Because people listen with their eyes

I've come to the end of the brief set by Why Not Associates. It's been a nice one, and I'm pretty pleased with how it's turned out (after a few twists and turns). The task was to meet someone you didn't know, ask them questions, and turn the results in to a poster and publication of some description.

I spoke to Spleeny, a busker who lives opposite me but I'd never had a conversation with. He was fascinating. One thing he said that stuck out to me was that "people listen with their eyes". People judge on appearances before listening to his music or what he has to say, and it seemed that he felt a distinct separation between him and others. He said that his guitar becomes a shield against verbal abuse, and when he goes in the reverie of just playing his guitar, he feels in a different reality to those throwing abuse at him. From this and a number of other things he said, I felt that bubbles were an apt form of representation.

The poster and book both document the interview with Spleeny. Throughout the book, bubbles printed on tracing paper placed between my questions and Spleeny's answers gradually decrease, as I learn more about him and my preconceived ideas fade.

One thing left to do is create a screenprinted version of the poster, to fit the brief's specifications (been a few hiccups getting screens made up and getting in to the print room due to the snow!), and then it's ready to present to Why Not the week after next!