Lauren O'Day

Edge @ Deda, Derby

2011-09-11T21:14:00.001+01:00

http://www.deda.uk.com/news/an-evening-of-performance-with-jonathan-burrows-and-matteo-fargion

Next exhibition - Friday 16th September

Has been published!

2011-02-26T20:30:00.000Z

Masta Magazine page page 45 - Validation of the pointless

-http://issuu.com/mastazine/docs/mashta6_notopic/44

MISSING - Carte D’or Banana ice cream-Campaign Letter sent to Unilever

2011-02-21T17:29:00.001Z

MISSING - Carte D’or Banana ice cream-Campaign Letter sent to Unilever

Dear Sir/Madem, I am writing to you regarding a very serious matter which requires urgent attention. Sadly it has come to light that Carte D’or banana ice cream has vanished off the face off the earth. The product was last seen many, many moons ago in a Sainsbury’s freezer surrounded by inferior flavours such as Vanilla and Strawberry. Over time I have orchestrated a thorough man hunt across the four major supermarkets aswel as the smaller local stores including but not exclusive to Tesco, Morrison’s, Sainsbury’s, Spar’s and late shops all to no avail. Although I am unaware of the full circumstances surrounding its disappearance I believe, if the rumours are true, that that bitter newer products Crema Di mascarpone and Caramel Cinnamon waffle have colluded and been successful in Banana’s demise. I do not believe they could have done this alone and suspect that Vanilla and the new rum and raisin have contributed to this crime. Personally I have never trusted a pissed raisin and I’m not about to start now. Banana ice cream has now been all but eradicated from the UK without remorse and regardless of brand. My question to you is if we allow this to happen without question or hope where will it all end? The obvious master mind behind this tragedy is Vanilla with it’s unexciting flavour and plain colouring. With it’s shear number of units alone what’s to stop it “getting rid” of the rest of the Carte D’or family (and other brands for that matter) one by one until flavours are no more and the world has to endure a never ending vanilla oppression. I fear it is too late to save the legend that is Carte D’or banana ice cream as no ransom has been asked for and Vanilla has no agenda but it’s on world domination. But with your help through an inspired modification to your classic banana or via a special/limited edition we can rejuvenate bananas fight against the vanilla monster. I would like to thank you for your time in reading this and look forward to your reply. I will leave you with this…. Genocide is not tolerated in the real world who are we to allow it to happen in the ice cream world. Yours faithfully Dan

A thief in the mist! (30 to be precise)

2010-09-26T22:12:00.000+01:00

A thief in the mist! (30 to be precise)

Knitted mice lovers will be saddened to know that 30 of these little creatures have been stolen from there display at Wimbledon College of Arts MA show 2 weeks ago. The mouse-nappers obviously loved them so much they thought they could help themselves - while this is very flattering this now leaves me 30 more short of the 1000 target.

Sad times for group members as you will now have to wait just that little bit longer for your very own blind mouse.

The poor things didn't see it coming

A validation of inactivity

2010-09-21T15:19:00.001+01:00

A validation of inactivity

I don’t feel the need to draw the same picture in a different colour pen

The concept speaks for itself without the need to have an action to speak for it

I have already ticked enough boxes

I don’t need to tick any more

Pointless generates pointlessness

To validate my pointlessness more would destroy the pointlessness

I am validation enough

Progression is needed

I can’t be arsed

Do I not look busy to you?

The only thing I am not doing is doing

I’ve done a rubik’s cube enough times to validate the activity

Inactivity breeds activity, that surely is enough validation in itself

Guinness has already granted me validation

Public interest of the pointless validates no mater how pointless

Your still looking at me aren’t you?

The best-made plans sometime go to pot, why not use these to your advantage?

I am jumping through hoops no more

Everything has a point and is therefore self validating

Because I can

I have nothing to say that hasn’t already been said

Documentation of an activity gives it point

Do I not look busy to you?

Every activity boils down to the same thing

I feel no need to justify concept though action again and again

I am not Gavin Turk!

I do not need to validate my presence

My presence validates itself

Documentation of this is not needed

Although this would validate it more, documentation of the documentation would then be needed to validate the documentation itself

I am enjoying the stupidity of it all

I am creating a hierarchy of pointlessness

There needs to be a bottom

Austin would talk about it being a performative utterance

There is no need for action

I could just be making all of this up

Repetition validates

Do you need me to show you I can do some thing for you to believe I can do it?

Do I need a certificate to prove it?

Even for my inactivity?

I can fabricate one if you want.

Do I not look busy to you?

I need to be drunk

The box has already been ticked

I would just be ticking it again

Same drawing different colour pen

Why do I need to?

Any excuse would validate really

Because I …

Can’t think of any

Do I not look busy to you?

Because I can’t walk in these heels

Do I not look busy to you?

Because I am to good for this

Because I can’t function without a drink

Because I can make anything up and claim that it’s true

Justification = validation

To validate is to demonstrate value or truth of

You wouldn’t care even if I were active

I already have enough validation

The pointless is was it is… pointless

I’ve already said what I have to say

I could just document it and say that I have done it

But if I do so I will be undermining everything that I’ve said

Because

Just because

Do I not look busy to you?

Because doing nothing is really fucking difficult and I need you to reward me for it

Public validation is the greatest validation of all

I am not a dancing monkey

But I need you to think I am so you give me your approval

Being granted validation for doing nothing is personal endeavour without the effort

Do I not look busy to you?

Even if I just sit here for a whole week you’ll be impressed

Because you will wait here till I do something and I like laughing at you

I am very funny

I like to make you wait

I am bored of doing what is expected of me

I need to do something for myself

This is personal validation after all

I look busy and that’s enough

I can do this all day

Do I not look busy to you?

Being inactive is an activity itself, pointless though it may seem

It still makes you tired

Do I not look busy to you?

Validating my activities become to easy validating an inactivity is harder

Endeavour to get the highest form of validation

Do I not look busy to you?

I do this to myself

I cant just make a painting can I?

