TRANScribe Martyn James Garside.

Can you tell me a little bit about the work that you are bringing to Buzzcut?

TRANScribe.
A two part mixed media interactive performance installation piece created and performed by Martyn James Garside.

Part one is performance: An exploration of identity stimulated by self, him, her, you and I created by movement, song, text and objects.

Part two invites the viewers of the scene  into the space to leave behind their own forensic notes culminating in accounts to be shared and remembered in your own words based on your own experience upon reflection, transforming you as a Spectator to express and explain the then and now of such events witnessed.

What did you see? What will you see? What will you remember? What will you forget? How did you feel? How will you feel?
As we move forward over time what will you leave behind as evidence.


What is it about Buzzcut that attracted you to perform as part of it?
I was approached by some people who after viewing my first and last installation  i had performed in Edinburgh that I should apply. As i am somewhat new to Scotland and a newer artist (as dance is my background) I had to check it out the next day online. 

I was immediately attracted by the openness of the application, the progressiveness of past artists who have taken part, the inclusiveness of audience and the scale that allows 60 artists over 5 days to come together to work, share and create... I found this inspiring and exciting.

Do you see your work within any tradition - and are there any artists (performance and beyond) whom you regard as a peer or an influence?
My work is Multi-disciplinary and somewhat hard to pin down. I have been influenced by so many people and places over the years especially during the 7 years i spent in San Francisco getting the chance to see much queer performance art. 

For this piece i suppose i have been inspired by close friends such as Jean Franko, Rumi Missabu (from the cockettes) as well as drag artists of past such as Jose Sarria who used drag to stand up for gay rights, they challenge perception and identity and in turn push me to see and show my whole authentic self... plus a sprinkle of glitter, drama, nudity perhaps to entice and find some humour and sound in what i want to say.

How 'typical' is this work compared to other pieces that you have made? Did the process follow a familiar or new pattern?
I am new to this game although I have always created in my home and act out when alone. I can walk around town and plan 10 works in my head at one time. No i do not follow a pattern but i love using art as a means to say something powerful, reveal something intimate about self, find something funny in the shit and hopefully connect people.

Buzzcut is concerned with the idea of 'community'. Does community have a special meaning for you, and what relationship do you feel your work has within wider communities?
My installation involves audience participation and i want to do this so the viewers can share, speak and explain how they feet, what they see and what they think happened as a way to open up idea and discussion after the performance is over. To challenge the viewers participation reflects the  challenges of communities to open up and discuss rather then the much easier version of to judge.

What are you hoping that the audience will experience?
An intimate viewing experience and portrayal of a man, woman, boy told through song, script, dance, installation.

Are there any strategies which you used to direct the audience experience towards this?
Yes. My performance is made in 5 parts, each part will be visible by 10 people at a time so in total 50 people will see bits and pieces of one durational performance encouraging them by the end to share and story tell amongst each other what they witnessed in order to know more.

What is it about performance that enticed you - and kept you making it?
I love performance. I love seeing somebody else in performance and feeling like i have just witnessed a side of them and feel grateful and inspired by this intimacy and in return i like to challenge myself to reveal who i am and how i think and feel, this can be scary and i totally enjoy that.

Are there any questions you feel that I ought to ask to understand how dramaturgy works for you?
Dramaturgy is such an open word, I still do not understand it myself.