The Salon Project

#SalonProject post mortem 3] make-up

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:41:01 +0000

Our make-up artists and wardobe assistants were predominantly provided by Telford College in Edinburgh. They were a hard working bunch of wonderful young women who, we hoped, gained vital work experience working with us on The Salon Project

Above is one of our working professional interns, Holly Hodgart

*****

Below, we’d like you to meet another intern, from Telford, Ms Lynda Agnew

What was your role for Salon Project?

Make-up Artist

What did that involve during a performance?

Removing makeup applying looks, doing hair, applying accessories for guests and staff of the project

Did you ever encounter anything [or anyone] difficult?

No… I would say I just encountered the normal range of people, everybody was up for it, some people had specific thoughts on what they wanted, but realised soon that that wasn’t the case, that we gave them the looks. I think that was hard for some, but it wasn’t fancy dress…

Have you ever done anything like Salon Project before? How does it compare to your usual working life?

Nothing like it… nothing compares it to… I guess the closest thing is backstage at a fashion show: time restraint, the amount of people, artists having to make split decisions, the pressure

Describe a Salon Project experience for an audience in 3 words?

Fun, avant-garde exciting

How do you feel it’s benefitted your career?

From a learning point of view: steep curve. Learning what was necessary in that situation, to deal with the public, performers, all in the time restraint; you just had to get on and do it. For me personally, the contacts I have made have been invaluable: I’ve done film work and working on a large scale project at Tramway since, all thanks to people I met through the project. Meeting this new group of people, seeing how capable they were was, amazing, and it opened so many doors. The Salon Project was an invaluable work experience for me, and I think all my class mates at Telford: putting you in a real working environment, nothing beats that!

If the opportunity arose, would you do Salon Project again?

Yes.

Here’s Lynda in Action

Here’s a message from Lorna, our Executive Producer for all our interns

“I just wanted to say on behalf of all of us at Untitled Projects how grateful we are for the support of the college and to all the students who helped out on the Salon project. The show would not have been such an amazing success without their contribution. They were all a credit to Telford!”

#SalonProject post mortem 2] the speakers

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:59:30 +0000

Each night in the Salon, audience were treated to talks by some of Europe’s foremost thinkers… Our experts guests, pioneers in their fields, spoke on subjects at the vanguard of 21st century thought: science, politics, technology and the arts.

Some created mess, some created mayhem, all created conversation and for all we are incredibly thankful…

…And as bonus here’s the full list of everyone who spoke, and where to find them online!

Monday 10^th October 2011

Karna Sigurðardóttir

Designer and a managing director of Glamour The Concept Boutique

TITLE: Design Act.

Robert Wringham

Humourist, travelling performer and the editor of The New Escapologist

TITLE: Escapological Eutopia :Five Dodgy Prophecies

Wednesday 12^th October 2011

Dr. Susan Stuart

Senior lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Glasgow, residing within the ‘Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute

TITLE: Enkinaesthesia and our Ethiosphere

Dr. Norman Gray

Research Fellow in the Astronomy group at the University of Glasgow

TITLE: Nuclear Power : The Numbers Matter.

Friday 14^th October 2011

Anna McLauchlan

Teaching Associate in Geography with the School of Applied Social Sciences, University of Strathclyde

TITLE: Anti Prophet.

Graham Leicester

Director of the International Futures Forum

TITLE: The Gentle Art of Repercieving The Present

Sunday 16^th October 2011

Dr. Katarina Bonnevier

Architect, lecturer and researcher based in Stockholm

TITLE: On The Art Of Dream Building

Joyce McMillan

Theatre critic of The Scotsman, and also writes a political and social commentary column for the paper

TITLE: Scotland The Female

Tuesday 18^th October 2011

Dr. Hayden Lorimer

Senior Lecturer in the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow

TITLE:Field Faring

Dr. Laura Bissell

Teaches Theatre Studies at the University of Glasgow

TITLE: Technology and Performance

Thursday 20^th October 2011

Dr. Susan Stuart

Senior lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Glasgow, residing within the ‘Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute

TITLE: Transhumanity: Are We Ready For Immortality?

Dr. Norman Gray

Research Fellow in the Astronomy group at the University of Glasgow

TITLE: Nuclear Power : The Numbers Matter.

Saturday 22^nd October 2011

Dr. Fabienne Collignon

Teaches and lectures at the University of Glasgow. She is particularly interested in American techno-culture and machine aesthetics

TITLE: Half Lives

Professor Sergio Della Sala

Professor of Human Cognitive Neuroscience and Head of the Psychology Department at the University of Edinburgh

TITLE: The Future of Neuroscience in Society: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

#SalonProject post mortem: 1] the guides...

