http://artandaesthetics.wordpress.com/2006/05/06/an-analysis-of-an-institutional-analysis-of-art/

‘Lincoln by M.R. Lambert M.A and M.S Sprague M.A, printed in Great Britain for Basil Blackwell and Mott Ltd by the kemp hall press Ltd

We began at 5pm to get prepared and to also prepare the stairs. As I looked at us all stood at the bottom of the stairs in our grey uniforms I began feeling as though we had committed a crime. This obviously was not the case but made me very focused in knowing what we were trying to achieve. Just walking up the stairs to sweep off the broken glass that had got there from beer bottles as some drunk walked up or down the stairs taking there path through what may have been pain or anger I had a sense of redemption myself. If I did this would my sins be forgiven too?

As we stood at the bottom of the stairs in silence with our placards, I looked up at the stairs and realised each and every step I will take over the next fours will lead to a pain that I can not anticipate. However the cold concrete against the bottom of my feet got me thinking that as the night wears on it could be the floor and the steps them selves as objects that create more pain.

We started by going up one by one, knowing that at different paces over four hours we will end up over taking each other at some point.  After the first had gone up two of the separated flights of stairs the next one began. I was last to go and as it whittled down to just myself at the bottom suddenly the traffic stopped and all that could be hidden was the wind and the ticking seconds on the clock. Each second could represent a step at this moment in time.

The longer time went on it became more of a mind game than a physical game. I decided to try and think of other ways of using the stairs to go  up and down them. Putting more emphasis in each step, following the cracks in the path to take you up a slightly different route and to walk up sidewards seemed to help the pain and also become interesting.

2 to 3 hours was the hardest hour throughout. Every time I got to the bottom the clock seemed to be going backwards. My feet were numb because of the cold concrete between 8 and 9pm. My legs were shaking like a tub of jelly and I was finding it harder to come down the stairs than I was to go up. The cold had even spread to my ankles as they were becoming numb. On top of this I was becoming hungry and my mind was thinking of food.

Knowing I was going into the last half hour seemed to spur me on to do it with more purpose and quicker with more energy. What I had been thinking about for last hour and a half had become non existent again. My feet were the worst feeling at the moment, the pain was unbelievable and I was feeling every bump, curve and stone. The worst part was though as you dragged your bare heel down the front of a step as you walk down due to tiredness and lack of concentration.

As it got to the last 2 minutes I was at the bottom of the stairs, could I do one more? I ran. Each step hurt, and as the chimes began to strike for 10pm I was almost down and in my head I began counting them. The last chime struck and in a mixture of tiredness, pain, and relief I collapsed to the floor. Interestingly it was the floor that had caused me most pain with the coldness yet I felt most comfort from the floor at the end.

I was very proud of being able to experience the piece that we put together. Many people would see that pointless and many people would dismiss the idea of walking up and down a set  of stairs for four hours outside in barefoot, however we didn’t. We challenged ourselves through both body and mind and we achieved what we set out to do. We went up and down the steps as a group 362 times in four hours.

We have left the canvas’ blank for now until we are one hundred percent sure on what we are wanting to put on them. We met as a group and discussed what we could put on the boards.

What we have is:

- “A step can be agony yet has no feeling” – a step meaning both an action and an object which we made up.

- The most suitable form of penance seems to be that which causes pain in the flesh but doesn’t penatrate to the bone’ – specific to our type of penance – Saint Ignatius of Loyola quotes (Spanish Writer and Journalist, 1491-1556) (relative in the sense that it’s our type of penance) 

- “Penance need not be paid in suffering” – (Pride and Humility. D Nielsons. 2008. USA. www.xulonpress.com) this is a quote which we also found quite ironic to our piece.

- 55 Stairs to redemption – this is relative to our piece and we also made this up ourselves.

- Injures may be forgiven but not forgotten (Aesop)

To generate some more potential quotes or statements we decided to go to the Lincoln Town Library to research into different words to see what we can collaborate there. We looked at the words stair, step, passage and penance. We searched through “The Oxford English Dictionary, second edition, clarendon press” volumes XVI and XI.

Looking at the word penance we found that:

“they penance thee and take thy goods away”

“pain suffering, distress, sorrow, vexation”

We now have the uniforms and I feel that they are better than first imagined. They light greyness allows any potential audience to see the sweat drip off of us as though they are looking at our tiredness and wear and tear over the hours. Interestingly the greyness also makes us look like prisoners, and with us doing a physical piece that will be very demanding it reminds me of a set of prisoners doing some community service but having the public point and judge them for their sins. Which ironically we are trying to show us repenting our sins.

