ACT ART 3 - Public Disordar was the 3rd instalment from the curators Oliver Frost and Marc Massive. Previous events were held at the 291 Gallery. For the 2005 event the curators staged the night in a different context, an old public house in a seedy back street of Kings Cross.
Public Disordar is where the underground art world meets the alternative clubland scene head on, a showcase for new interdisciplinary art works by a 60 artists from different cultural backgrounds united by an interest in the body. The works engage with the viewer directly or indirectly in acts of passion, humour, obsession, fear, desire, desperation, and irritation. The evening reflects the tradition of arts concern with the body and its actions in a contemporary light.
Standing naked within a wooden frame lain on the floor of the seedy pub's basement, the artist awaited visitors to pour white runny clay (or slip) over him using a black ladle. Once covered from head to toe in clay the artist emerged from the arched alcove, moved into the main space of the basement to stand on a low plinth. Here he stood for an hour as visitors continued in their attempts to interact with the silent artist. From time to time he rotated on his plinth, 90 degrees at a time, otherwise he was still, save for the shaking caused by cold. The performance lasted for a little over two hours.
Video camera work by Bethan Williams - video clip in preparation.