Considering what I discussed in my first video diary, I think that what has framed much of the surprise in the process for me has been working with such a large group of people. Seven people, seven different sets of problems and seven different sets of expectations.
Probably much of what I initially expected to happen was informed by an individual experience. Certainly when you consider how personal something like a video diary can be, it is not surprising that this could become problematic for a large group.
Though that isn’t to say that there is a ‘problem’ (though there has been), it’s more that when operating in a group, the dynamic of suggestion and creation changes so dramatically. Decisions become more complex and often I found myself encountering that dreadful word – “compromise”.
But compromise in the sense of the creative process is interesting. Interesting in that when compromise occurs amongst 8 people it is not necessarily a negative. The group dynamic fosters a group creativity, which I found hugely entertaining and invigorating. It’s easy to forget how exciting working with other people is when you spend 4 years sitting in an ivory tower and dreading group assignments.
But what of ‘group-think’? Not that I think this has really occurred in any truly meaningful sense (at this point) but have our decision making capabilities been impaired by the need to acquiesce to other people’s priorities? I guess they have at points.
But I would say that compromise has resulted in more positives than negatives for me. However it’s not all happy sailing – my next video diary will be a more specific discussion of the too and fro of decision making and how it has had real effects to the exhibition it self.
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