Guys, just post this in over your old one. i senta cheeky email to john and he was liek change the proposal a tad. so i did but word count is the same if not a tiiiny bit less

Name: Richard Summers-Calvert, Aidan Fellis, Tom Cliff, Rob Bull, Rob Smith.

Email: Richard-calvert@hotmail.co.uk, rob_1987@msn.com, Aidan_91@live.co.uk, tom_cliff@hotmail.co.uk
Contact Phone No: 07969290827 (Rob Bull) – 07834351515 (Aidan Felis) – 07584573219 (Rob Smith) – 07413529674 (Tom Cliff)

Title of your Project: ‘The Greestone Steps’

Please describe your proposed work in no more than 50 words:

By pushing our bodies to complete physical exhaustion, we will represent the thousands of people that have walked up and down these stairs throughout the years and in the process, perform the act of ‘penance’ by walking bare foot up and down the stairs for 4 hours straight.

Tell us what you plan to do and provide a sketch of the ideas behind the work (250 words):

The ‘Greestone Stairs’ used to link the cathedral up top and the Holy Trinity down below, taking this into consideration, there would have been many religious members of the public using the stairs. This prompted the idea of religion. The idea that an inanimate step doesn’t feel pain but a physical step does, promoted the idea of suffering. As the stairs seem to have ‘suffered’ on the edges rather than down the centre of the stairs, we decided to step heavily on the areas that have been more worn over the years, representing the amount of times the public have stepped on them. Linking this with religion, we decided to rein act the action of penance. We decided to get matching outfits after reading about ‘Uniform Penance’, these would help show that we are all performing the same act and to allow the sweat to be more visible. To aid our audience in understanding our performance, we wrote on large placards, quotes on suffering and steps. To add to the suffering we held these signs in different positions to tire out our upper body as well. To keep track and emphasise how much effort we have put in, we will mark on a tally chart at the bottom of the stairs every time we climb the flight both up and down, once.
Tell us about your target audience, and how your work will interact with them (150 words):

Our audience will be small, as the meaning of penance is a personal one, with the only person that needs to witness the act of penance is ’God’, therefore, a smaller audience will create an isolated, solitary feel to the performance. The idea that the general public will be walking up and down the stairs is a great audience as it continues to add to the amount of people that have used the stairs and it will coincide with our ‘journey’, this also creates more of a ‘full’ or ‘busy’ image. The passers by will naturally wander what we’re doing and therefore look at the tally chart at the bottom of the stairs. Although they may not know it’s a drama performance, they will certainly gather the effort and determination that we are putting in.

When and where do you propose to present your work (location, date and time):
Location: – The Greestone Stairs

Date:- April 2nd 2012
Time:- 6pm – 10pm

Provide a project timetable detailing key targets and actions between now and the presentation of your work. Include Permissions, Materials, Health and Safety checks where applicable (250 words):

We do not need to ask about permission as we are simply walking up and down stairs, not obstructing the public. Materials needed include: Attire, clock, placards, and permanent marker. The only Health and Safety checks needed are to sweep the stairs before the performance to remove any shattered glass, to practice so we don’t injure ourselves and to make sure there is water available if needed.

List the equipment and materials you will need to deliver your project (and how you will source them):

Materials needed include: Attire, clock, placards, and permanent marker

Give details of your project budget (though be aware that there is no Module budget so any expenses will, unfortunately, have to be borne by you alone).
Approximately £35 altogether on matching outfits and five A3 canvases.

Audience suitability: is there anything in your work we may need to make audiences aware of (eg. Swearing, nudity, flashing lights etc)?

Possibly slight religious views that may offend.

Include a brief artist’s statement that describes you and your work (100 words).

For years the ‘Greestone Stairs’ have had to deal with the wear and tear of everyday usage by thousands of people. Now we are taking it upon ourselves to portray the amount of times these stairs have been stepped on. By linking in the history of the stairs’ surroundings, we are bringing in a slight religious factor by classing our performance as ‘penance’. To express how worn these stairs are, we will put our bodies on the line to see how physically exhausted we become after a mere 4 hours, compared to the many years the ‘Greestone Stairs’ have had to deal with.