Idiot

Drunken nights in the pub end up I self doubt

Hence you end with no performance

Hence the inaction

Hence the need to justify yourself

No matter how stupid it may seem

Validation is never enough

However hard I may try to justify it sometimes it just doesn’t work

Even so when we enter in to this world this is what we strive to achieve

Be it self-validation or the validation of others this is what we hope to achieve. I matter too

No matter how pointless it seems

Even inactivity has a point

I need to validate this to you as well as myself

I can’t do anything else

I’m bored (and I bet you are) of seeing the same thing over and over again

I’m bored

Do I not look busy to you?

I am self validating

Do I not look busy to you?

Whatever I do it feels like pretentious wank

Do I not look busy to you?

I do not wish to commodity myself

Because the institution tells me I have to and therefore I don’t want to

I have already ticked all the boxes

Done the impossible

Got others to realise this

Do I really need to validate the pointless even more?

Because I have made a decision and I am going to stick to it

Inactivity breeds’ activity

Do I not look busy to you?

Because I need a wee and can’t go because I am meant to be being inactive

Surely that is worth your validation

Because I have nothing better to do

Do I not look busy to you?

Validation of my inactivity is more valid than be being active

I have already ticked enough boxes

You can’t validate the already validated

Or the unvalidatable

Even though you can try

Like making up a word like unvalidatable and trying to justify it by using it at least twice

Only three times makes it a valid word

… unvalidatable

Do I not look busy to you?

I’ve already told you

My presence is enough

But my inactivity means I need to validate myself

God this is hard

Do I not look busy to you?

This is still the same drawing

Possibly even the same colour pen

I must try harder…

Or not try at all

Does effect bring validity?

Do I not look busy to you?

Can achieve what I set out?

Surely this endeavour is incomprehensible

And unachievable

But does it make its intention any less

Is I validate it to the extreme would it counteract the unvalidateable quality it has?

Four times definitely makes it a word

If I write a sentence incorrectly does that make the sentence un-valid

Therefore would validation of the activity be obsolete?

If I write it again correctly would it justify it?

Lets try

If I validate it to the extreme would it counteract the unvalidateable quality it has?

How about if I write it in a different way?

Would over validation override the inability to validate?

To validate is to demonstrate purpose or value of

Surly if I make it seam justifiable it will be ok

Belief and interest always outweighs truth and importance

Because no one is ever interested in art as an action so art as inaction may work?

I have justified my actions enough already; time to justify my in actions

Do I not look busy to you?

Its quiet, no one will care

It’s funny how every needs the validation of others to make themselves adequate

I look for the same thing

I am important

Even if inactive

Same drawing different pen see?

Only like red to pink though

Similar

But different

Do I not look busy to you?

I’m validating myself for gods’ sake

I must look busy

Though I will forgive you for thinking I am inactive

I am trying to justify it though

You bloody try it

I’m sure people get paid everyday for doing less

I know this is stupid

I’m just trying to find a reason for my idiocy

Though I am just enjoying the pointlessness of it all

Even though it is ticking a few boxes

Is a few enough to justify it all?

Surely a small validation is enough

Or does it need to be concrete in it reasoning to be legitimate?

Does truth triumph over repetition

Do I not look busy to you?

If you hear the same thing over and over can you believe it?

Do I not look busy to you?

Can I ever validate my inactivity?

If I try can that justify it all

Even a simple well done makes it worth it

Do I not look busy to you?

Same drawing different colour pen

Agreement validates

Do I not look busy to you?

If I make myself laugh does that count?

My presences validates

Or is it too little too late?

Does validation has an expiry date?

An end will validate?

Though does it need an end?

Do I not look busy to you?

U don’t need to tick anymore boxes

And neither do I

Rebel and achieve

Take personal endeavour to the next level

Don’t do anything and claim you are

I look the part, is that enough?

Help

If I keep reiterating the point will it help?

I am already validated; do I need to validate myself further?

Guinness have approved me

I have 1512 photos as evidence

What more do you need

Do you need me to show you?

Do I not look busy to you?

Why does institutional validation outweigh personal validation?

Is it important to prove everything?

Again

And again

Same drawing different pen

My presence is enough

I am here I don’t need to be active

Why explain a concept again and again

You’re not stupid

I have ticked enough boxes for you to understand

For me to understand

Why tick anymore?

Why take another picture?

Why knit another mouse?

Do I not look busy to you?

Inactivity is the only way

You need to understand this

I need to understand this

No more fucking mice

No more fucking ticking boxes

No more rubiks cube

They all have a point

I need no point

I am pointless

Why does it matter?

Or doesn’t it?

Do I not look busy to you?

If I run out of reasons for my inactivity does it then become invalidated?

Does all the hard work I have put in then fuck off?

Though inaction really doesn’t need the validation I am forcing on it

Only the institution needs that

Not the individual

Personal achieve vs. institutional archive

It seems inactivity always means invalidation

It is nothing

It does not need it

But I need it

The institution needs it

Concept to action

Nothing less, nothing more

Even if it is the same drawing with a different pen

Validation needs repetition

Tick the boxes again and again and again

Over and over like some performing monkey

Tick the boxes make the grade

Elevate and achieve

Do I not look busy to you?

More ways to validate

More excuses for my inactivity needed

Repetition works

Learn actions

Or non-actions

Same drawing different pen

Keep validating what you believe

It will eventually get the valid stamp it deserves

Can’t give in now, its already been to long

Inactivity breeds’ activity

Do I not look busy to you?

Austin

I say I am therefore I am

Do I not look busy to you?

Bed calls but validation is needed

If I can’t give it does it mean its not there?

Should I just give up now?

Do I not look busy to you?

Tick more boxes

Keep validating

If you never achieve does it make it more pointless

Do I not look busy to you?

Do different people bring different validation?

If you are more intelligent is your point more valid

If you are more attractive does it make your opinion on aesthetic more valuable?

Does validation have variables?

Do I affect those variables as well as others?

Validation is surely just validation

Multiples make validation greater sure

But can I just claim it’s valid and people will believe?

