Chris Bird-Jones

I had a ten year collaborative practise with film-maker Karen Heald - we are collectively known as Bird-Jones & Heald; More recently I collaborated with photographer Malcolm Glover who accompanied me on a glass research visit to Firozabad, Utter Pradesh, India; And even more recent has been my collaboration with sound-artist Paul Hazel

Shaman Tearoom

In fact, Shaman Tearoom was formed after our first collaboration project which took place in early 2020, right before the pandemic. Collaboration is quite a common practice for both of us as an individual artist/musician.

After forming Shaman Tearoom, we were engaged to produce works for exhibition and online art events. The first collaborative project for Shaman Tearoom was actually the short (dance) video we produced for London Festival of Architecture 2021, followed by Open Books Project. 

Chris Bird-Jones

Yes, I think this is easy for me to connect and sense time of day difference because I remember being in KL and connecting with people then in UK - so I am aware when we speak that their end of day is my beginning. Don't really dwell on it though.... I think we are aware of the rotation of time and this week we spoke about it, maybe because of your questions..... my hanging silver spoon is a silent presence, just being in my space and you can see it in the zoom recordings...

Shaman Tearoom

We definitely felt the differences through the diverse energy-the morning and evening vibe, and also the colour of the sunlight, or perhaps the different seasons gave out different colours of the sunlight as well.

Whilst waiting for the call, what typically happens? Do you get nervous and is there a set routine?

Chris Bird-Jones

I have set up a corner of a room with a table, silver candlestick and flowers from a plant called Ladies Mantle to film for our project. I leave it being there ready, with camera on tripod, for the next time to film.

Shaman Tearoom

One of the video works we produced was a short film in which the three of us were sitting in a tiny room and having a conversation. We tried to connect our time and space by sharing the same details such as the objects to be put on the table and passed around to each other, the intensity of the candle lights and so on. We tried to “duplicate” each other’s props. We wanted to make it look as if we really existed in the same room, but in fact, it felt more like being in a parallel universe as the filming was taking place.

Shaman Tearoom

Perhaps through empathy? We felt safe, so we reckon our collaborator would feel the same too, as we believe that we share some mutual feelings. We trust each other and we actually discussed that before.

Chris Bird-Jones

Yes it has. We have openly collaborated throughout the project finding connections and commonalities to build upon.

Shaman Tearoom

Yes, definitely. It was a child-like feeling during the creating process.

Chris Bird-Jones

Halfway through I am curious and excited to see how our pieces conclude. What tangible forms they may take. Also, how we resolve the presentation of our works.  

I am similarly curious about the other pairings. 

Shaman Tearoom

We are making two video works in which we try to make connections with each other. Besides treating them as a process of art making, we would think that it is also a way to make connections between us in this distant communication as a human being.

Chris Bird-Jones

I haven’t been defining or ensuring my ‘privacy’ within this collaboration because there has been no need for me to do so.

Shaman Tearoom

Actually we spoke quite openly, privacy is not exactly a concern within this collaboration from our point of view.

Chris Bird-Jones

No, not really. It has occupied me and in some ways, tethered me to the process. Eight weeks is a short time to meaningfully create a collaborative piece of work, especially to develop a working relationship with another artist. The weekly Zooms, wondering how it must be to be a continuing practicing artists in lockdown for Shaman Tearooms, my partners and generally being busy with the project and my own practice has not in any way been an escape!

Shaman Tearoom

The process dwelled in a duality: it nailed us down to the very reality because our interactions/conversations were very everyday life and yet the (video) works were built based on a lot of imagination in order to build that ‘physical togetherness’.

Shaman Tearoom

We did not have any pre-conceptions on what we were going to do, but whatever it is, we thought that it should be fun, explorative and could be experimental too because of the unknown possibilities from these three peculiar minds.