These sketches illustrate our ideas for realisation. Using this, we began the process of making by gathering the materials we planned on using. This plan includes details for the inside of the booth, which we decided was not a priority given our time scale and budget.

Curtains

To abstract the confessor we decided to make curtains. We wanted to make them for both sides of the booth. For the listening side we chose white lace, symbolising purity and minor abstraction. For the confessional side we chose dark red with one panel of gold lace, this promotes anonymity but still reveals.

Completed curtains

Photographs

To print photographs onto the booth, we used a method Sonny frequently uses in their practice, acetone prints. This technique uses printed images on regular paper and acetone to transfer them onto the material. Sonny instructed me how to do this, and we covered two of the boards; hands and ears.

The bottom right of this image shows where the print did not work so well. It took some trial and error to find what colours work with the material.

For the side that the confessions take place we pasted the written score. This both encourages audible confessions and shows where to do them.

The back of the confession side of the booth is inspired by club bathrooms. Graffiti and stickers cover the board, some random some cryptic.

All boards completed.

Constructing the installation

Once all our materials were prepared, we gathered all the tools that might be of use and went to the temporary location of the installation. We chose to construct the booth in a local park, which isn’t typically busy, and we installed the work in the back of the park as we wanted to be out of the way of anyone wanting to use the park.

When it came to constructing the booth, we ran into some issues. The wood used was extremely thin and flimsy. We did not take this into account when planning the construction of the booth, and felt stuck as to how we would be able to install the work, especially as we were already at the location. We used an ad hoc problem-solving method, which is a purpose-specific solution done in a makeshift manner. We used a tree in the park as a structure to build around, attaching the walls of the booth to the tree using fishing wire and ribbon. Considering the circumstances, our solution is adequate, though less visually representative of the structure of a confessional booth; thematically, it still works.

Materials

Wood, nails, acetone print, paper, textiles, fishing wire, ribbon.