Sunday 19 October 2008

Frieze




I have been working at Frieze as an performer as part of the work of Sharon Hayes, a New York based artist, whose work deals with public and private addresses and the link of the language of love and politics. This has involved, with 37 others, flyering a different love address each day for 30 minutes. 

Wednesday was probably the day of snobs, faces so tight with botox that you could barely make out a single expression. I encountered a woman who cornered me with suspicion, asked me questions and then handed the speech back. The days since have been much more successful in terms of the reception to the project, although I had another bitch yesterday who proceeded to read the speech in front of me, sarcastically say 'Thanks for that' and some other crap about 'reuseable' art when she handed it back to me. I hope the buyer she was showing around wrote her a faulty cheque. 

Apart from that - it has been fun, especially the reactions of people reading them (although it has meant I have been getting some funny looks). I like the concept of the work, the idea of political and personal merging, as both aspects of speech are usually lined with passion. My favourite line out of all five was from yesterday 'You told me that the ears are the only orifice that can't be closed.' 

The fair was good - work that stood out was some work I saw by Erwin Wurm (massive canvases and a square dressed as a suit with feet and shoes) and a huge sphere that contained a vortex of spiralling water. 

I have agreed to do about three different exhibitions, so I better start making some work tomorrow - tomorrow is when it all starts. I have also been working on zine with Millie Easton...shown above. 


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