Truth, value, importance does this even matter

But inactivity is just inactivity yes?

It can’t be any more

Quick validate more before anyone notices

No validation = invalidation

Just drawn the same drawing

Tick the same boxes

Knit the same mice

Do the same rubiks cube

They will stay, they will validate

Do I not look busy to you?

Personal endeavour to the extreme

Greater validation

Get validation for other activities too; it validates this even more

Do I not look busy to you?

Does my now incoherence validate me less

Even in my inactivity?

Same drawing just wiggly lines

I still make sense

I am still justified in what I say

Even if I do look less busy than before

Surely that the point

If you keep talking no one will know

Do I not look busy to you?

If I fool someone does it still count?

Are they on my side?

Same drawing someone else’s pen

Public validation but not personal

Does this matter?

I’m here that is enough

Validation is radically contingent

Why try and globalise it all?

You are never going to get what you want

Do I not look busy to you?

Validate personally or validate institutionally?

Same drawing just institutionalised pen

One of them green fine liners you used to get in primary school

I don’t even like the colour green

Do I not look busy to you?

Stupid pen

Stupid mac

That’s meant to validate me as an artist and it does fuck all

What will it take?

No point now

Does being unprofessional piss everything up?

Do I not look busy to you?

I’m out of ideas to validate myself

I give up

Am I ever goin to achieve?

Not if I spell going like goin

Validation needs education

Fuckers!

Because I am hung over and I was meant to be in 6hours ago but I used the inactivity as an excuse

Because I cant even look at the screen yet alone think about what to write on it

Because my head hurts… a lot

There is no one about so I don’t need too

I feel unproductive which inactivity is a by-product of

Do I not look busy to you?

Same drawing different colour pen

I need to tick more boxes

My inactivity does this

Validation is needed

But I can’t seam to give it to myself

There are too many other things to do

Tick tick tick tick tick

Already been ticked

To make sure I am not viewed as an art object

Concept does not need to become action

Even though the institution needs it

Do I not look busy to you?

I am even more useless today than I normally am

There is enough going on already

Do I not look busy to you?

If I look busy I don’t need to be busy

I can try and fool myself into believing that

…

I thought inactivity would be more productive

Its making my head hurt

Do I not look busy to you?

I can’t do anything else

I don’t need to do anything else

I don’t want to do anything else

Value has lessened

Do I not look busy to you?

Tapping my fingers is doing something

Sitting is doing something

Just being here is doing something

I’m passed caring anymore

Does this lack of caring de-validate?

If I say that I do care will it override it?

Even if I am making it all up

Does a statement need to be true in order to validate

Other things validate my inactivity

Therefore I don’t need to do anything to validate it

So even if I did want to I don’t need to

It’s a self-drawing drawing

I terms of public interest if I gain it and the loose it do I also loose validation?

If I loose interest do I still loose validation?

There isn’t a point to all this

Do I not look busy to you?

I am ticking the same boxes I’ve already ticked

I don’t want to do it anymore

Don’t make me

I shouldn’t need to

In fact I don’t need to

I have already validated myself enough

There is documentation to prove it

It would just be the same drawing with a different colour pen

Multiple drawings are boring

I am bored this now

I’ve ticked all the boxes already

Do I not look busy to you?

I’m too tired for this

I’ve made my decision and I’m going to stick to it

I am not going to draw the same drawn again

This is more pointless than anything else I have done

I have just broke a nail doing this nothing

Do I not look busy to you?

I had nothing else to do

I don’t want to do anything else

Do I not look busy to you?

Even inactivity has a purpose

It is harder than you think

Because trying to come up with something better is like pulling teeth

I needed to do something

I can’t work under pressure

I refuse to work under pressure

I will not make a piece of work just to tick boxes

Even though I will make work about ticking boxes

Do I not look busy to you?

I do not need to do anything more than this

Something enough is enough

I have already done enough

I don’t want to do anymore

I will not bow to institutional pressures

Inactivity breeds’ activity

If performance is an awareness of an action does an awareness of inaction still count?

I will not subvert live arts intentions anymore

I am beginning to contradict myself

I do not want to contradict myself further

I do not need to play this game anymore

I am beginning to repeat my self

I am already aware of my intent

I have already informed everybody of this intent

I am not a one trick pony, why act like one

I have faith in it

To see how far I can push it

To use minimal effort

To aid progression

To not stand still

Do I not look busy to you?

Because concept always triumphs

To understand what the hell I’m doing

To work out what the hell I’m doing

To take the piss

To cause a bit of trouble

To be myself

To get away with doing nothing

To get away with doing what I always do

To give the pointless point

So I don’t have to tick more boxes

So I am happy with what I have done

To draw a different picture

Because I don’t need to please everyone

Because I don’t paint pretty pictures

They make me feel sick

I don’t feel the need to be entertaining

Do I not look busy to you?

The world is not a stage

Why try and make it so

I don’t need to do anything

Otherwise I’ll go insane

It takes a lot of effort to not go to the loo for this long

Because it’s too cold to do anything else

Because if I do anything else I’ll make a mess

Because I’ve got better things to be doing

Because I am an artist not a performer

Because I do not make theatre

I don’t want to do anything else

I can’t do anything else

I’m sick of being active

I fancied a change

I needed to take a risk

I needed to commit to something

Do I not look busy to you?

Anything else would have been pointless

I am not looking for a over reaction

I am doing this for me

Anyway I look hot as a secretart

A little bit of wit goes along way

To achieve

The only thing I’m doing is not doing

Not everybody’s going to understand what I’m doing

Because without this I would give up

I can’t decide what means more to me

Do I not look busy to you?

You can never be sure of anything

There is to much drama in this world

Because I don’t want to be ushering people around so now I have an excuse

I’m busy doing nothing working the whole day through trying to find lots of things not to do

I’d like to be unhappy but I simple don’t have the time

I’m trying to ruffle a few feathers

I’m not doing what you expect of me

I am not doing what you tell me

Do I not look busy to you?