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:40:51 +0000

So here at the Salon Project blog, we are still operating, as we move fully on through evaluating the SCOTTISH theatre event of 2011 - we say Scottish VERY boldly, check out this Guardian debate, for which we were heavily referenced…

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2011/nov/02/scottish-play-national-theatre-scotland

Anyway… as part of the evaluation we felt we offer up to you some insights into the work - where it was great, where it was not-so, how this extravaganza came together, who was involved, what did the audiences think… that sort of thing.

So to kick start, we shall begin with the guides.

“why would you need a guide for a theatre show” - well, the Salon Project was an immersive complex experience and we at Untitled Projects felt that it could be a little daunting, so, to ease everybody in to it, we thought we’d offer a hand to all that needed it. Here’s what one of the guides Kim Simpson, had to say about her experiences…

What was your role for Salon Project?

A guide…

What did that involve during a performance?

It involved meeting a group with my co-guide Steve and making them feel comfortable, explaining a little about what would happen without giving away too much, taking them to the dressing room… and then stressing out to get them ready on time! Then when in the Salon; helping facilitate conversation and generally helping out in whatever way I could.

Did you every encounter anything [or anyone] difficult?

Personally, I was lucky enough never to have any difficulties with members of my group… But, on one evening I met another audience member, who seemed rather lonely, so chatted to him for a while, but he was one of those very well meaning gents who talks a lot. And so, talked, a lot, to me from then on; it became hard to do my job for the rest of the night; although I know he had a really good time!

Have you ever done anything like Salon Project before? How does it compare to your usual working life?

I’ve done some theatre work before, acting in character, although this time, I wasn’t acting… I have guided before, but never in a theatre setting. In August, my role involved showing delegates around Edinburgh… I’ve done many things that related, but were never quite like The Salon Project…

Describe a Salon Project experience for an audience in 3 words?

Unexpected, luxurious and… challenging

If the opportunity arose, would you do Salon Project again?

Absolutely.

[That’s our Kim in the middle!!!]

All photos are courtesy of various audience members and can be seen here on Flickr

Did you go to Salon at the Traverse? Did you take photos? We’d love to see them! Please email photos/links to Salon@untitledprojects.co.uk

More evaluative posting to come…

#SalonProject photographic documentation #3

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:28:32 +0000

As part of The Salon Project [wow it seems like an age ago now…] we said to our audiences that they could take photos throughout the event.

we liked the juxtapositioning of modern photographic/mobile telephone equipment in our period setting

we liked having professional and amateur photography as documentation

we liked, as part of our notion/question of social network and conversation, to share personal photos, to share genuine individual experiences

we liked the idea of a long lasting relationship with the work, and what better way than to jog the memory, than with a photo…

no point in dressing up in glamorous finery, without any photographic evidence thereof!

over the next few weeks watch our flickr set grow as we attempt to collate all our audiences’ photos…

here’s where it starts:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/69977553@N02/sets/72157628246173545/

did you go to The Salon Project?

did you take photos?

If the answer is “yes”, please email them to us: salon@untitledprojects.co.uk or simply point us in the direction of your online documentation, god bless social networking…

#SalonProject photographic documentation #2

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:11:26 +0100

The Group Photograph

…as a memento

…as a document

…as an experiment in moving a large amount on people in to a defined space in a short timespan

we thought we’d take a group photograph, every night during the Salon.

the results can be seen and downloaded here

http://www.untitledprojects.co.uk/projects/The-Salon-Project#

In the “about” section, click on downloads

Edd Crawley our MajorDomo for #SalonProject

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:54:18 +0100

Edd Crawley our MajorDomo for #SalonProject

#SalonProject photographic documentation #1

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:50:18 +0100

Tommy Ga-Ken Wan our genius Salon Project photographer is a very very busy man, with nearly 5,000,000 hits on his flikr account and always juggling multiple projects, we are very please to see how much impact our little project has had on his work: there is a Salon Project set on his page.

here’s a preview of some wondrous shots

enjoy…

#SalonProject personnel profile #13

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:14:03 +0100

our phenomenous photographer, he’s the fella doing the group photos every night.

Tommy Ga-Ken Wan - Photographer

“I take photographs. I’m a freelance photographer, literature graduate, aspiring philosopher, occasional TV judge, habitual drunkard, amateur actor, avid reader, unproductive writer.”

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

‘…to nurse unacted desire’ as Blake put it.

Where would you like to live?

Close to the people I love. Preferably by water and in sunshine.

What is your idea of earthly happiness?

Close to the people I love. Preferably by water and in sunshine.

To what faults do you feel most indulgent?

Fear.

Who are your favorite heroes of fiction?

Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Atticus Finch, Milton’s Satan, Hamlet

Who are your favorite characters in history?

