I’m still playing around with it : creating my play space / Viva Foster (2017)

I’m Still Playing Around With It: Creating my Play Space by Viva Rose Foster is an investigation into the role and value of play in the creative process, with the purpose of developing a unique play space that can be readily accessed and adapted in a variety of situations.

The basis of this play space has drawn inspiration from Shana Cinquemani’s idea that by not accepting known or familiar knowledge as the single form of truth, a space is created that has the capacity to stretch boundaries and bend rules. This space fosters new discoveries and insight by provoking us to re/think what we understand and how we see the world.

I used Practice as Research to explore my personal relationship to play, which helped me realise elements and tools that are especially relevant to me in order to design, enter and utilise my play space. I found that these components often depend on or influence each other and include; curiosity, imagination, pretend play, habit, combinatory play and the process of incubation. I found different aspects of mindfulness particularly important, and emphasised the significance of play’s paradoxical nature within my space.

My findings were shared in an informal workshop, which offered participants the opportunity to interact with my play space and physically experience the relationship between play, creativity and process. Just as I am a living being my play space is an evolving entity, therefore it is my intention to continue developing it, with the aim that it may be used in the future to help others explore their individual sense of play. Above all, I hope this research may stir playfulness within its readers.