Leamington Spa Visit

On Friday I got the train to Leamington Spa - a place I had never been before. I realised I had not been on the train for a while, and so really enjoyed the journey - and found myself reading a really interesting essay in The City Cultures reader, talking about the inbetween space of train travel - limboland. Something I have thought about before, and so I was pleased to find de Certeau had written critically on the subject.
I was on my way to a meeting with Nadia Wazera who works at the Royal Pump Rooms - Art gallery. They approached me last year to ask if I would do a mapping/experimental geography event as part of the Hayward Touring Curatorial Open show; Ground Level which opens this month. I was really keen to be involved, as there are some really inspirational people in the show - in particular Stephen Willats, whose work has been very important to my approach over the past few years.I decided to just get off the train and attempt to find my way to the gallery instinctively = trying to employ some of the experimental geography techniques I might use in the event. I was thinking of trying to 'feel' my way to the gallery - following a route which felt most likely to be the right one.Using this method I saw a lot of interesting architecture, but soon found myself back at the train station again, so decided to use the GPS on my phone to get me where I needed to be.I soon found the gallery and explored the streets nearby to familiarise myself with the locality - ready for my event. The event centres around the idea of negotiating a place in a new way - looking, thinking and moving differently through space. The people who come on the event will be equipped with binoculars and cameras, and will be encouraged to look up at features on buildings, and look down at patterns on floors and generally to walk about with eyes wide open, to collect the rhythms and secrets of the place.
We will aim to collect evidence of human engagement with the environment (as here with the sticker) and then represent all that we have collected in alternative travel posters of Leamington, which are almost microscopic in approach, as opposed to the more usual 'landscape' approach.
We will create the posters using collage and also decoupage, and these will be displayed in the Gallery.
My conversation with Nadia was very interesting, as we discussed our involvements in artist led spaces in our respective cities - Nadia is part of Artspace Coventry, and I am part of AirSpace Stoke-on-Trent.
We hope to arrange reciprocal visits to see how we are structured and organised in the near future, which should be very interesting.

Proposal

Just been working on a proposal for a show being organised by Pat Wilson for the Margate Harbour Arm Gallery which is due to coincide with the opening of Turner Contemporary.
I am keen to be in Margate for the opening and see how the space and art scene in Margate has developed since I went on my research trip there back in 2008 read about that here.
For this piece I am thinking about the limitations of typographic emoticons in displaying real human emotion. Above is a sketch for my proposal.

UPDATE: Selected! so watch this space for the actual work...

Paris Correspondence School Exhibition

On Friday we popped over to Birmingham to Trove, the old science museum gallery run by curator Charlie Levine.It was the opening of the Paris Correspondence School project exhibition. Back in the summer Charlie got in touch to ask if I would design a postcard for the project. She was going to Paris and wanted to make interventions with the postcards (designed by 16 selected artists.) I liked the idea of revisiting one of the projects I did in 1998. See this post from earlier for details of stage one and then this one for stage two.
We all got a pack of the 16 and a load of addresses of all the artists involved and then had to doctor the cards and send them to each other.I was interested to see how Charlie would display the postcards altogether. I really like what she did. Each set which an artist had doctored and posted off were displayed together in a line, sandwiched between perspex. The space was looking grand, and has had a new door since I was last there.
Here is one of my ones, which has been doctored by someone else. I like Come dine with me, and was thinking this one must be their ideal dinner party list.
The show will be going down to Minni Weisz studio in London for an exhibition in February, which is good news. Thanks for asking me Charlie, it was a lovely distraction for the summer, and great to see it develop into a show.