I do not give up that easily

Anything else would tire me out

I don’t need to pretend

I’m just flirting with the idea

Do I not look busy to you?

There are only so many times you can say something

Do I not look busy to you?

I’m trying to push myself

Failure is not an option

Do I not look busy to you?

The need to document my endeavour

However pointless

Elevate and achieve

Sometimes you can try too hard

Too many cooks spoil the broth

Too many ingredients also do that

I ran out of good ideas

I’m taking a risk

Do I not look busy to you?

Less is sometimes more

I look like I’m ready to start

The potential is too great

It is awkward

Because as long as I tell you it’s fine it will be fine

I can get a lot out of this

I document therefore I am

Do I not look busy to you?

Because I can justify my non-action in blocks

Only two more hours until in have way

Only two more hours until it’s over

I’m not doing anything therefore you can’t criticise it

I am self documenting

Do I not look busy to you?

Inactivity keeps me busy

I can happen over several hours

I don’t really have to

It is what it is

Pointless

I am wasting time

There is no need to state the obvious

I am subtle

No I not look busy to you?

I am a parasite

There is no need to

I am not a drama queen

I can do anything except do

I need to do something even if that something is nothing

Because sometimes the obvious just goes straight over peoples heads

Small things amuse small minds

If actions speak louder than words where does inaction lye?

I am not a walking cliché

I can do what I want

It’s a long to be doing anything more productive

I am pushing myself

A change will do you good

Enough is enough

The simpler the better

I have better things to do

What’s the point?

Does it need a point to gain validity?

Surely the point is that it’s got no point therefore its is already valid

Inaction is an action in itself

I’m sick of doing what’s expected of me

Do I not look busy to you?

Just because I look like a secretary doesn’t mean I have to be one

Do I not look busy to you?

I can get away with murder

My body has it’s own presence

You can never get everyone to understand

Even though validation should achieve this

There are never enough people to finish ticking the boxes

Ideas get in the way of everything

I have already achieved what I set out to achieve

I’m trying to be funny

Not everything is what it seams

You can never completely validate your actions

Can you ever validate your inactions?

Fabrication can achieve

You can’t polish a shit

I can perform without performing

It’s enough not to

Same drawing different coloured pen – drawing over the same lines

Ticking the same boxes

I don’t want to play this game anymore

Do I not look busy to you?

I can just claim that I am

Though I am not enough without that claim

Austin knows that

I am making an utterance

In saying it I am doing it

I need to look like I am being inactive

As long as I validate it I can do it

The institution is a great supporter of that claim

I can get away with it

Because being drunk never helps you get the best out of the

Situation

Because what might seam like a good idea might just be masquerading as a bad one

Action needs to be taken

Because I am not stuck in the past

I want you to think differently

I wish to make clear my intentions

This way I am not accountable for what happens

If you continue to something people will eventually get the idea

Do I not look busy to you?

I have to be consistent

I could do anything and you would buy it

I am stretched to far

Everything isn’t always what it seams

In doing this I am justified

It feels right

I can and will do what I want

I give in

Even though it might not seem that was I have a purpose

Concept = purpose

Do I not look busy to you?

Office lady is ruining her performance by doing too much

Less = more

I’ve done too much already

This is important

I over thought things

There is too much pressure to do anything but

Unless I wanted to do the same drawing which is pointless

There is too much on my plate

So I don’t have to be depended on as usual

Do I not look busy to you?

Some people are idiots

I am not capable of anything else

Do I not look busy to you?

I like to think I’m funny

There is only so far you can push something

I wont do what you tell me

I can become invisible

Do I not look busy to you?

Inactivity breed’s inactivity

To get some interest in my endeavour

No matter its use

I am not a machine

It is rewarding

Really!?!

There is method to my madness

Do I not look busy to you?

To demonstrate a purpose

Do I not look busy to you?

To not give too much away

To not hide behind objectivity any more

I echo reality

There is only so much I can’t do

To enjoy the stupidity of it all

Give the pointless point

Some information just can’t be passed on

Lies get you anywhere

Permanence

Remains

The ephemeral

To open new doors

Things keep swimming round in my head

Inspiration can come from anywhere

Even alcohol

Not only what I do is stupid

I am not entertainment

I do not need to appeal to the masses to validate my action/ lack of action

I fit in around everyone else

Do I not look busy to you?

Because I actually care about what I do

I can do this over and over and over

Do I not look busy to you?

I cant to the same thing forever

Not everything needs to be obvious

The world isn’t made for tall people

Do I not look busy to you?

I think repetition is funny

I like to cause a bit of trouble

Sometimes it helps to get everything out

Sometimes I don’t have a clue what’s going on

Inactivity aids in sussing this out

Inactivity is the way forward

Do I not look busy to you?

I can get away with unprofessionalism

This doesn’t affect validation

Not in terms of inactivity anyway

Do I not look busy to you?

I am aware of what is going on around me

This is getting me nowhere

There are always periods of nothingness

Because I say so

Objects are heavy

I am a one-man band

I lead a one-person army

I’m just biding my time

But using it all up in the process

I am giving wait to my actions

Or inactions

To validate is to demonstrate use or purpose

There is always uncertainty

I trust my feelings

Sarcasm is my friend

Sometimes concepts are never justified through actions

I am not shameless in my self-promotion

Tick

I don’t care

I’ve ticked all the boxes I need to

I enjoy it

Do I not look busy to you?

I’m pushing through

I will finish soon

I’m trying not to repeat myself

Do I not look busy to you?

I make myself laugh – is that good enough?

I’m giving you attitude

Thank is all I need

Do I not look busy to you?

Inactivity breed’s activity

Activity validates my inactivity

Haven’t I ticked enough boxes already?

Do I not look busy to you?

Do I not look busy too you?

I am allowed to

There is too much already going on

I give you an excuse so believe it

Do I not look busy to you?

There is enough work to validate already

Sometimes it takes me a while to realise it

Sometimes you just need to stop

This is how I am

I have will power

I need to be clearer

I’m shaking this up

Do I not look busy to you?

