The Leeds School of
Art, Architecture Design

An account of a practice led research project commissioned by Tate Learning. 

In 2011 I was one for 8 artists invited by Tate Modern’s Learning curators Leanne Turvey and Alice Walton to formulate a research question that would form the basis of a practice led exploration of the Tate. The aim of the wider project is to put artist’s practice at the centre of ALL Tate programming. While the initial invitation was open and generous, the eventual aim was to negotiate how each of the artist’s practice led research would feed back into the Tate’s learning programmes. My starting point was the formulation of research question.

Examine the acquisition, documentation and dissemination of Performance/Live Art work at Tate. 

This title provided a loose framework for an enquiry into Performance/Live art practices within the Tate collection. I wanted my central focus to be an exploration of how audiences can be given greater opportunities to engage and interact with documentation and archival material of performances. There is that constant tension between the document (dead) and the experience of the work (alive). Consequently outside of encountering the actual live performance, I think audiences find it difficult to engage with the diversity of approaches encompassed by performance/Live art.

In the initial stage of research I spoke to conservators at the Tate stores, Lee Cavalier and Kathy Noble, curator of performance and public programming at Tate Modern. In addition I also explored the Tate Archives and looked at documentary and archival material. I’ve been really interested in the distinction between the Tate’s recent acquisition of performance work through contemporary artists like Pavel Althamer and Tino Sehgal. Their work is now housed in the store while archival material: letters, posters, flyers etc. kept in the Tate archives at Tate Britain. Artist’s like Tino Seghal deliberately don’t document their live/performance work meaning when its bought or sold effectively the ‘rights’ are sold. Materially all that’s kept in the store is a contract or some instructions.

In the second stage of research I decided to instigate conversations with Arts professionals working with the context of performance and live art. Sam Trotman at Artsadmin learning, Adrian Heathfield, writer, curator and academic at Roehampton University and Lois Keidan and Andrew Mitchelson director and programmer at Live art development agency. These conversations have feed into a specific proposal for the Tate’s schools and teachers programme.

Broadly speaking I’m interested in exploring strategies that will create a context for audiences to experience historical and contemporary examples of performance and live art. There are a number of approaches that could be utilized to re-activate historical and archival material. To be clear what I’m proposing is NOT a catch all forum for presenting all types of performance and live work.  I’m interested in opening up a space that provides an opportunity for audiences to engage in particular practices. I’ve been looking at the Salon as a forum for exploring work. Its appeal perhaps lies in its openness and flexibility, creating a space that encourages discourse. 

The salon with its roots in the 18th century enlightenment period provided a space for the presentation and dissemination ideas and practices outside of the closed worlds of the academy. Classically hosted in domestic spaces by a Salonnaire, usually a wealthy or aristocratic woman, it was one of few opportunities for women to engage in scientific, social and cultural discourse.

In recent years there has seen a revival in the model of the salon as a forum for presenting practice, from informal artist gatherings hosted by artists like Ryan Gander to programmed events staged at major art fairs like Miami Art Basel.

Tate Live Art Salon
My proposal is centered on a Salon staged at the Tate. An artist would be invited to be host. They together with the curatorial team would be responsible for programming the event. Depending on the artist they would decide how to structure the event.

The salon could be focused around an existing work in the collection or an artist’s practice, or could reflect the selected artist/hosts interest and research. The Tate would be a resource for the realization of the project. Artists maybe invited to work with specific groups and individuals in the development of the salon. So for example this could allow an artist to develop responses to archival material in collaboration with a specific group teachers, young people etc. but this could be programmed overall as one of number approaches.

Following the submission of this proposal Tate learning commissioned me to produce and realize a pilot project. The pilot is currently in development up till March 2012 and is called Vito and Me.

Vito and Me: A Live art salon hosted by Harold Offeh & Year 12 Students from Welling School, Bexley, London
I decided to focus on the Tate as a resource and try to find the focus for the salon/event from a particular work or in this case, an artist in the collection at Tate Modern. Conveniently, Tate Modern currently has a display of American performance and video artist Vito Acconci’s work. Acconci’s practice has been a formative influence on my practice ever since encountering his work as an 18 year old on my art foundation course. I would like to use the opportunity of the salon to playfully explore and present how a given artist’s practice can influence, provoke and feed other artists.

Already as part of the process of working with Tate learning’s research commission I’ve had access to documentary material at the Tate archive, accessing Acconci plans, instructions and written records of performance works from the 70s. I’m now in the process of collaborating with a group of 5 year 12 students from Welling school from Bexley, London to explore this material and find strategies to re-activate and present this material in the context of an event/salon to be presented to a wider audience at Tate Modern. The current display of Acconci’s work on Level 5 (Room 8) of Tate Modern may in fact provide a context/location for the presentation/salon. http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/CollectionDisplays?venueid=2&roomid=6820 

Over 6 sessions we’re exploring Acconci’s work, enacting a number of projects in the gallery spaces and staging an event open to the public at Tate Modern on Friday 9th March. We are aiming to document the project and it will feature in a publication produced by Tate learning. 





Documentation of Services Rendered: Toilet Attendant. A performance intervention staged at Tate Modern in 2009. Commissioned by David Roberts Art Foundation, London.