Architecture, Identity and Globalization

Table of Content

Introduction1

Discussion1

Identity3

Performer's identity3

Identity of space4

Social space5

The Performer7

Understanding the mime8

Literal Mime (The Golden man)8

Relationship between body and space9

Mime relation to world9

Mimicry identity in Self reflection10

1st Performance10

2nd Performance12

The Mask15

Conclusion16

Bibliography20

Architecture, Identity and Globalization

Introduction

London is known as a place, which is richly populated with an astounding number of landmarks and activities. It is because of this that most people follow the first route that crosses one of the most powerful landmarks of London. The aim is to explore an identity which will provoke me through the route. While crossing through Trafalgar Square to Leicester Square, I was standing at a corner in James Street for a while observing the performer and thinking what is he trying to prove while standing on a small box surrounded with buildings on a busy narrow street. Later on, I moved on with my route to explore the rest of the street.

Discussion

While I was walking away, it was difficult to remove the image of the mime artist out of the mind. Somehow the mime's silent yet boldly adorned getup had captured my attention. Awed and enticed by the simplicity of the visual trap, people would want to go back to James Street at Covent Garden and look for the “Golden man”, mentioned above.

My attempt to pictographically capture the performance through a sequence of photo images is more commonly known as “Time-Lapse capture”. The series of images collected will be edited into a movie, which will demonstrate the personal perception of the relationship between the performer, his identity and the space he uses for the performances. These images can help individuals in observing the performer's movements and try to understand and explain the reason behind his performance. This investigative exercise will also involve conversation with the mime artist to reveal the truth behind the mask. As the investigation goes deeper, people attempt to link the actor's true identity in reflection to his hidden identity.

For this exercise the lead focus of the entire investigation is based on the following questions.

How has the performer inhabited and experienced the street space of Covent Garden through his mask and new identity as performer?

What is his relationship to the surrounding stationary and non-stationary object?

How does the hidden identity of the performer masks into the space and background?

With the bases made from the visual observation of the artist and the personal conversation, there is no doubt that one would be tempted to go in further and personally experience through their own eyes. Hence, in order to learn the mime's art in its basics I decided to make an attempt of my own on the street.

To frame this argument, I will focus on three interrelated concepts of relevance in understanding the role of performer in public space, such as: identity, mask, and performer's body to space. In this study, identity is not taken as a statement of individuality for one person. Instead, it is approached as a collection of the personas, which a single person develops in relation to his physical ...