Accentuate

There is a certain stigma attached to the word ‘gun’, for those of us brought up with a little knowledge who see it from and alternative side (I used to shoot )the thoughts are more of the misunderstandings by others and attitudes imposed without thought and as a person with a hidden disability we all know what that is like. Shooting is certainly not just about killing anything. – do people put that connotation on archery for example?. Its interesting to me that people don’t look below the surface on the skills level – they just assume guns hurt people which like anything (including words) in the wrong hands can cause harm. People hurt people.

I am not of the ‘hunting shooting fishing brigade’, I just know and appreciate the level of skill and dedication of training it takes to hold still enough to put a pellet through a 1mm target centre at 10 meters so I was pleased to be asked to attend the IPC Shooting World Cup which Accentuate had helped to sponsor.

As it was an early start the next day I chose to stay the night before as Stoke Mandeville is not an easy train journey in the morning. Heading up from Portsmouth on a near empty train at 4pm left me thinking about my ‘sporting life’. Not a very illustrious one, never good at running, jumping or swimming but I could throw things. The Javelin and shooting seemed to be as far as I could go. I even shot at University, kings having the only shooting range with a curve in it as it was formally part of the Underground. This all came to a stop in the late 80’s and early 90’s where changes in the law made it increasingly difficult to own a gun or even find a place to practice so I gave it up. I do wonder if with practice I would have made something off it as when I get interested I tend to go all out for it!!

London at 5:30pm is never a good time, so the underground – the short journey was an affront to my ‘aspergers induced’ definition of personal space. Even the train out of Marylebone was fast but full so I was looking forward to getting there and after a short taxi ride I checked in to the hotel. I tend to stay in the same chain when I go away – another ‘aspie’ thing – I know what I am getting.

A quick meal of very dodgy ‘fish and chips’ and some ‘unwanted attention’ in the bar soon found me heading back to the room where I found myself drawn to a predictably ‘freakish’ article in the paper about a Chinese paraplegic pig and news of the unveiling earlier that day of a sculpture of Ronnie Barker. Dismayed by the images offen used to portray anything different I enveloped myself in Hot water with Irish coffee and soon summoned Sleep……..FAB

The next day, after arming myself with a reasonably complete breakfast and a taxi journey with a driver of dubious personal hygene, I found myself at Stoke Mandeville ahead of time. The shooting had started and I was asked if I would like to sit in and observe. As it was indoors ‘competition order’ was ‘decided’ using air weapons which meant the only sounds were the slight crack and instantaneous ‘clang’ of the pellet hitting the metal backstop. (I immediately felt I had to gather and started to record snippets of the sound)

The targets were all digitally monitored and displayed on the big screen (very high tech) which slightly distorted the appreciation of how small they were in reality. Each shot showed as a circle superimposed and layered on top or each previous one building quite complex patterns. This immediately triggered of some ideas for artwork again and I soon found I had some sketches in my pocket that I would take from this to complete later. As more guests were arriving we were shown up to the balcony for a wider panoramic view and conversations. Then after all had arrived we had a some welcoming words and were split into several different teams to be toured round the ‘ins and outs’ of competitive shooting – and then there were the rules….. As a person with Aspergers I like rules – what appeals to me is not just the feeling of ‘safety within a boundary’ – but when you know the rules - you know where you can push and break them. This is also the stage where ‘disability’ sports and ‘disability’ arts come apart in a disconformity that also unites the two as opposite ends of a spectrum.

I will explain: with the arts, well at least as far as I am concerned its an advanced ‘social model’ all the way but by necessity with the sports it’s a ‘medical model’ - but it seems to work, rather it has too. What I found interesting was that every stage, person and item is subject to rules and proofs – some multiply so as we were guided round backstage this became very apparent. (Also the level of skill and dedication common within all sports also became obvious too the deeper we looked.) Not only does the gun have to ‘conform’ to sizes, weights, shapes and lengths and power but so does the clothing in minute details. Centimetres, millimetres and grams count and ‘overlaps’ can make a difference. And then there is the ‘person’ – and this is where it’s diametrically opposite to how we as ‘neu artists’ in the disability cultural scene think. You have to ‘prove’ a physical disability and conform to a rule book several centimetres thick of ‘what is wrong with you’ and its all prescriptive and defined in detail. Interestingly despite all the rules regulations and definitions it still come s down to someone’s subjective judgement whether you are a ‘category S1 or S2! In the end.

I personally wouldn’t qualify to shoot as a disabled person – I never thought I would hear myself say this but I am not disabled enough and was told ‘would have to compete against normal shooters’ when I expressed an interest. (not my words I hasten to add!!!) Everything we think of and hold dear in this ‘Nueuworld’ of deaf and disabled artistry with regards to the ‘person and their work that counts not being defined by what’s wrong with you’ rapidly went out the window. But more shockingly I agree It has to be like that. Its this difference between arts and ‘paralympic sports’ that provides us with a commonality to work together as when you scratch beneath the surface you find we are all just people who try to the utmost of our being to do and be the best and to overcome the barriers others or ‘nature’ sets in front of us. Sometimes the opposites do attract.

The tours over all too quickly and after more conversations over lunch it was time to leave. This day left me deep in though on the train ride back in to London and somewhat determined to see what could be cross pollinated from the sports to the arts. There is certainly a need for discernable leadership and self dedication that’s common to both. You can’t drift even as a member of a team as the responsibility for ‘competing’ - taking part in a ‘team’ effort is down to you. To be the best or make a change takes time, effort sometimes above and beyond the ‘norm’ and can feel like endlessly swimming against the tide. But lasting change or recognition for your leadership as a prize has to be worth it but it can only be done in a measured and comparative way and with ‘quality of substance’ discernibly underpinning throughout.

Looking back as I write I feel that I learnt some valuable lessons. Not only was the event quality it was high quality, both in the presentation it gave to us and in the way it seemed to be run. I was very impressed. Inspired by conversations, thoughts and sights. (This was a totally fascinating hour and the lessons learnt and revelations will feed into th ‘look about’ map and film – more on which another time.)