard for me to accept that potentially I won't have anything else at the show. However, there are still possibilities of how I can bring the moment in Latvia from the morning to the evening of the degree show, creating a two-part piece. The piece would still be the moment of ringing the bell, however what I can show at the degree show is some kind of documentation. 

The documentation for the degree show could take these forms:

- Video of me ringing the bell, without the sound being present

- The conversation between myself and teachers in Latvia in Russian language

- Scripted piece or handout

- Planting people with this tradition, that it exists. For the piece to live in their head after they leave, and remembering the conversation every time the bell rings from then on. Make an association between the bell and the tradition.

- Maybe do something that leaves a trace of the piece after the people leave. Only then it is something?

- The recording of the sound of the bell at the end of the opening night or at the start of it, or both. To ring not just in the show space but all of the building. Speakers on the 4th floor balcony. I think this will create an interesting atmosphere in the space.

- Or have nothing else for the degree show, so the piece exists in Latvia in that moment of ringing the bell
- An interesting piece of text in the degree show publication, focussing on my memory of the first bell. My feeling and what that sound meant to me at the time and what impact it had on me. 

My original idea of the livestream had a lot of drawbacks. First of all, I would have had to use Skype or Facetime for the transmission, where quality of the sound wouldn't have been great and it could have easily failed on me. Second, for the sound of the bell to be livestreamed I had to ring the bell at 9pm Latvian time, for it to be in line with the degree show. This is where I felt I was concentrating to much in trying to fit everything for the degree show, and not getting the most out if the moment of ringing the bell. Thirdly, I would have missed the degree show opening and the whole of the experience of it. I think this adjustment is better and is more true to the piece itself, with many benefits. 

There are still a lot of decisions to be made, but I feel I am getting closer to what I want to do. 

~Ev