Working with visual artists at an Open Space

Chris Corrigan chris at chriscorrigan.com
Fri Aug 11 17:18:48 PDT 2006


Hi HO

Sage advice...I have every expectation that this artist will be both the tip
of a participatory element to the event and a graphic recorder of some of
the themes and patterns.  I see her product (like the proceedings and all
the other artifacts) as the supporting foundation to the real show and her
presence as inviting a multi-modal way for participants to tell the stories
of what has happened.

In fact, in Coast Salish communities here on the west coast of Canada, for
large events like this, some of my partners and I have taken to using the
Coast Salish tradition of appointing witnesses to the event.  These people,
who are sort of randoml;y chosen participants, are gifted at the outset of
the meeting so that they may pay special attention to what happens.  Their
job is to be the historian of the event and if there is ever any need for
the story to be told, they will carry the official versions, and tell the
story where it needs to be told.

So, proceedings, stories and pictures.  A complete multi-modal record of
some of what happened in an Open Space event, and all of it in support of
the real work of growing in conversation with one another.

And to Juan Luis...thank you for your kind words and for the link to
Reinhard's site.  I've known of his work for five years or so and I was
hoping he was on the list at present to fill us in, but I may need to write
him directly and share the response here.

Cheers all,

Chris

On 8/11/06, Harrison Owen <hhowen at adelphia.net> wrote:
>
>  One caution about visual artists and other such addendum. There is no
> question that visual reflection of the conversation can add a powerful
> dimension to the understanding of all the people. And the caution is -- the
> visual artist must be part of the conversation and not The Show. The good
> ones I know manage this juggling act very well -- which makes them good. But
> there are some others, and a serious conversation prior to the gathering
> about "place and role" can be very helpful. For me the real art is the
> people and the conversation. Everything else is just a supporting player.
> The same would go for technology. Over the years I have been approached by
> any number of bright techies who have created what they think would be the
> "perfect" addition to the OS bag of tricks. In one case the folks were
> peddling "Computer Based Decision Making." Everything passed through a
> computer by way of large screens. They were incensed when I declined their
> offer -- but I pointed out to them that I thought it was entirely possible
> that the folks could handle a conversation face-to-face. :-)
>
> One of the early folks in the "Visual Facilitation" arena, David
> Sibbet, is an old friend. He may in fact have been the originator, but in
> any event he created something he called Group Graphics. In fairness, the
> product was marvelous -- but I did tease him a bit by suggesting that if he
> really wanted to do Group Graphics, then everybody should get in the act --
> in whatever way they felt useful.  And actually in the First International
> Symposium for Organization Transformation we did just that. All 250
> delegates were offered crayons, paints, magic markers, whatever and
> confronted by yards and yards of butcher paper. At the time nobody had a
> clue what Organization Transformation was and even less ability to talk
> about it intelligently -- so we drew it. Collectively. Seemed to work.
>
> Harrison
>
> Harrison Owen
> 7808 River Falls Dr.
> Potomac, MD  20854
> USA
> 301-365-2093
> 207-763-3261 (summer)
> website www.openspaceworld.com
> Personal Website www.ho-image.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Chris Corrigan <chris at chriscorrigan.com>
> *To:* OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> *Sent:* Friday, August 11, 2006 2:03 PM
> *Subject:* Re: Working with visual artists at an Open Space
>
> Romy:
>
> Great to hear from you!  Thanks for those links and stories, they will be
> very helpful.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Chris
>
> On 8/11/06, Romy Shovelton <romys at compuserve.com> wrote:
> >
> >  Hi Chris
> >
> > If by visual artist you mean what might also be called a graphic
> > facilitator...
> > I use this in almost every event/programme I'm involved in
> >
> > Captures the essence in '3d' (not literally), with instant visceral
> > memory (mind, body, spirit) for those who were at the event – recalling the
> > feelings etc that they had during the commitments etc they made. Heck of a
> > lot more effective than report filed invisibly on the shelf.
> >
> > Also brilliant for telling the story to others who weren't there. Eg.
> > with event I did for the 40  most senior people in our DTI (Department of
> > Trade & Industry)... The graphic was used afterwards to bring the Minister
> > up to speed with the decisions etc.
> >
> > The graphic becomes the output of the people, in the sense that they are
> > asked to interact with the graphic facilitator to ensure that what's
> > visualised portrays their experience.
> >
> > Used it recently to record appreciative stories of the work of an
> > organisation that was going thru some fairly traumatic changes. Did the
> > storytelling the afternoon before going into a day of Open Space about
> > moving forward (with outputs also captured in a graphic).
> >
> > These graphics were then photographed so that they could be reproduced
> > in various sizes and used a motivational posters around the whole
> > organisation (in many different locations). Often we 'encapsulate' the
> > original and post it on the wall. One I did for the Small Business Service
> > is still there some 3 years later – being used as part of the induction
> > process for new people.
> >
> > Also used graphics to capture stories in N. Ireland – working with young
> > people and then adults – again before a day's Open Space (captured).
> >
> > Dunno whether this is what you are looking for...
> > Trusting it helps a little
> >
> > Romy
> >
> > Ps the person I mainly use is Tim Casswell who is UK based, so probably
> > not the best for what you are needing. And... to get a flavour of the work
> > we do, you could look at www.creativeconnection.co.uk and see Visual
> > Minutes... tho' I reckon many of the outputs he and I have capture show the
> > potential more than some of the pics on the site eg. the balance of pics and
> > words is more even in our work. Btw I used to use folks from Grove who have
> > a different style – they are all over the US.
> >
> > ------------------------------
> > *From: *Chris Corrigan <chris at chriscorrigan.com>
> > *Reply-To: *OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
> > *Date: *Wed, 9 Aug 2006 09:51:07 -0700
> > *To: *OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> > *Subject: *Working with visual artists at an Open Space
> >
> >
> > Hi mates:
> >
> > I have an opportunity coming up in the fall to work with a visual artist
> > for an Open Space I am doing.  The clients wants us to work together and I'm
> > excited by the possibility, but haven't ever done that before.
> >
> > So what kind of good stories do you have of working with visual artists
> > (and visual art as a modality) in Open Space.
> >
> > Daniel?  Reinhardt?  Is Nancy Margulis around?  Others?
> >
> > Chris
> >
> > --
> > CHRIS CORRIGAN
> > Consultation - Facilitation
> > Open Space Technology
> >
> > Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
> > Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
> > Open Space Resources:  http://tinyurl.com/r94tj * *
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>
> --
> CHRIS CORRIGAN
> Consultation - Facilitation
> Open Space Technology
>
> Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
> Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
> Open Space Resources:  http://tinyurl.com/r94tj * *
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-- 
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology

Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
Open Space Resources:  http://tinyurl.com/r94tj

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