I’ve been thinking a lot about BED, the live work I’m making for the Day of Intimacy event. And the more I think about it the more I think I want to write an accompanying essay or hand book!
What’s this desire to write about then? I can’t guarantee that it’s not an attempt to pre-empt criticism that the piece is juvenille. I can’t guarantee that it’s not an attempt to demonstrate how much I think about what appears to be simple work.
But outside of academia (which I am) does this kind of writing have a place? Who, and where, are my imagined readers?
I’m getting a bit anxous about how long the task I’ve set myself will take. Previous task vased durational work has taken considerably longer that I imagined it would. There’s something quite poetic about finishing it late in the evening – at bedtime.
The Hunters & Collectors ‘Meet the Artists’ event last night was really good. After a welcome and introduction by Linda Duffy (Co-curator) each of us spoke about our work in response to Linda’s question about source materials and process.
The discuss was very informal and relaxed with the audience and other artists making contributions and comments as we talked about the work.
It was great to have this opportunity. I found it fascinating to hear about other artist’s intentions and motivations. The areas of overlap and intersection between very different approaches was very interesting, perhaps it was a reflection of skillful curating that quite divergent artists were able to spark off each other. The discussion felt really vibrant and vital, as well as accessible and enjoyable!
I’m going to suggest this kind of event for future group shows I’m in. How lucky am I? – to spend an evening talking about my work with other artists and curators, having a glass of wine, and calling it work!
BED – the live work I’m making for the Day of Intimacy (Signals 5’s day of live and performance art) – will be my first live piece in about five years.
The task I’ve set myself is to chalk out an area the same size (and compass orientation) as my own bed. I’m starting at noon and really don’t know how long it will take – I’m imaging that I’ll finish the drawing in time to see some of the evening performances.
My intention was always to leave the drawing to weather. I imagine it being worn away by people walking over it as well as by rain, wind, sun. In the last few days I’ve become interested in how the piece lasts longer than the ‘one day’ of it’s making. The imagined erasure of the drawing has acquired weight.
Beds are already such loaded objects – I can’t help but think of their cultural associations with birth, death and marriage. Here I am planning to represent what is usually a private place very publicly.
BED starts 12.00 noon, Saturday 1 September. Antenna Studios, Haynes Lane, London SE19
www.myspace.com/signalsinlondon