Inactions speak louder than words

Do I not look busy to you?

Because I am dependable

This is it

I don’t take myself seriously

None of this counts

I don’t want to play anymore

I don’t need to be clever, just witty

I just need everyone to believe I’m doing what I’m not doing

I seem to be the only one who cares

I illustrate a simple point

Progression

To give me some idea

Nothing more nothing less

To keep pointlessness free flowing

To create a rhythm

I am not an idiot

I can get away with this kind of shit as long as I validate it

I can go unnoticed

There is nothing else to do

To clarify

To pull things together

I am an honorary fine art student

I wont do what is expected of me

I am still ticking boxes

I don’t have a choice

I will do these things to myself

This is the last thing I will do here

I want to give up

Its dead and I’m still at it

I’m squeezing as much juice out of it as I can

There is a lot of wasted space

I am the only thing that is doing but not doing

I am putty in his hands

I trust too much

I need affirmation

I am never completely happy with what I do

I need to push myself further

I am never going to get what I want out of activity

I bring it on myself

To waste time

To use time

I give up

It is all stupid

I enjoy the stupidity

I don’t need to be here yet I still am

Do I not look busy to you?

I don’t need to be here

I wasn’t here and it still had presence

It all seemed to be pointless

I had to be truly inactive to understand validation of inaction

The comedy of it all

The need to experiment

To push it over the edge

To take the piss

To get away with murder

Show the importance of the pointless

Give the pointless point

Tick boxes without actually ticking them

To get something out of it for myself

So I can sit on my arse all day

Minimal effort maxim gain

Nothing really matters

No one really gives a shit

Not being here reiterates my point

Questioning the status of live art- an action needing to happen

I am the queen of inactivity

Extension of time – doing nothing makes the time go slower – I don’t want to leave yet I’m not ready

As hard as I try I’m not useful

Durational work means you can spend as much of as little time with the piece

I am not imposing

I fill a void

Ideas of importance weigh heavy on my mind

The need for public interest

I’m excited to see how it will pan out

I haven’t got a clue where this is going

Because things can be fabricated

I don’t want to go back to reality

Banana cake is there to be eaten

You can’t have your cake and eat it to – as much as you want to

Writing is the way forward

I don’t need to give a reason for my validation

Only fact will validate more

My head is full

People may miss what I’m doing but I have a presence elsewhere

I can do this all day and still be bored

That’s not the way it works

Curiosity may have killed the cat but it led a far more interesting life

I cooperate but am unwilling to be walked over

I have had my fill of certain things this year

I am getting sucked into my own head and that is not a fun place to be

I need to bring some humour back

I doubted my previous intentions

I wind myself up

I am on a roll

I love to watch the world go by

I don’t need a reason why – I am only validating my inactivity not the reasons themselves

There is only so much shit I can take

Do I not look busy to you?

There is nothing more I can do

Do I not look busy to you?

It is so quiet

Agogo

I don’t know everything

And I don’t pretend to

I lack in self-confidence

I cover it up with bravado

I am making the most out of this last week

Cheese

People expect a lot from me – I am giving them nothing

I was drunk

Nick

Having too much fun

Communication

I believe in my inaction

Do I not look busy to you?

I am clever than that

I have a tendency to over think things

The things that I think less about people often think I have thought about more

To think of the future

Highlighting the obvious is funny

I like to but an x in a box every now and again just to mix it up a little

Do I not look busy to you?

I validate to exist

Do I not look busy to you?

I might as well be on Facebook

Because there is a hierarchy of art and something needs to be the bottom

I am getting nothing out of this

I am not a control freak

Do I not look busy to you?

Its progressive

I have had worse ideas

I can’t be arsed anymore

This is the final hurdle

I am telling my story

Its part of the process

Because pink is my favour colour

It’s all just words

It’s all just validation

Do I not look busy to you?

Because sometimes things fuck up for no reason

I suffer for my art

I can never win

I never do things the easy way

I’m not after a cheep thrill – I am not at a theme park

Do I not look busy to you?

I am active in my inactivity

Do I not look busy to you?

I’m working lunch

Shit happens

Things never come to an end

There is no need for resolve

I might as well

This is stupid

I look like I should

I can’t just sit back and watch

Even with all the reassurance in the world I still know the last idea was crap

I evade judgement with my indecision

I am nothing more

Do I not look busy to you?

Inactivity breeds activity but makes you really fucking sleepy

I need to do more

I need to do nothing

It is useless

I don’t know why I do it to myself

I am a glutton for punishment

Progression

You always find yourself trying to attach meaning to things that have non

Some people are slow

Do I not look busy to you?

This is a validation of nothing

It has less point than before

Do I not look busy to you?

Reiteration brings understanding

Understanding brings validation

To try something new

Do I not look busy to you?

Its funny watching people who are meant to be active being less active than me

I take the piss, that’s what I do

Do I not look busy to you?

It’s all just documentation

It doesn’t matter

Some people are about as useful as a chocolate teapot

Does attention bring validation?

If I pay attention to something for a long time does it make it valid?

Does it even matter?

There are things that you just don’t need to witness

Do I not look busy to you?

Same pen different colour

Same pen same colour

I don’t need to but I feel the need to

I give anything a shot

I granted it validation when I set about doing it

Do I not look busy to you?

I love it when a plan comes together

I have three pieces

Do I not look busy to you?

Default

Wanker

I have ticked too many boxes

Do I not look busy to you?

I don’t want to so I’m not

Do I not look busy to you?

Same drawing different colour pen

Guinness have already granted me validation

I have already done the rubiks cube 1512 times

That is enough

Repetition aids validation

Do I not look busy to you?

I already have enough public interest

I can’t take the pressure

Enough has been done

I don’t need to prove this to you

I have already said what needs to be said

I don’t need to write it again

I don’t need to be here

I don’t need to do anything

Drunken nights lead to nothing getting done

I am never going to get the validation I want

There is no point to this

You never know what’s going to happen

I keep endeavouring and people keep fucking it up

I can depend on myself

Do I not look busy to you?