Quality Streets and Common Ground

This week I spoke at the Praxis/PPfC/Staffordshire University conference 'Consequences'/ Which was looking at how practitioners can have an impact through participatory works - and how the activity can lead to change.
I was talking about how the Community research project Quality streets, which I worked on at the end of 2009 to mid 2010 led to the commissioning of 'Common Ground' the public art project which I project managed in June 2010.Quality Streets involved recruiting people from the communities around Hanley Park and training them in Participatory Consultation techniques (I was one of the trainers). They then carried out research in many settings; youth groups, children's centres, events, resident's association meetings.The aim was to find out what people like and don't like about living and working in the areas around Hanley Park, and to find out what changes people would like to see made, and in preparation for the predicted difficult times; to ensure that service providers were equipped with the knowledge of where people would like to see resources targeted. The project was funded in partnership between the council, the police, renew, staffordshire universaity and the safer city partnership.
The research told us a lot about the area, but in particular, people told us that they love Hanley Park, but do not always feel safe there. They said they would like to see the park renovated, and would like to see more events and activities happening in the park.
As a result of the Quality Street project Targeted Support Finding of £10, 000 was secured.
£5,000 was earmarked for further research in the park to be delivered by Groundwork, and the remaining £5,000 was offered to me, to organise an event in the park.
I spoke to the other AirSpace Studio artists, and we decided it would be great if this was our yearly studio artist's show - but we decided that we would also put out a call, to involve other artists; and I was also keen to involve students as well.We decided to aim for 20 projects, paying a commission to each artist. We decided that 2 of the commissions should be for students from the University, and we also decided to reserve £1,000 of the funding in order to create a publication.In the end the event involved 18 artists, delivering 20 projects, we had the support of 10 fantastic volunteers, and had a fabulous weekend in Hanley Park.
Artist Behjat Omer Abdulla kindly offered to make a documentary video of the weekend, and I believe it is a wonderful document, showing the magic that was Common Ground.
Many thanks to Behjat and all the other volunteers who made the weekend a success. The park was a vibrant, exciting place for play for the weekend.

Common Ground from Behjat Omer ABDULLA on Vimeo.

There will be a publication which documents the project will come out next month, and Behjat's video will be inside.

For us the project was a proposition for what could be done for this beautiful Victorian Park, it could become a sculpture park, and a gateway from Stoke-on-Trent station up to the city centre. We have set out this proposal within the publication, and will be sending it to key people in the city; and in particular, those that will be putting together a Heritage Lottery Bid to renovate the park.

Thanks to Tony Jones for the photographs on this post.

Should artists clean windows for money?

Today I began a conversation with Rich White.
As the cuts to art funding begin to have massive impacts on the arts, lots of companies, groups and spaces are being forced to close down. Artists will feel the cuts from many sides; companies that previously employed me as a freelance artist have had some of, and in some cases all of their funding cut. Some have had to close their doors. Some of the projects which I thought were in the pipeline did not get their one off arts council funding and so have not gone ahead. Additionally, many artists are employed in education settings, and major cuts to H.E. establishments are having a knock-on effect as the number of hours available for freelance Lecturers dry up. This means paid work for artists is disappearing from all sides.
I struck really lucky in the summer, and secured (what I hope is) a permanent position at a University as a Lecturer in Fine Art, and though I do worry about how I will manage to keep my practice going, I feel that it was very good timing.
I worry about how other artists I know, who do not have secure positions like mine, will survive.
One artist whose work, and approach I particularly admire, Rich White, recently put out a call and email, asking if anyone out there has any freelance work for someone of his skills.
On facebook it purely said:
Rich White:

is back and looking for work. Anyone have any jobs for me?

Funnily enough I had meant to get in touch with Rich anyway, about an event I want to put on in Stoke. The event would be called 'Modes of Practice in an Age of Austerity' - and I wanted to invite Rich (as the idea and title come as a result of the piece he delivered at the Interrogation conference - State of Practice - click here for piece) and Emily Speed (whose A-N blog on 'Getting Paid' is also a major inspiration) I have invited them to come and give a talk, with focus on professionalism, and also on a sort of a code of ethics; - it could be tempting during these times to accept less than fairly paid 'opportunities', and for commissioners to start to exploit artists. I have noticed even more 'exhibition opportunities' than ever asking for a submission fee; and though I understand that spaces are strapped for cash, I am not sure that they should be passing on the costs to the artists whose work they ultimately rely on to keep their programmes afloat. I don't know what the answer is, but we need to discuss it.
The event will involve the two presentations by Emily and Rich, and then a 'manifesto' writing exercise - working with the artists that are there to write our own code of practice/manifesto, to guide us through these tough times, and to help support each other - which brings me back to Rich's call.
I think it shows a very enterprising mind to let people know that you are available, and it got me thinking...
During these times, how do we as artists ensure that we don't get exploited? How do we negotiate with commissioners? How do we stick to our guns even when there is much needed cash on the table?
In order to instigate a conversation around these themes in the run up to the event I decided to make Rich an offer:
I said:

Rich, in response to your message asking if anyone has any jobs for you, I seriously want to offer you the job of cleaning my windows.
I live in a small terraced house in Stoke-on-Trent. I have basically seven windows, although some of them have four panes of glass. I can supply soap, ladder, bucket, squegee and sponge.
What do you thin...k?
I am interested in exploring with you the possibilities offered by the times we are in, money is tight all round, so what does this mean for artists and art commissioners?

