London 15/11/99

M40 ......... a proposition
A few thoughts that go around my mind concerning our recent talks - M40 / Sarajevo etc... which I would like to bounce off your ears/eyes. As I understand from your letter to Albrecht and Stefan, you plan to put in a proposition to Mrs. Georgia Ward by the end of this year for a 'piece' starting next summer. The way it looks like at the moment you are proposing several events that take place within the space of the trust over a period in which you will invite other artist and friends to collaborate with you in your set context. I told you that I am interested to do another video and maybe this is an opportunity for me to do so in colaboration with you. I am interested in the process leading up to your proposal and the events themselves. My proposal to you is to use this time and develop a rigorous line of thought using film and text similar as to what you have seen in my Sarajevo project. An overlay of several positions through a narrative and images over time. This could help to set the context of your 'on site involvement.' The dialogue between the positions (letters / meetings/ thoughts) can create the narrative and set the way in which we observe and encounter the 'M40'. In my view the positions are: • The M40 - The trust - the present condition (Including oral-archive/graffiti group/ Spanish community/ history group/ skate -boards/ ...) • The 'Office' Yourself / Albrecht / Stephan • Myself, my view of things as an architect (if you want) in dialogue with you. Though I know most of your work only through your verbal description I am intrigued by some of the images I have of it in my mind. It would be very nice for me to see your work. I like the temporary-ness of your involvement and the direct action (1:1 engagement) and the way in which you try to engage with people. However I feel that your position is not so clear yet,. What exactly you are after doesn't seem to be clearly articulated and is still floating a bit. Maybe the process of making the video could be a vehicle for you to think about what exactly you want to achieve and do in the context of the M40. Develop a position and start asking questions. Your motivations, doubts and desires. Personally and as a group. Overlaid onto the M40. Maybe than the 'piece' which will take place in the summer is much more to the point and is a test of your ideas. Your letter to Albrecht and Stephan already poses a few interesting questions and is probably a good starting point. I think the questions can be much more penetrating and the references more personal. Another thing that sticks out from the letter is that the process so far seems very linear. The film / video could be open to important deviations (maybe into colour). Ideally the film / video could be a collection of the relevant questions (positions) to be asked about the M40 and us as people trying to introduce change. It shouldn't be longer than 20 minutes I think. I would like us to work out a proposal for this video that we (you & me) can hand in to Mrs Ward and to your 'office', parallel to, or as part of the main proposal. It would also be important to get funding for the video in order to ensure an acceptable quality. (I found out the other day that if I had access to a digital video camera I could produce nearly broadcasting quality on my computer. ) I hope what I am suggesting makes sense to you and the words are not to big. I am looking forward to yur response. I hope Germany was successful and your are back in good spirit. talk to you soon

Andreas Lang