There is enough validation to last a lifetime

I can fabricate this

I have fabricated this

It is never ending

I do not have a on and off switch

Do I not look busy to you?

I can’t keep repeating myself

I don’t need to spell it out

I’m not serious

I am unaware of where I stop and where performance begins

Do I not look busy to you?

I don’t need to be here

Because I’m drunk again

No one is about

There are 6844 words of utter shit

Do I not look busy to you?

A validation of inactivity is never going to happen

I set up these impossible talks

I type therefore I am

Mmmmmm

Shit happens

Do I not look busy to you?

Same drawing different colour pen

Do I not look busy to you?

I give in

I am a smug git

Do I not look busy to you?

I don’t even now what I’m doing anymore

Do I not look busy to you?

I am making a mess

I am drunk

Things are too funny

Do I not look busy to you?

I’m falling apart

I have turned up for work again

I am easily distracted

I’m trying to be proactive

I’m a giggly girl

Typing has become near impossible

I have said it all

Welcome to London

I’m just taking the piss now

Cause I am pissed!

I broke my skirt

Do u want to be me for a while?

Grrrrrrrrr

Grrrrrrrr

The performer has changed

But has it?

Is it still valid if a member of the audience gets involved?

I have no idea how to do this

I don’t even know what I have to write

I am busy.

Do I not look BUSY to you?

I am Lauren

It’s not fun to be Lauren

I much prefer being Jeanne

At least I’m not autistic

I am writing because the letters appear on the screen

I was told to do this

I am therefore doing this

I have no idea what this is

I am sat in the chair because I was told to

I am typing because I have been watching Lauren typing and therefore I am reproducing what I have seen

I want to use a word but I have no idea how to spell it

Re-enactment

Ah!

So I am re-enacting this performance within the performance

I am not liking this though

A performance is starting for a change and we have audience

Do I need to be here?

Do I not look busy to you?

This is very very boring

A head is actually more empty than I thought

By re-enacting this I am validating it

It is now validated

My job is done

I don’t need to be here

I wanted to try something else

It is nothing without me

I have work to do

I am better than this

I do not need to be professional

Do I not look busy to you?

Nothing more

Do I not look busy to you?

I keep getting brought things

No one knows any better

I’m a vein cow and it’s all about me

We need a crit

I like being played with

I get away with this shit

I don’t need to put on a performance

It doesn’t take a lot

I’m confused

I’m just doing what I’m doing

Do I not look busy t you?

I love giving it some attitude

It’s too late in the day

It’s so much more fun when I’ve got a drink inside of me

It is a lot funnier too

I DON’T NEED A REASON TO EXCUSE MYSELF

Caps lock is my friend

I feel like Britney

I pretend like I know what I’m doing

You don’t care if I do

Nothing I do makes much sense

I can only give so much

That’s the way I roll

Do I not look busy to you?

There is to many people

Comedy typing is funny

I perform but don’t perform

There is such thing as a bad egg

This is a scratch performance

I can work it

Beer then wine makes you feel fine, wine then beer makes you feel queer

I am funny

I make myself laugh at least

Do I not look busy to you?

I am already valid

I don’t want to play anymore

I have gotten too big for my boots

Everyone is expecting a show

I no get instant gratification

Its about be giving up on my endeavour

It’s about me not getting sucked in to the spectacle of it all

I will live

I never know what I am going to do until the last minute

I still don’t know what I’m doing now at the end of the week

There is more than what is in my head

I can’t see the end

There is no end

I am making something out of nothing

I wanted to do better than what I had

It is pointless

That’s what I do

In order to validate my actions I need to be inactive

This is what it has come to

Do I not look busy to you?

I can sustain inactivity

My goal is to give value to something that has little

Do I not look busy to you?

Public interest is paramount

Nothing ever happens

Not everything needs to happen on a stage

I have a sense of humour

I am will to take a risk

I want to play

I’m trying to draw out my last few days

I don’t want to get up off my fat arse

It works in this context

It wont work anywhere else

I don’t have to try too hard

I can go unnoticed

There is so much I should be doing which I’m not

This is about as productive as banging my head against I brink wall

I am as useful as a chocolate teapot

My validation doesn’t have to be true just believable

For the good of man kind

This is the best piece you will ever see

Belief and interest will always triumph over truth and importance

If I do something for long enough it will become valid

Contradicting arguments make things less valid

Repetition validates

I need to reiterate my point

Do I not look busy to you?

Tick more boxes

Re-tick the same boxes to validate my point

Do I not look busy to you?

My heart isn’t in it

Do I not look busy to you?

I am capable of much more

Do I not look busy to you?

Just because

I exist that is enough

I want the best out of things

Because if I’m not careful my life will turn into a musical

The more shit I spout the funnier it is

I get away with it

Do I not look busy to you?

I can say I’m doing anything right now and you will buy it

Doing nothing is dull as hell but the public are still interested

Do I not look busy to you?

I can’t take myself seriously

Do I not look busy to you?

Its funny watching people try and suss me out

I deserve a break

I am me

I procrastinate well

This is it

My work is never done

At the end of the day it will never work but to achieve the impossible is the endeavour

I can do anything

It is a process

I am boring myself as well as others

I am a numpty

I am living in the moment

Whatever I write will sound pretentious

It is useful

I am unwilling to give in to the pressure of the institution

But I will work along side it

I might never achieve what I set out to do

This is not a problem

The things I see offend me

I am not just another cog in the wheel

Whatever I do will have an impact on me

I create change

There is enough shit in this world

This is all bullshit

I have the bollocks to

I am not a commodity

As much as I resist everything becomes documentation

Do I not look busy to you?

I get it

I am simple in the way I execute things

I have too many thoughts

I am not trying to be what I can’t

I am not painting a pretty picture

Or drawing the same thing with a different colour pen

Whatever happens, happens

Delete repeated words

I am here but I’m not

I will never change my ways

If you make it they will come

Nothing is certain of this I am certain

I justify myself with mass

A lot of nothing is still nothing

I do not provide entertainment

I don’t do things by half

Do I not look busy to you?