I will wait and see where all this might lead...check back here for Rich's response...
Rich has answered my message today (11/1/11)...
He has taken care to make sure he covers a number of issues which this proposition raises within his response.
Rich White:

I've been trying to decide on what my first question should be as I realise that the question I ask would indicate an initial priority (which is something I want to avoid straight away).
So, my questions are (in no particular order):
- Are yo...u proposing that the window cleaning is a kind of Beuysian Social Sculpture happening?
- If we don't already believe it, can we convince ourselves (and others) that this would be an artwork?
- Are you aware that you could get someone from Stoke to do it much cheaper and sooner?
- How much are you offering?
and someone called Rob White (Rich's brother?) has also added:
Salary £40k pa + Benefits: Free Overalls Provided.
So, the conversation is on!
Now how to respond?
I said:

Glad to hear yo...u have no initial priorities, or at least do not wish them to be overt at this stage.
In response to your questions, in no particular order
- I wouldn't like to propose that the window cleaning is a kind of Beuysian Social Sculpture happening yet, as in many ways I think that may be determined by the process of this conversation. I do think myself that any everyday activity can become artwork, depending on the way it is framed and the artists intention.
- I think I already believe that the window cleaning is an artwork, but wonder what other conditions would be necessary to convince others of the same. Could this be something to do with the process of cleaning the windows, how the cleaning of the windows is documented, or perhaps how both you and I approach the activity?
- I could get someone from Stoke to clean my windows and it would probably be achieved sooner and be cheaper, but it was you that asked if anyone had a job for you - and I like your work, so I thought, if I can afford to get you to clean my windows (which do need cleaning) then it would be sort of like killing two birds with one stone. I have also been thinking about the act of commissioning artists, or providing artists with 'opportunities.' Many of the 'opportunities' that are being advertised lately don't really look much like the sort of thing that anyone would want to do - not trying to put you off the windows - but I suppose it is a question of thinking what makes us choose to go for something, or what puts us off.
- How much would you charge? How much seems reasonable for this activity? What would persuade you that it is a good idea?
....
Rich said:

- I think keeping our conceptual options open is good. I agree that everyday activities can be artworks, what I am unsure of is whether such a work fits in with my current practice. Would it be too much of a shift from my current direction...? Not that that is necessarily a problem. Many artists make very diverse works, whilst others stick to a very rigid path. I don't consider myself a 'rigid path' artist, however I like development and progression, and seeing a story of work evolve. I fear that suddenly 'performing' a window cleaning (if that's what this leads to) would appear odd amongst my other work. Basically, is it 'me'? And if it isn't, can it be made 'mine'? Which leads us into the second section...
- Conditions: I'm always wary of art that seems fitted into something for the sake of it. I remember back at university seeing a bunch of students wandering around with sketchbooks looking for some kind of inspiration (I think they'd been set a task). It had just stopped raining and we were under a glass canopy that extended out from the library entrance. One of the students looked up at the glass, which had little rivulets of water trickling over it, and said 'hmmm, water on glass, what could that mean?' to which I thought 'that it's been raining?'
This is the kind of thing I try to avoid. Finding an interesting thing (the pleasant pattern of water running down a slightly tilted pane of glass) and then deciding what it could mean as an artwork. For me the reason has to come first: What is it that I want to say? Then, what is the best way to say it? So for me, being presented with cleaning windows (possibly as an artwork?) and then trying to think through what it could be about is the reverse of how I normally work. In some sense. To you the impetus seemed to come from my call for jobs and the current financial climate, so maybe you felt that the act of commissioning me to clean windows was the fitting medium to express your thoughts. In which case I'm just a material and you are the artist?
- What makes me choose an opportunity? If it is interesting and relevant, if it in some way helps me to progress or develop, if it pays properly. What puts me off? When it doesn't pay properly. Will window cleaning (however it ends up being performed or documented or enacted) be interesting, relevant and progressive?
- Day return fare to Stoke: £50
Subsistence: £15
Fee: £150
TOTAL: £215

