Intersubjective responding

 

'Within the intersubjective response space of an inquiry, a response to resonance experienced may be formed and given by a companion to an inquirer [or vice versa]’ [Miecat Inc., 2016, pp. 11].

 

There were two significant moments of intersubjective responding that occurred within the same process that I would like to discuss. Beginning with my response to Nithya's art making process. To provide context, Nithiya’s art making process was in response to a moment of resonance from a group experience of placing our shoes [gifted from the first day of class] in space, in relation to one another [a sort of dance]. From Nithya's description of her art making process the words that resonated with me were;

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My process in providing an intersubjective response began with the ‘imaginary people.' I was immediately drawn to the postcards over in the far left corner of the room. These  provided a diverse platter of strangers, or imaginary people, some were even abstractions/paintings/representations of human like figures. I went for a walk and found the material that gave me the strength of connection sense, wooden poles. I then came across the little confetti pieces of paper which i created small waves of energy that moved across the surface. Whilst I cannot comment on what Nithya felt internally, there was this shift between us. I felt even more connected to her original sharing, there was a vibration that seemed to connect us as we stood above and looking down at the artistic compilation of how her sharing words and sculpture had affected my sensibilities.

 

It is here, in this moment, where I feel the resonance of something that Margi Brown Ash shares in her Thesis, A Mouthful of Pins, ‘We are relational beings (Gergen, 2009), sitting in what Lowe (2005) calls the ‘shimmering dynamic,’  the space between the speaker and the listener’ [2009, pp. 27]. I would also like to note that the image of the 'shimmering dynamic' is of particular resonance because it somehow, in its descriptive and emotive qualities, describes that ephemeral moment shared. Here there is a clear shift, this shift includes both verbal reflections, energetic reflections and silent reflections. It is a powerful space where fewer words are needed, but rather an acute attunement to self, space, the artwork and other. This creates a rich sphere of curiosity and discovery.

 

Within the same context, after my interaction with Nithya, I was to receive my intersubjective response offered by Colleen. Colleen prefaced her process with what had resonated with her, something I shared in my art making process, my experience with my fingers in the clay and the joy that that had bought. She then indicated that she was not a mover, however felt she wanted to respond in such a way. She took some deep breaths and performed a short sequence of movement that consisted of a few short pieces of body vocabulary.

 

This evoked such a strong connection where I truly felt heard, honoured and extended my initial experience with the clay. It also provoked a new relationship or perspective to my process. This is best when I focus on the aspect of freedom. I was made aware that all of a sudden the process of creative play and childlike exploration that I initially thought I was experiencing,  actually felt quite censored. Colleen’s movement however, captured a small quality that had resonated with her and in her ISR, she was brave enough to let this vibrate through her whole body. This excited and moved me beyond worlds.

 

She then continued this ISR into another mode, drawing. Important to the process, she showed us how she tested/explored whether she could represent my light hand interactions with the clay; as the movement of kites that fly in the air. She expressed that she wanted to find the same quality of movement through a 2D image. They were tied to this squishy core that held them. This provided an even more dynamic and strangely immersive experience that shifted this relationship of ‘self’ and ‘other’ to this relational way of existing inside the ‘shimmering dynamic.’