For my Positions through dialoguing, my initial aims were blurred. Unsure of where my work was heading, I felt the need to have someone take my hand and lead me to the direction they thought would prove more academic or culturally significant.
My struggle lay in comprehending and elevating my own practice, which at times felt confined to a narrow set of recurring skills. Recognizing this, I decided that my first dialogue should be with someone whose approach, at least on the surface, contrasted with my own. My intention was to encounter new perspectives that could reinvigorate my thinking and open alternative pathways for my work.
Naturally nervous about the possibility of having a chat with a complete stranger about a project that by that point was reaching a culmination of intimate feelings, I arrived at Laura Knight’s work. In my own perception it seemed analytical, research based, qualities seemingly at odds with the way I had been processing and producing material in recent months. In our talk, I was surprised to find that a lot of my work seemed to ring a familiar bell, and the conversation that followed helped me quite a bit.
Leading in with a brief introduction of my own experiences, we discussed my reticence to expose so much of myself to an audience. To my surprise, I was encouraged to lead in a new direction: Laura encouraged me instead to reframe this vulnerability as a point of connection by engaging directly with peers who had undergone similar experiences, specifically the process of immigrating from Romania to the UK. This seemed like the most logical direction, which somehow my mind had completely avoided. In discussing this we explored the possibility of engaging with my friends and taking their own life stories to create something out of. Coming out of this discussion, I felt like I had a renewed look at the direction I wanted to take the work.
My following dialogue came a couple of months later, this time I reached out to somebody opposite of a stranger. My friend Liesl Klus, who is working as a Designer at Penguin. Due to our distance, our dialogue took place over the internet and was, somehow, just as intimidating as my talk with Laura Knight. In presenting my work to Liesl, I was asking for earnest and honest feedback regarding my work, which she delivered. Following my mention of Laura’s previous suggestion regarding expanding my ‘pool’ of experiences, which Liesl agreed with, I discussed the possiblity of the output somehow reflecting the process. We discussed the work I had created so far and my own intentions for this project. Liesl’s suggestions were to continue in the direction I was aiming, which was to explore more forms of print and experiment with creating something physical and tangible from this project.
This exchange affirmed an essential aspect of my practice: whatever form the work ultimately takes, it must carry a sense of physicality. Moreover, Liesl’s feedback offered concrete strategies for expanding and articulating the project’s thematic concerns. Together, these dialogues not only provided direction but also clarified the relationship between my personal experience, my chosen medium, and the broader conversations I hope to enter.