- Hallo again Rich, I agree that suddenly performing a window cleaning, in a straight way would seem at odds with your recent works. To me, your approach seems to be to excavate local, (to the site you are working in) historical stories, and then to respond sculpturally; making a temporary intervention. There seems to be something performative about the installation of your works, due to their public sites, but am I right in thinking that this is not of primary concern to you? I do think that to simply come and clean my windows would not fit with how you work, and also I would question it as a viable art work, if that is all there was to it. So how could the cleaning of my windows be made somehow into your work if at all? That is I suppose an important concern here. What conditions would need to be introduced to create a situation where the cleaning of my windows (if that is indeed what you end up doing) could be seen as a viable part of your ongoing practice?
- You said the reason has to come first - the thing that you want to say...and then the thinking of the best way to say it comes after. For me, the thing that wants to be said is something around the value of artist's activity; paying someone adequately for their time, and for the piece of work that they do; and the idea of critiquing opportunities. You are right that the impetus to offer you this 'opportunity' came from your call for jobs - but also I suppose, thinking about my own work as an artist. There is a real blur for me within my work, and in the projects/situations which I am involved in or set up as to what is my work, and what is project management or curation. I have also noticed that quite a few of the things I do involve (to varying degrees) getting other people to do things; try out new or unfamiliar ways of working, looking or walking. I think that in these cases I may provide a situation/framework or activity which creates a space for other people and artists to create something - but I do not think that means that everything they do within that becomes my work, or that I am the artist and them the materials in that situation (I am thinking about There is Beauty in the City and Interrogation for example.)
- In many ways I was most interested as a result of your call to have this conversation around how we choose to respond positively to an opportunity. I think it is interesting that you can be put off by an opportunity not paying properly, yet I know from previous conversations that not all of the opportunities that you accept are paid. The things that attract you are good pay - and here I have asked you for how much you would charge - I think that seems fair. But you also require it to help you to develop or progress as well - and this is going to be the difficulty. How do we make this relevant? I agree that it certainly needs to be. Something that I wondered: my thoughts around these sorts of things generally feed into my practice and outputs - what relationship to your physical practice does your critical thinking have (i.e. State of Practice essay). Is it purely around a personal code of ethics/way of working, or does it feed in in any other ways?
by the way...what if the window cleaning wasnt my house windows but somewhere else?
Rich has replied today: 24/01/2010 - you can also see that I am attempting to file my tax return...

Rich said:

There is a performative aspect to my installations, and this is something I have proposed in a recent application (so maybe window cleaning as an artwork is not too much of a stretch?) but my use of this aspect is as a way of developing the... work as I interact with passers-by whilst I build. The things I build are usually deliberately unusual so people are compelled to ask questions, and I'd like to use these questions to help guide the work, gauge reactions etc. Would people question a person cleaning windows? Maybe, if he was being filmed and/or continuously photographed? So that's were I have to develop the work - I don't want to just clean the windows, it has to create something as well.
I think we can probably agree that the reason for this project is the situation that artists have been faced with following the financial measures implemented by the government. I want to address these issues through my work - as I discussed in 'State Of Practice' - and make works which draw attention to how art and artists are (or are not) valued.
Being put off by opportunities not paying properly is a recent development - I decided last year that I shouldn't do shows for free anymore. This was in-part a small protest - a stance against the exploitation of artists. It is also about being professional, about being taken seriously.
My critical/theoretical thinking goes hand-in-hand with my practice - as I imagine it does for many artists. It guides my work. The things I think about, am interested in, and want to communicate all feed in to my practice. The more I think about the window cleaning the more it becomes part of my practice - it insinuates itself into my ideas. Maybe this what we could work with?
Whose windows do want me to clean? Are you starting a business? Or are you thinking that the location of the windows could be important?
I replied:
hallo Rich, glad to hear that the window cleaning is leaking into your thinking...
I wonder if there is a way of drawing attention to the activity that you are working on, without it having to be continually filmed/photographed? a sign which... states the rate of pay for example?