Tank Man (Tiananmen Square), Alfred Kinsey, Peter Singer

Who are your favorite heroines in real life?

My mother

Who are your favorite heroines of fiction?

Paprika, Chihiro (Spirited Away)

Your favorite painter?

Taking painting to mean all forms of producing an image, the cinematographer Christopher Doyle.

Your favorite musician?

Ryuichi Sakamoto, Johann Sebastian Bach, Leonard Cohen, Stevie Wonder

The quality you most admire in a man?

Self-awareness

The quality you most admire in a woman?

Self-awareness

Your favorite virtue?

Self-awareness. “It takes more courage to examine the dark corners of your own soul than it does for a soldier to fight on a battlefield.” - W.B. Yeats

Your favorite occupation?

Taking photographs.

Who would you have liked to be?

Nobody but me.

check out Tommy’s work at http://www.tommygakenwan.com/

#SalonProject male make-up tests

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:07:06 +0100

#SalonProject male make-up tests

#Salon Project 4 stars in the Telegraph

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:52:27 +0100

#Salon Project 4 stars in the Telegraph

#SalonProject personnel profile #12

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:12:51 +0100

salon project personnel profile #12

Jack Wrigley – Soundist, Selecter and Musical Arranger

“I’m responsible for sound and music in the Salon. I am part of 85A: a collective of artists based in Glasgow. I’m a visual and sonic artist”

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Hollyoaks

Where would you like to live?

In the sunshine.

What is your idea of earthly happiness?

being in love

To what faults do you feel most indulgent?

Cooking with butter.

Who are your favourite heroes of fiction?

Robocop

Who are your favourite characters in history?

Andy Kaufman, Robert Houdin, Nikla Tesla, Lev Termin,

Who are your favourite heroines in real life?

Benazir Bhutto

Who are your favourite heroines of fiction?

Mina Harker

Your favourite painter?

Heather Lander

Your favourite musician?

Philip Glass, Lamonte Young, Mark Mothersbaugh the list goes on and on

The quality you most admire in a man?

Intelligence

The quality you most admire in a woman?

Intelligence

Your favourite virtue?

Kindness

Your favorite occupation?

The Jack of all trades.

Who would you have liked to be?

I’m happy being myself.

Nice little #SalonProject preview in the Independent

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:02:00 +0100

Nice little #SalonProject preview in the Independent

|The Salon Project| - Francesca Romana Ciardi

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:50:14 +0100

|The Salon Project| - Francesca Romana Ciardi:

This is not us… but they do have some wonderful ideas

#SalonProject personnel profile #11

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:33:07 +0100

on the morning of our dress rehearsal, we thought we’d introduce you too…

Gemma Smith – Stage Manager

“I’m responsible for time keeping, people management and aiding venue liaison, ensuring the Salon runs smoothly. I regularly work at the Traverse as a company stage manager and have worked with many member of The Salon Project team before, so am very excited for the next few weeks”

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Loneliness

Where would you like to live?

I am happy… but a bigger flat would be nice

What is your idea of earthly happiness?

Dancing, to a good tune…

To what faults do you feel most indulgent?

Being a cynic

Who are your favourite heroes of fiction?

Batman – the original Adam West 60s version, Mr Big

Who are your favourite characters in history?

Maya Anjelou, Michelle Obama, Da Lai Lama

Who are your favourite heroines in real life?

Kylie Minogue, My Mum

Who are your favourite heroines of fiction?

Emma from “One Day” and, er… Carrie Bradshaw

Your favourite painter?

Francis Bacon

Your favourite musician?

Jon Bon Jovi

The quality you most admire in a man?

Confidence… and the ability to… smell good

The quality you most admire in a woman?

Confidence… and they should smell good too.

Your favourite virtue?

Generosity [confirmed by Drew who is interviewing me!!! I’m a stage manager, these questions are hard…]

Your favorite occupation?

A full time company stage manager role, FULL time please.

Who would you have liked to be?

Shorter, just a wee bit…

#SalonProject in the Scotsman

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:27:24 +0100

#SalonProject in the Scotsman

#SalonProject personnel profile, is back, here's #10

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:19:00 +0100

Nick Millar – Technical Director

I am the technical manager for the Salon Project. I am an artist, a builder and a boat dweller.

· What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Most recent one: sitting next to 2 people on a coach tour of Scotland… this may well be it.

· Where would you like to live?

On the water where it’s warm but not too warm, where it gets cold but not for too long…

· What is your idea of earthly happiness?

Love and sex

· To what faults do you feel most indulgent?

Drinking and swearing

· Who are your favourite heroes of fiction?

Tom Sawyer.

· Who are your favourite characters in history?