I don’t need to be here

I want to see how much or how little I can get away with

I go on and on and on and on

I am self-validating already

Because I can

Because I will

Because I am

I always planned it this way

I hate documentation of live art

I decide what happens

I trust myself

Context informs everything

Pre-documentation

Nothing ever turns out the way you plan

A seed got planted in my head

This look says it all

I want to win this fight

There is a presence

No one wants to see a performance

I can pretend to do this all day

I don’t know why I’m here in the first place

It easy

I am

There is so much more to do

Nothing has been done

You would think that I deserve a good grade

It is simple

There is no need to over-complicate things

This is what I do

Every concept doesn’t need an action

I just can’t get enough

I turn shit into gold

There is more to be done

I need a lucky break

Its funny

To confuse

I have done enough already

I need to keep telling you this

I am giving life to a dead space

Presence is everything

Sometimes things are not set in the right context

Do I not look busy to you?

It one big experiment

I am not ready to conclude

I do not need to be here

I’m done

Dave Gorman speaks sense yet again

2010-09-13T20:42:00.001+01:00

http://gormano.blogspot.com/2010/09/google-him.html

The dave Gorman himself on value judgement

2010-08-20T20:53:00.001+01:00

http://gormano.blogspot.com/2010/08/few-words-about-twitter-and-charity.html

We're In!

2010-08-13T17:10:00.000+01:00

Dear Lauren O'Day,

Your rejection appeal and blog were brought to my attention by one of my colleagues.

After bringing your claim back to the Records Management Team, we have decided to open a category for your claim. We will be sending you the guidelines pertinent to the evidence we need within the next week.

Yours sincerely,

Mariamarta Ruano-Graham
Head of Records Management
Guinness World Records

New Blog

2010-07-23T12:21:00.002+01:00

Seeing as I now have so many of them The mice now have a home of there own

Follow there progression into the World Record books at -

http://1000blindmice.blogspot.com/

or at their facebook group

1000 Blind Mice

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=100433246670288&ref=search

Website coming soon!

Public interest! I'll give them fecking public interest! ...

2010-07-10T11:27:00.000+01:00

Claim ID: 297310
Membership Number: 253998

Dear Miss O'Day,

Thank you for your latest correspondence regarding the rejection of your recent record proposal for 'largest display of knitted mice'. We have noted your comments regarding our decision to reject your claim, and have discussed your case further.

While we do recognise a wide variety of record-breaking achievements, those that we choose to include in our database are those that, at our discretion, are measurable, quantifiable, breakable, and of interest to our audience. They are also records that we anticipate will be attempted again in the future. We receive over 60,000 enquiries every year and so we hope you can appreciate that we are bound to favour the records that reflect the greatest interest.

Therefore our initial position still stands and this is our final decision.

Unfortunately, given that we receive well in excess of 60,000 enquiries and claims per year, we regret that we will not be able to enter into any further correspondence regarding this particular claim.

Once again, we thank you for your interest Guinness World Records.

Yours sincerely,

Kimberly Partrick
Records Management Team

In Rejection of the Knitted Mice

2010-06-16T10:58:00.000+01:00

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing to contest the recent rejection of this record attempt (ref- 297310) ‘Largest display of knitted mice’.

In your email dated 13.04.10 you state ‘While we certainly do not underestimate your proposal, we do however think that this item is a little too specialised for a body of reference as general as ours’.

While normally I would appreciate this claim your 2010 book has accredited ‘The largest display of papier-mâché pandas’. It seams strange to me to me that papier-mâché pandas are themselves not too specialised.

You also claim ‘We receive many thousands of record claims every year and we think you will appreciate that we are bound to favour those which reflect the greatest interest.’

Despite the fact that I can appreciate this in terms of the pandas as a symbol of the WWF, I fail to see how you can claim that something like someone balancing a milk bottle on their head for the longest distance is of any more interest than knitted mice.

I understand that you are extremely busy but I would appreciate some answers to why in your eyes some claims hold greater value than others.

Many thanks for your time.

Lauren O’Day

A story of validation - review

2010-06-01T12:15:00.000+01:00

A story of validation - review

I think I better start at the beginning after all it is a pretty good place to start.

As mentioned in the piece its self I didn’t really know what I was doing here. Sure I had sent in a proposal but it was really fluffy. It proposed a sort of non-action with story telling to validate it the nature a which meant I was still writing the fucker in the pub 10 minutes before I turned up.

This meant I had to read it from my laptop but we’ll get back to that later.

The space was not what I had expected, the organisation was not as I expected, the fact that I did know what to expect was not expected. This made me nervous. I was also trying something new which made me more nervous.

All the points above as well as the reading made Awkward. The awkwardness was heightened by the self-questioning and the self-questioning was heightened by the awkwardness in an endless streaming of mumbling and self-doubt.

Of course it was bound to be awkward though, I wasn’t doing anything sat in a room full of people expecting more from me.

The beauty of this awkwardness manifested itself in both the beginning and end of this performance. At the beginning I just started talking – telling my story to a reluctantly listening crowd that didn’t know what to expect. At the end I pick my stuff to leave a spill bear all over the sofa and my laptop. The crowd are silent.

‘Anyway… next performance’ the host says trying to move on.

Awkward awkward awkward!

I loved this though - a strange kind of endeavour that I was never going to fulfil because I wasn’t doing anything. Awkwardness was enveloped in it from the start (even without the random opening and the beer spillage).

