Beth is the cook for the meal served later on tonight - staff take turns each night to prepare and cook the meal - tonight its potatoes, corn meat, and beans.
I say I am interested in what play is, to a play worker, she says
“Play Is Charlie Chaplin!”
I find myself almost immediately playing football with several children, gradually the numbers of players increase. The team I am playing for come back from 6 – 0 to 6 – 6, and it looks like we might take the lead, but the game goes to 11 – 8, when the game stops as food is being served. Walking to the kitchen, a boy watches a video game, balancing himself on the back of a chair holding a large 'Where The Wild Things Are' toy.
Another playworker and I talk about children playing, I suggest creativity is adults playing, he says those adults who are creative are probably doing OK. I talk also about an exhibition I am participating in next year focusing on the theme of Play, and for this I will be writing a series of slogans that will be placed inside, and outside the gallery. The slogans will be invitations to perform playful acts i.e. ‘Thrash A Puddle With A Stick’ and I am wondering if the children here might devise the slogans, which I will then produce in a sophisticated handwritten style.
I put out the yellow sticks with my photographs on again, tonight they remain unfound, and I will gather them in before I leave.
The meal is enjoyed by children and staff. One boy lines up for more, and is disappointed when told “it’s all gone.”
I return outside to play football with two brothers. I tell them I will be at the playground on Wednesdays and Saturdays, they ask what I do when I am not there. I say I work with lots of people to make art. They say, “You’re an artist? draw a picture, to convince us you are one !” I reply “Right now, I’m trying to convince you I can play football!”
by now the playground is dark. The lights illuminate the play structures, the playground looks like a stage, or film set.
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