Tolpuddle Martyrs

· Who are your favourite heroines in real life?

Bjork, Jane Asher, Any of the Suffragettes

· Who are your favourite heroines of fiction?

Molly from the William Gibson novels

· Your favourite painter?

Velasqueth

· Your favourite musician?

David Bowie

· The quality you most admire in a man?

Strength, compassion and empathy

· The quality you most admire in a woman?

Not being like most men

· Your favourite virtue?

Understanding…

· Your favourite occupation?

Playing

· Who would you have liked to be?

David Bowie

here it is… our technical overlord, wondrous man seen pondering our set Mr Nick Millar

Deadline looming for final tickets

http://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/the-salon-project/

#SalonProject in the List

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:29:49 +0100

#SalonProject in the List

wonderful visual reference from Stewart on the untitled projects...

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:23:45 +0100

wonderful visual reference from Stewart on the untitled projects blog…

untitled-projects:

i just found this amazing photo online. it’s later than the period i’ve been focusing on for the salon project (1885 - 1915) but it has a real feel of salon society.

it’s also a great example of a group photograph.

London 1934. Edward Cahill seated in the front row on the left of Princess Alice at a private Mayfair piano recital at the home of the Dowager Lady Swathling.

stewart

#SalonProject training day

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 22:13:33 +0100

pre-production day 1

So today was day one of training for the Salon Project interns… wondrous young people from across Edinburgh and Glasgow whom are donating their time and efforts to Untitled Projects to help us fully realise The Salon Project, all the while gaining vital experience in the field of period costuming…

“the field of period costuming”

the Salon Project is based strongly around the parameters of an 19th Century High-Society Salon, and as part of this experience we wanted our audiences to get just as finely dressed-up… not an easy task. Our wardrobe department has been raiding the costume stores of theatres throughout the land, collating literally hundreds of Victoriana corsets, shoes, coat-tails, waistcoats, bow-ties, dresses, sashes, scarves, gloves, trousers… all of it.

dressing a person in this sort of costume takes a lot of effort, wearing as a standard, 3 layers [for both men and women] and having to manipulate incredibly difficult clothing items like corsets and studding shirts/waistcoats, not to mention learning how to tie a bow-tie…

work cut out…

our interns have got their work cut out for them over the next few days, allocating costumes to audience members, making minor alterations and learning how to dress bodies quickly and efficiently. we wish them all the best!

Photos come courtesy of Holly Hodgart, intern wonder and costume designer

http://www.hollyhodgart.co.uk/

join us on facebook for more advances in Salon Project as they happen…

http://www.facebook.com/Untitled.Projects

#SalonProject CALL OUT for Participants

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:03:00 +0100

Hello one and all… in the run-up to Salon Project commencing, we need a few extra wondrous bodies to assist us…

See below

CALL-OUT for participants for The Salon Project

Visionary director Stewart Laing, of Untitled Projects [http://www.untitledprojects.co.uk] is currently developing The Salon Project – a 360° simulation of an opulent Parisian Salon… an immersive theatrical experience unlike any other.

The presentation is a co-production with Traverse Theatre and is the culmination of Stewart’s Artist in Residence post. The Salon Project is strongly influenced by and structured to recreate traditions of a 19^th century salon. A pivotal element to many of these events was a Tableau Vivant: a pause from proceedings whereby a still image was adopted amidst the crowd by several individuals holding a pose. The pose itself could be a recreation of visual artwork, a vision of aesthetic beauty or a stance created as a socio-political commentary. Many contemporary artists have incorporated a Tableau technique in their practice; Vanessa Beecroft’s work, for example, is strongly based on this tradition.

Stewart’s vision for the Salon Project’s Tableau Vivant takes great influence from the large-scale nude gallery works of Beecroft; 12 performers will present a vision in three parts recreating elements of Oscar Rejlander’s photograph The Two Ways of Life [the world’s first photomontage].

The image can be viewed here:

http://www.codex99.com/photography/10.html

Up to £10 expenses per day will be provided for participants. To be part of this opportunity, participants would need to be available on the performance dates: 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 October, for 3 rehearsal sessions 28^th / 29^th / 30^th September and for an evening’s filming in Edinburgh on 3^rd October. This is an excellent opportunity to work with a Fringe First, Tony Award winning pioneering practitioner as part of an innovative performance art event.

For more information and to apply please contact Untitled Project Creative Associate Drew Taylor [drew@untitledprojects.co.uk] or call 07841 677624

[Example of Beecroft’s Work]

This opportunity is offered on a first come first served basis. Our only requirement in application is a willingness to participate without clothing.

More visual references for Beecroft’s work and Stewart’s influences for The Salon Project can be found here:

http://untitled-projects.tumblr.com