Taking dough (not bread!) as our material we will be exploring the indissoluble relationship between mind, body and environment, investigating what it means to be in the world of objects/stuff/things, and how the materials around us affect and influence our bodies, behaviour, status and emotions. This experimental day with live dough aims to challenge us and the materials, exploring unique collaborations between dough and participants, taking on the breadth of interactions and knowledge this experience can generate.

Newbridge Project, Newcastle 23rd May, 2018

We will mix up 40 bags (1.5 kg each) of strong white flour into a dough. Mixing in batches of 4 bags at a time we will work together in the measuring of ingredients, mixing and kneading of the dough. Once we have proven the batches of dough to maximum expansion we will then work as a group to bring the dough together and explore its materiality…

What is dough capable of?

What are its limits?

Explore different ways of manipulating the dough individually.

Join your dough with another person's dough.

Take time to observe, handle, smell….

Try making into a long sausage shape without it touching the ground.

How far can it stretch?

How thin can it go?

How does it feel - weight, gravity pull, temperature...

Spread over a large area.

Can we get inside it?

Participants will also bring stuff… to use with the dough, such as other materials - objects and raw matter. Eg everyday objects, plaster, cement etc.