The main difference I see between the performance art of the 60's and ideas of collaboration today has a lot to do with the way our media works - today we view the world with a far wider lens and from many different positions, and we take this communication age for the opportunity it presents - to enjoy diverse dialogue as an end in itself, rather than focusing our attention on a non-existent future.
Last year I worked with an artist collective called Reefknot, to produce a public sculpture in Kings Cross for the City of Sydney Council's "Art and About" event. The artwork took place over 6 weeks. We held public knitting circles in various locations around the Cross which were open to anyone. The artists became a revolving cast of diverse characters, locals and visitors to the Cross - anyone who happened upon us and were willing to add a line or two of knitting and sit down for a chat.
By the 6th week we had amassed 200 square metres of colourful, mismatched knitting - some of it kind of dodgy but who gives a crap. We covered every tree, lamp post and public object in reach from the Coke sign to the park at the end of Darlinghurst Rd and through several side streets. After the installation was complete we fully expected much of it to be vandalised, however the opposite occurred - "ninja's" showed up in the night, adding their own pieces so that the artwork continued to grow.
It is one of my most memorable experiences as an artist but mostly as a person who is interested in other people.
fantastic! great example and good use of your own experience. plus michelle is a friend, nice to see her, and i was just talking about her knitting works yesterday when i saw one in newtown!
ReplyDelete