I did a survey at my open studios about how many visitors interacted with my Book of the Bees which I left on the table.

Research Notes- Open Studios 2019

Day 1 : Participants- 6 children, 23 adults

The Book of the Bees was left open on a table in full view of the participants entering the studio.  None of the adults touched the book.  19 of the adults looked at the presented page of the book but did not touch it.   2 of the children touched the book but did not turn the pages.

Day2 : Participants 5 children, 18 adults

When verbally asked the question “Would you like to look at my book of the Bees?” All the participants turned the pages and looked at the drawings.

Conclusion: Giving permission or in other words gifting the experience of touch to the participants meant that there was 100% participation.  Participates with in the space of the artists studio have the strong socially conditioned behaviour of not touching the art work. 

I am wondering if I put the Book of the Bees into an archive of books in the Growing installation will more people interact with the book with out being given instructions? How do I can I make the book an interactive artwork?

I went to an exhibition by Shiota last year in the chapel at the Yorkshire sculpture park. She left books for the audience to read in the pews in the upstairs gallery. They were books she had a connection too. It was great to sit and look at her installation and browse her books. It was where I found Silence by Erling Kagge that I used to help me describe Deluze’s smooth space.