FIX09
artist: Hideous Beast
title: ODD JOBS – A Distracting Experiment
date: 29.09.09
duration: 1 Hour
Results
1. What is the nature of the relationship between the work they do under the label of ODD JOBS and art? Does the job they do need to be completed for them to identify it as work and not art.
2. Their work questions the identity of an act; what is the difference when one person experiences an act as art and another experiences it as work?
3. To what extent is an art action separate from a work action in the ODD JOBS context?
4. Is an end product necessary in the context of ODD JOBS, particularly when in some circumstances not many people are aware of the work they carry out?
5. It was a chance to examine their methodology in terms of the meta-politics involved in the project. Would the element of charging for their labour and skills effect upon the issue of ownership of their work?
6. Where does ownership come into play when they are not aware they are taking part in something like a distracting event; particularly when this is traditionally seen as not work.
7. What responsibility is demanded of them to take control of the work as it happens and consequently the level of their input into a creative exercise?
8. How does the experience of unknowingly being part of an art event measure against their experience of knowingly working for others?
These are just some questions raised by the project ODD JOBS and it is a valuable project for this. Thanks to Hideous Beast for taking part in the experiment and for sharing their project. It has provided some intriguing questions on work, the act and their relation to political and social structures. Also the project provided tangible exploration of meta-physical concepts on the nature of the Act and Being. I intend to develop the results of this experiment further and will share this on these pages when completed.
FIX09
artist: Hideous Beast
title: ODD JOBS – A Distracting Experiment
date: 29.09.09
duration: 1 Hour
Abstract
I booked Hideous Beast for one hour at 3pm on Tuesday, 29th September 2009 to give them a task as part of their ODD JOBS project at FIX09. I had arranged to meet them in The John Hewitt pub were I would explain the job I had in mind and get them to carry out the work there and then. In my position of writer-in-residence it is my job to produce textual responses to the work of the participating artists and because of the nature of ODD JOBS I wanted to get them to do this, instead of me. The idea was to get them to produce some text about themselves; how their work fits into FIX09 and the issues that arise. Preceding the written task was the requirement that they also produce a plan of action; how they would approach the task, breaking it down into the various factors, detailing the approach they would take and listing the order in which the work needed to be completed to enable the task to be carried out. However unknown to Hideous Beast I had organised a sequence of distractions to occur to prevent them from completing the task with the hope that they would not get to the writing stage. In material terms, I had hoped to be left only with some plans of how they would approach the work. An audio recording was also made of the event.
Aims
The intention was to create an experiment that would allow for a tangible exploration of the meta-structures, dynamics and processes at play in their project. Although it was an open experiment it was hoped that it would provide the chance to talk about their work in very context where the issues raised were being challenged and examined.
Events
The hour went better than expected. During the period another seven people, with whom it had been pre-arranged that they accidentally meet us there, sporadically joined the group. With these interruptions and introductions it was difficult to keep the task at the forefront of attentions. The distractions included; artists going through a back catalogue of work, exhibition organisers in a state of panic needing a camera that worked, someone showing a book of old Irish postcards found in a charity shop and mobile phones frequently ringing. We did, during the course of events, get to discuss at length the nature of the project, ODD JOBS. Finally, at 3.54 pm, Hideous Beast eventually got to work. After some frantic discussion and scribbled writing, a sort-of plan was produced. On the hour mark I explained to Hideous Beast the true nature of the job and out of the resulting discussion a number of points arose.
FIX09 is up and running after Saturday night’s opening and the event got off to a great start with Anthony Schrag’s Beer Tree, also an immersive and engaging performance from Steven Anderson and Hideous Beast set up their ODD JOBS workstation. Now, I’m wary of writing a review-like description of the events, but it’s only fair that I give an outline and some initial impressions of the evening. I will add further responses later.
Firstly, the Beer Tree was a wonderful piece to open with: strange fruit hanging from the wooden tree, the scent of beer sweet and fresh, then the sudden crash of breaking bottle, beer on the leaves, beer at the roots. It was a tricky thing to negotiate and as the night grew on it didn’t get any easier. Though, if you’re a non-drinker it made for a lonely scene. A question that often arises in live art is about the difference between the visual and the act; the answer provided here is beer.
Steven Anderson’s performance was a very well orchestrated and considered piece, creating tangible shifts in our perceptions and awareness. We, as receivers or participants, fluctuated between faith, fantasy, empathy, ritual, being-in-the-moment and submitting to a waking-like half-reality. I will try to organise an interview with the artist on these pages soon to discuss the issues, concepts and meta-structures in the work.
Finally for this first night, Hideous Beast were hard at work taking bookings for their ODD JOBS service. Helping other artists in a number of ways from installing and uninstalling shows to gardening, moving house and collecting groceries. I have a job in mind for them to do and am looking forward to our meeting tomorrow to give them my instructions. Although they did say they have certain boundaries and ethics, so a bit of negotiation will be needed.
Welcome to the blog page for Fix09. To be honest this is my first blog so the format is pretty much going to be undefined to some extent, but initial thoughts are that it will include the musings and observations, views and critical texts, responses and counter actions to the work produced in the event. I’ll leave it open to comments so if you wish to post responses of your own maybe we can get discussions going too. Fix09 promises an engaging programme of collaborative and performative actions, live art and panel discussions; I recommend you check out http://fixcatalyst.wordpress.com/ for full run down of what’s happening.
