Tonight I’m presenting work at an immersive experience called Live Art Dining in Leeds. It's sold out but you can find out more here
The environment is beautiful, witty and ambitious, it’s going to be a real feast for the senses and It’s taken nearly a week to install. And while there is a large and diverse team, it feels notable how many woman-hours have gone in to realise it: from designer Bethany Wells, Chef Jo from The Swine that dines, performances by Joely Fielding, facilitation by long term team grief member Jess Sweet and all of us led by the wonderful Christie Hill. I don’t mean to discredit the wonderful men involved and their valuable contribution but I’m not sure I’ve ever been part of a team where so many brilliant women are making such amazing and brave artistic choices. So tonight and tomorrow audiences will, I think, experience something unique and truly magical.
But by Saturday morning, it will all have disappeared. The bespoke cutlery and water bottles, the meticulous place settings, the smell of fresh herbs, the gentle sound of Joely's voice and the taste chocolate balloons. Oops. I’ve done a spoiler.
But what will remain and who will remember this amazing, hybrid thing we’ve created?
In a similar vein to beautiful book The Dust Archive , I've been thinking about how we archive multi sensory and site based work and how I might create an archive of Grief Series.
I have specific thoughts about Grief Series but think it links to wider questions about which voices make it in to the 'Live Art Archive' and which don't. What is the long term visibility of artists making immersive work that might struggle to tour, and perhaps particularly of northern artists making work further away from London? How do female artists sustain visibility through an archive both as they age and juggle caring responsibilities or motherhood?
I’m not sure but it’s something I’ll be mulling on over the next few months. Any thoughts or contributions are welcomed.
Many thanks to Matt Rogers for his generous collaboration on our RealFun Lucky Dip which we're presenting alongside a bespoke grief pudding. I couldn't be more lucky.
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