by Peyvand Sadeghian

Chronos time: that official system we use to manage our activities. Kairos time: often unexpected, those opportune moments that need to be seized when they arise. I’ve been trying to navigate between these two worlds the past few days. Sometimes they converge conveniently, other times there’s more of a struggle, and it’s not always in our control.

It’s been a few days of settling into the rhythms of the group using Open Space. We’ve taken part in masterclasses, peer practice exchange sessions, taken ourselves off to work on our individual needs. From masks, to marketing, to where goodbyes are felt in our body, the days so far have flitted between impulsive play, to cerebral in-depth discussions.

It’s somewhere in the overlaps between the body, mind, kairos and chronos that the creative work happens. Too much chronos time breeds a fixation on the boundaries not always helpful to creativity. If I’m ‘on a roll’ the interruption is unwelcome — or I’d have to drop every idea that pops into my head whilst brushing my teeth, as it’s not my designated creative time. With kairos time however, I could play for days. I love it, and great moments come from it, but at some point I need to know what it is I’m working towards. Likewise, in depth discussions and fleshing out ideas can be fascinating and necessary, but all this pontification purely on kairos can lead to inaction. Kairos time by itself can become a space of indulgent procrastination.

I’m finding it to be a delicate balance. Ideas need time to breathe and process, but setting limits can also kick start the creative impulses give aim towards goals. I’m frequently resisting critical self-judgement on what I’ve ‘done’, but have also been struck with sparks of inspiration at unexpected moments because I’ve given my brain a chance to process. The combination of Open Space and generosity of the other artists in the group in their offers of skills and insights has left my mind feeling like it’s rewiring itself. New ways of working, and new connections being built are leading to fresh, unforeseen ideas that I am excited to pursue.

---

IMAGE: Participants in Tuesday’s masterclass on Ensemble Movement, with Complicite associate artist Eric Mallett. Photo by Anne Rene Brashier.