I think the windows being cleaned could be important actually.
it would be good if I could commission you to go and clean the windows of the dept for culture media and sport or something...since they say they are so strapped for cash and are slashing funding to the arts from all sides, perhaps new work for artists in the UK could involve cleaning windows after all?
Rich said 28/01/11:
I think documentation would be important, but it's not necessarily the thing that makes it a work. Signs are interesting, and a sign that states the rather confounding rate of pay could look quite intriguing.
When you mentioned cleaning the ...windows of the DCMS the first thing I thought was 'what if I paint over the windows?' Possibly in white like the old Nuclear War survival suggestion. Then I thought that clarity is what is required (not blindness) so maybe paint the windows over first - as an aggressive gesture - and then clean them afterwards, but adding some kind of poignancy to whole process? Not sure how?

and I replied 01/02/11:
I wonder how far you could get with cleaning the windows of the DCMS, let alone painting them.
I think in many ways the idea of artists(YOU) being commissioned by the private sector (ME) which is what is being called for is quite pertinent. ...The DCMS will benefit from privately funded art works as the country will still be cultural - especially if artists start to fund and support other artists, or artists accept bad/no pay and still make work - we are again making the DCMS look good out of our hard graft, without them having to invest in us. So for you to go and clean their windows would be you making them look good. by the way - the money I propose to use to pay you will come from my tax rebate.
I added on 07/02/11
by the way Rich, Glen says if you end up doing this, he would be happy to come down and document the activity - what do you think?

For the NierghtravAOnWint’sIf A Teller Publication

Simon Lewandowski has been in touch to say that there will be a publication to accompany the London project and exhibition. I have made a new text piece for it.
Also here is a bit on my thoughts which will accompany the text piece above - mainly this is taken from the previous post on here:

A Response to Anonymous Collaboration:

Before setting off for the gallery I started reading Gulliver's Travels in case that may help inform my approach - and I also paid close attention to the website to see what each other artist did in the preceding weeks.
I felt that a visual response might be required - which is something I am particularly bad at - associating notions of aesthetic with decoration.
The space looked like it was getting fuller and fuller each week - but I also felt that I would have to wait until I was confronted with the physical space before deciding what I might do, to some extent. I did wish to explore the idea that as artists we are often mistaken for 'window dressers' - and decorators, and in this window space that idea was at the forefront of my mind. I was worried that my response might end up looking like simple prettifying - so decided to directly confront that.

Around the time of the installation two things had been levelled at me which had made me think: one involved a discussion over a commission which a council wished to make for an artist to decorate some new toilets - I felt strongly that artists should not be commissioned to decorate toilets - but rather perhaps to design a concept for the toilets (being involved in the beginning, rather than as an afterthought at the end.)

The second thing that had bothered me was in regards to being described as a social activist - and being asked if I felt my practice in some way responds to a need. This is also something which I feel uncomfortable about - and wish to explore further. I do not wish to appear as some kind of philanthropist – I believe that though art can create important space for conversation, and can at times address important political debates and issues, I am also aware that my practice is ostensibly a selfish one – I do it because I want to do it, and it makes me feel good to be involved and create these discussion spaces – I do not wish to appear to be making any other claims for it.

I was able to incorporate these thoughts into the window piece - the previous week’s artists had used diamante rhinestones and glitter perhaps to make the place look cheerful and sparkly – this for me upholds the idea of making things look nice, and creates the space for conversation around window dressing. I brought similar along with me.

When I arrived at the space I was surprised by the way the window space and everything in it had looked deceptively different in photographs. The other thing that surprised me was my own reaction to the space. I had intended to move everything aside in the space - creating a pile of stuff, effectively getting back to a blank canvas - but once there and confronted with the work of other artists I suddenly felt unable to be so ruthless. I puzzled over what to do for a while, wanting to destroy the big crazy chandelier dominating the space, but instead I hardly moved or touched anything; I decorated what had been there before with glitter spray, rhinestones and bunting- and worked within the gaps that were still remaining - writing a statement on the wall about social activism.

Perhaps in response to this feeling of those that had been before and those that were to come I placed some blank pages on the wall - waiting for the next part of the conversation. I hoped someone might do something with them.

The next week’s artist did what I could not – cleared the space and almost started afresh with all the accumulated materials.

