INTERFACE

REVIEW

Noodle bar

Static, Liverpool
1 June 2008 – 30 May 2009

Reviewed by: Kai Oi Jay Yung »

Static's Pamphlet, a monthly publication which debates art activity, announces "We clearly recognise 'us''... when we see ourselves defined against 'them'"¹, punctuating 'Noodle Bar's multiple tension points; "why people leave one place for another"², ambitions to practice autonomously whilst cementing Liverpool-Korean relations, and forging 'alternative means' in terms of initiating debate in mobility, trade.

Eager noodle punters during Biennial September were greeted only by signage "Open In October" without inkling that the two Korean chefs employed were refused UK work entry. But then, "Static does not feel responsibility to the public".³ Director Paul Sullivan admits in the past, "nobody wanted to come in... there's nothing to look at."⁴ Reaffirmed by Tim Marlow's retort at Peacecorps HQ "Where is the art?"⁵

Through 'Noodle Bar', Static intimates a multitude of intricacies: gallery autonomy, responsibility to audience, visual art 'to be looked at'. People, food, and conviviality: 'Noodle Bar' further accentuates the interrelation and co-dependence between Static's identity with the 'other' – eater/visitor/viewer. Inspired by his Gwanju biennial stay, Blade Runner futurism to 'Tempopo' noodle perfection, Sullivan's Noodle vision came to fruition following collaboration with Seoul's Ssamzie Space. Ultimately, 'Noodle Bar's mission was to "reflect the human condition"⁶ exploring thresholds, Static's recurrent buzzword.⁷

Armed with a "Unique Job Opportunity", Sullivan's Korean advertising located two highly qualified chefs, finally granted on artist visa resulting temporary migration to Liverpool. It is surprising they did not qualify tier two points – "skilled workers with a job offer".⁸ 'Noodle Bar' began well, with Ssamzie-Static curator negotiation. "They didn't get it, couldn't Korean artists be the cooks at Static?" Similarly, Static overruled Korean artists running a Ssamzie store. A compromise facilitating both noodle and clothing ensued. Bonus dialogical points.

Static guards its autonomy where possible, constructing a kitchen from a shipping container extending the gallery, explicitly disregarding extraneous powers ³ council, landlords, highways.⁹ However, perhaps Static overlooked its own geopolitical, social and economic positioning; each level of authority reveals a slumdog waiting to hurdle confines. Unfortunately, the chefs threatened leave one day after arrival: "it wasn't what they expected..."¹⁰

As employers, Static's contract meant chefs were unfulfilling job specs, "service slow- beansprouts topped/tailed, food average...!"¹¹ Deep discontent festered; "entering the kitchen equated to war."¹² Above the kitchen entrance a sign hangs "Visiting Artists Only." A sign so literal is territorialising – a 'brander' and boundary of art lingo for insiders. It's not the 'personalities' that caused frictions, Sullivan pinpoints, but inadequate consideration of cultural needs of 'other'. Static can by no means be accused of "hesitant inertia",¹³ but equally, with Korean curators accusing Static of "exploiting the workers",¹⁴ bridges burn.

Did Static forget Blade Runner's core thematic; "What does it mean to be human?" Treating everyone on equal terms means factoring in cultural difference. Mobilising people across countries necessitates constructive implementation sensitive of cultural nuances, values and national pride. This is human condition. 'Noodle Bar' falls short of taking into account that people aren't inert paint to be pushed around on a palette. Personal motivations/lives are much bigger than art, for art to effect change the 'non-artist' needs to benefit; cultural provocation requires eventual balance restoration, mutual benefit: learning. For sure, Static have opened up tremendous discourse, but has it been at the 'other's' expense?

Sullivan concludes "we're the ones who were exploited". The two chefs disappeared to London following three weeks' employment, "one has even put down roots .... they got two free flights and were paid more than biennial artists." I am laughing, I can't help but feel that Paul is laughing too. "Thing is, they could be working illegally on artist visas."¹⁵ Irrefutably, Static are by no means guilty of "flimsily playing off one identity against another"; they've hatched a Noodle plan mobilising autonomous pragmatism, executed with great theoretical diction brokering thresholds. With art concepts spiralling such extraordinary discourses, deploying mechanisms beyond governance of quantifiers and outcomes, 'Noodle Bar' infiltrates, dismantling systems from within, to the advantage of the 'other' – you and me. Issued with 'a breach of planning', Static currently protests council building fines on grounds of it having been a temporary biennial art installation. They may just laugh last. In playing life by rules of art and art by life, government condemnation becomes comical. Static after all seeks to "prevent serious criticism of art."¹⁶ As for the chefs, their swift exit led to cooking duties overtaken by a Liverpool based family – Korean of course.

¹Becky Shaw, former Static co-director in 'Us and Them', Pamphlet 01, Static, 2005
²Interview with Static Director, architect Paul Sullivan, 16/2/2009
³In conversation with John Byrne, senior lecturer and close collaborator with Static 16/2/2009.
⁴Interview with Static Director, op cit.
⁵Channel 5 journalist at Static, during Liverpool Biennial, 2004.
⁶www.statictrading.com
⁷For example, their 2004 Liverpool Biennial publicity stunt 'Press Corps' forward fired into a genuine invitation from the Korean government to manage Gwanju biennial's PR campaign, 2006.
⁸The Border Agency's decision manifests racial foot in mouth – "do not assume someone from an ethnic minority is an immigrant, [or]³ someone born abroad is not entitled to work in the United Kingdom" "only those with ³ right skills or ³ contribution will be able to come." www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk
⁹They after all rejected initial proposals for a city square Noodle Bar in 2004.
¹⁰Interview with Static Director, op cit.
¹¹Ibid
¹²Ibid
¹³'Us and Them'³ op cit Shaw highlights 'inertia' in terms of our fence sitting mentality towards cultures different to our own for fear of political insensitivity.
¹⁴Interview with Static Director. op.cit.
¹⁵Ibid.
¹⁶www.insaartspace.or.kr/workshopsEN.asp?idx=94

Venue detail:
Static »
23 Roscoe Lane, Liverpool L1 9JD

Post your comment

No one has commented on this article yet, why not be the first?

To post a comment you need to login

Back to top

Back to reviews »