Conjunction '10 Live Art Event

The Conjunction 2010 art biennial for Stoke-on-Trent wound up on Saturday 27th November, after 6 weeks of marvellous art on show, plus a number of artist's talks, workshops and supporting events. This year I had been asked to come aboard the curatorial team. Research and development had been successfully applied for and the group worked with an arts manager to develop ourselves as a group - and think about what our strengths are and also which areas we need to work on. This was very beneficial for me, as it gave me a real sense of what the group was about, but also where I might fit in. As a very busy artist and lecturer I have to be really careful about what I get involved in - especially when it comes to voluntary work (like this). It is important as a volunteer to feel that you are getting as much out of the activity you are supporting as it is getting from you. The development time gave me the opportunity to understand what I wanted to gain from involvement in Conjunction as well as giving me a chance to set out what I had to offer.
It became clear that attention needs to be paid to audience development and evaluation, amongst other things - these are areas which I feel I have experience in, but I did not wish to just look after these two areas - my interests at the moment are in exploring the capabilities of Live Art, and so I wanted to be given a chance to focus on programming a live art element for Conjunction. The closing event on 27th then would be a Live Art Event.
Conjunction as a whole was curated using two strategies. The curatorial team discussed the theme and suggested individual artists who they wished to see involved. These names were bandied about until a list was agreed upon by all. There was also an open call process as well. This was important to all of us - as only sticking to selecting people we know/have heard of could result in Conjunction becoming stale - having an open call allows space for surprises and hidden gems to appear.
Conjunction 2010 had a lot less funding than its 2008 counterpart. In 2008 there was more than £80,000 successfully found from a variety of sources. Due to the group reshuffle, and time spent on development, we were short on time to actually bid for and find money - so the final funding amount was closer to £15,000 - obviously a significant difference. For that reason we decided to programme a variety of events and also select some ready made works (cheaper fee for the artist than new commissions). This means that, though a significant reduction in funding, we hope there was not a corollary reduction in quality.
My main focus was on insuring that there was a healthy live art element in the general program, but I also wanted there to be a specific day dedicated to Live Art, so in addition to the artists already on board we also put out a call for other artists that might wish to come along and get involved.So, on the 27th we got ourselves ready for a Conjunction First - The Live Art Event.
The day kicked off with myself and artist Katie Shipley making our way to the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, one of the Conjunction venues. Katie works at the Museum and makes the journey from the museum to AirSpace Gallery daily - and yet many of those visiting the Museum to look at the art works there never venture across the road to visit AirSpace. Katie's piece journey would aim to draw attention to her daily journey, and hopefully encourage others to take the trip.On arrival at the Museum guests were requested to sign in (for monitoring purposes) the sheet they were signing was actually artist Carl Gent's petition to twin Stoke-on-Trent with Stephen's Quintet (a star) one of the commissioned works for the program. They would then be given a balloon to tie to themselves.At around 2.10pm we then all set off in single file from the Museum to take Katie's Journey.Everyone filed across the road to AirSpace in a line, it was interesting how solemn everyone was in this strange procession of balloon holders. Once inside the gallery Yoke and Zoom were there ready to give out Real Ale, brought from a brewery down the road from them in Worcester. Their work sought to create a space for convivial conversation - an escape through community and alcohol. The room was soon full of chat and laughter.Suddenly a fire alarm sounded, and everyone was encouraged to make their way out through the side fire escape. This was actually a ruse to move the group on to the next piece, a collaboration between Nathaniel Pitt and Various Artist as part of their Motel Kandinski series - Fire Assembly. Early that morning the artists had come along to lay a red carpet on the fire escape (in the snow - that's dedication!) As the audience filed out of the building there was a hold up - the fire escape had been turned into a waiting area like the type you find outside a high class night club - with a suitably bolshy bouncer allowing the great and the good through, while making the rabble wait. Ben from Juneau Projects was denied access completely, for wearing trainers. And what were we queueing for? We were queuing to get out of the gallery and for the opportunity to stand around shivering in the AirSpace car park, waiting to sign the Motel Kandinski guest book. The premise of this piece involves a confusion of the senses - sound (fire alarm) and smell (smoke pumped into the hallway) - referencing the fact that Kandinski was a synaesthetic and then expectation - the notion of selection introduced and favouritism - I was brought to the front of the queue by the bouncer and given VIP access.
We then made our way around to Dazed (local independent skate shop). They have a gallery space upstairs which artist Emily Candela was using for her piece 'Bleed'. Bleed involved a square of around 3 metres squared being marked out on the ground, and then a four piece punk band being contained inside - and playing a set.The effect of this piece was interesting and uncomfortable. As a viewer I felt uncomfortable - a Saturday afternoon, very little alcohol, an arts audience standing politely around, watching an extremely angry performance. The lead singer struggled to contain himself within the red lines - and reminded me of a caged lion pacing and thrashing about in its cage - pent up energy denied release.
The next stop on the live art tour saw us descent finally into madness. The journey we were taking started in a very respectable civic art space, and then we seemed to step further and further into fantasy.
Artist Adam James had taken over an old hairdressers, filling it with piles of old clothes - creating a fabulously deranged landscape. As we arrived on the street where the space is I was surprised to find the madness leaking out onto the street, and not being contained within the space - in relation to what we had just seen the energy here was oozing out in all directions. Adam James had assembled a troupe of performers, musicians and VJs - creating a world of fallen heroes - gods, now crazed run amok in the old hairdressers. Each god had their name printed on the back of their coat - like boxers. Displayed on the walls were details of each character - telling us about them as gods and then relating them to a more contemporary [fallen?] hero. Each character was wrapped up in their own revelry - occasionally interacting with each other and implicating the audience equally in the excesses. Feeding each other alcohol and ambrosia, screaming, crying, bawling - sometimes one of them would try to take you aside and get you involved in their particular brand of madness. All of this was accompanied by a backdrop pf music making, and digital visuals being beamed onto the walls - a bombardment of the senses was completed by the stench of rotting textiles.At first our happy band of live art revellers seemed to enjoy the experience - laughing at the 'performers' commenting on the repetitive nature of their ramblings. Then everyone was herded upstairs into a small space - where the gods became even more exaggerated in their behaviours - almost egged on by their captive audience. At this stage a number of people left, feeling it was too much. I think we were in the Hairdressers for less than an hour, but time stood still in that time. We were voyeurs in a crazy world, but unable to remain passive - as the performers demanded a reaction. This was the species of vagabond that is found in cities - no social inhibitions remain, they demand attention, food, wine, whatever.
I enjoyed it, but I was glad to leave. We made our way back to AirSpace for the final part of the day, a Juneau Brothers Performance. On the way back, feeling rather affected, we passed a trio of people with a big suitcase. 'Do you want to escape?' They called to us.
How odd I thought - we are escaping already! I started to tell them about the conjunction live art day, and they said 'we know, that's why we're her - we're the fringe!'A selection of postcards was held out for each of us to take - each one had the name of a place on it - I got Fingringhoe. Then they opened the big suitcase and gave you a keyring with the place name on it - and you were asked to draw what you thought the place would look like - based solely on it's name - creating a small space to escape in your mind to that place. Then I had to agree to send back the postcard if I ever get to Fingringhoe...
I was really pleased that this group had turned up to offer escapes - having a Fringe of unsolicited activity for me means that Conjunction is something that people really want to be a part of.
Back at the gallery The Juneau Brothers played us out with gusto.
Using their home made technological instruments they gave us a handful of songs which were amazing in their construction - we were given a special insight into how the instruments sound without Phil's digital intervention. The surprising thing for me is that I am not that keen on electronic music - but this is not just technically amazing - but lyrically beautiful too. The songs are rooted in a folk sensibility - talking about Pottery and Owls - and sounding like heaven.
It was a wonderful end to a really exciting Biennial - and something I am proud to now be a part of.
Since the event there has been some discussion about the works which we saw and experienced. Some found the Adam James piece too much, saying it was frivolous or disrespectful of those with mental illness. One person said - I was expecting it to be about homeless people - not people with mental illness. The truth is that many homeless people do suffer with mental illness - and what I think is very important about the work is that it draws attention to the way that we happily ignore their existence. The other thing it questions is the notion of acceptable behaviour. These gods are cavorting without inhibition - drinking, dancing, flaunting, shamelessly.
To celebrate the end of Conjunction we went out for a few ales, and then to a curry house. The place was full of people enjoying a Saturday night in town, and the group on the table next to us were enjoying themselves more than most, one woman slipped off her mega-high heels and fell flat on her face, laughing as she went. Then her friend began to vomit under the table. And there we have it - the reason why Adam James' performance is truely relevant to us today - holding up a mirror to the ordinary debauched activity going on in our city centres every weekend.
I am not moralising on it - I am sure I do it myself - but I am saying that this is why work like this should exist, adn should be seen in the middle of the afternoon.