Anyway back to the reading from the laptop – the nature in which I wrote it meant that that’s the way it had to be. However talks about me learning how to tell a story and not relying on a script were still had. This would mean I wouldn’t stumble over the words as much and probably make it seam more genuine. Is this what I want though? To be honest I still don’t know. I don’t know how much either aspect (genuine or awkward) is integral to what I am doing. Does either matter in the grand scheme of things? I should probably work this out before I can continue …

Postgraduate Forum - A performance

2010-05-28T11:28:00.000+01:00

Postgraduate forum

Of No Value Beyond the Object Itself

ICA 9.05.10 10.00 – 7.00

Well here we go again I thought as I took my seat behind the reception desk at the ICA. I had already been asked if the café was open by a member of the public when I was setting up to which my response of ‘I’m sorry I don’t work here’ went down like a ton of bricks. A sarcastic ‘no, your just sat behind the desk’ marked the start of what was to become 1 of many people thinking I was a member of staff.

At first I revelled in people responding to me like I was a receptionist even when I was clearly ignoring them. People just didn’t seam to understand that playing with a rubik’s cube on a reception desk wasn’t normal behavior especially when the rubiks cuber was taking photos every time they complete it.

I was working sure. But not in the way they wished of me. I was working to complete my pointless endeavour fuelled by this little box of iconic uselessness and my attempt to give it purpose. Each picture validated the time I had spent in it completion marking the success of myself.

This is why I when the ICA told me I had to have a sign saying position closed at my desk to stop people getting pissed of when I didn’t answer them I instead got pissed off. POSITION CLOSED. Position was not closed position was clearly fully functional just not to its original intension. POSITION NOT WORKING TO YOUR IDEAL NEEDS would have been more accurate.

Nevertheless I continued and as I got so into the task at hand that I started to become oblivious to people even asking me a question. All I could think about was completing the cube quicker, making the time go quicker.

‘Ok so average time is usually 8 minutes so I can do it roughly 6 times in an hour (give or take me being an idiot and having to start again) if I speed up my average time to say… 6 minutes I can do it possibly 10 times thus making my time go quicker.’ - alright so I am aware that this makes as much sense as a chocolate teapot but I had been cubing for about 4 hours at this point and my brain had turned into colours and patterns.

This was what had consumed me. Quicker, faster, complete the cube and complete the task, end the day quicker. Even when friends turned up and try and distract me lost in a world of coloured brinks and inverses I only realise it’s them as they leave.

The oblivion on my behalf is then matched by a couple of spectators. They stand and flick though my box of photos and talk about me like I’m not sitting less than a foot away from them. One bloke even picks up a photo, waves it under my nose and asks me ‘what is she doing as the ICA?’ What the fuck! Clearly ‘Sitting right in front of you’ would have been my response if able to communicate.

The nonverbal aspect to this endeavour clearly heightened concentration on the task but validated my presence less. The pictures alone weren’t validation enough here people wanted/ needed more. Confirmation that is not just another receptionist. Validation that in there belief I had more value than this.

Ok so time to justify my actions. Give them validity. Which ironically is what I’m am doing within my practise by attempting to give the steamily pointless point. I am partaking on a useless endeavour and questioning the value of this uselessness.

To validate is to demonstrate or support value or truth of. It gives weight to something demonstrating its purposefulness or importance.

Performance as storytelling is part of this validation in terms of documentation. This is due to the fact of public interest. This was highlighted to me in the channel four documentary ‘My daughter grew another head and other true life stories’ which examines magazines which use ‘true live stories’ to gain readers by taking uninteresting stories, elaborating them and then repackaging them as “fascinating truth’. By handing over your story to be repackaged you are not only validating your experience to others but making it bigger and better to get greater validation for something originally quiet pointless.

The biggest player in the useless endeavour game however has got to be the Guinness World Records. Recognition is given to the person who can travel the farthest with a milk bottle on his head or to the person who can grow the longest finger nails. By entering into this world they Gain acknowledgement of there actions. They validate their uselessness.

It is public interest in both of these examples that is important to me. Should the public really be interested in someone snogging a swan or running over their fiancée by accident? Is someone balancing a milk bottle on his or her head for the longest distance really of any interest to the general public? Yet this is what we strive to achieve if we want to enter into this world, the validation of others. The need for someone to be interested in order to validate your experience or endeavour is the fundamental issue here. In terms of true life stories whether this is truth or not doesn’t seam to matter. Belief and interest will always triumph over truth and importance.

Draw attention to HAND OUT (chase audition)

It is documentation of my steamily useless endeavors I am experimenting with at present.

Within a materialized art world the intentionality of live art is becoming subverted though documentation. With the value of live art work increasingly being carried by the strongest documentation, is the necessity of this more important than the preservation of an ephemeral medium? It seems to me to become about giving validity to a transient medium within a heavily materialised art world. The status of live art now relies on the answer to which its self-referring liveness is essential.

To quote Peggy Phelan -‘Performance cannot be saved, recorded, documented or otherwise participate in the circulation of representations of representations: once it does so, it becomes something other than performance.’ It becomes validation, validation of the ephemeral to which validity is both gained and lost. Gained through public interest (bringing a fleeting media to the masses.) and lost throught the subversion of its intention (Live art).

On the other hand the purpose of documentation as validation of something seemingly useless enables the truth to be twisted and manipulated to give greater validity to said uselessness. (Alike the true life stories and the documentation on the sheat) If the documentation in this respect works as indented, to give value, it gives validity. It is not however the documentation that is valid but the action itself. The documentation is a vehicle for the validation of the useless and therefore does not need validity itself. In the words of Wikipedia (a source that itself is persecuted for it validity) ‘Validation implies one is able to document that a solution or process is correct or is suited for its intended use.’ (Wikipedia, 2010) If the documentation shows that the useless has a use it gives validity. Again the documentation is used to give validation to something else, whether the documentation itself is valid is a different story. Henceforth documentation of the documentation would be needed to gain validity and so on.

In relation to my practice and therefore personal endeavour documentation of a useless endeavour enables public awareness and therefore interest. It also allows for manipulation or exaggeration to make the endeavour seam greater and further more complete fabrication of the event. While this is useful in giving the useless/pointless value it makes the action itself obsolete. This both validates and invalidates the story/documentation through both interest and truth respectively.

Does validation of ones own experiences through documentation to give value to your life? Is that what we look for in documentation, validation to yourself as well as others that what you did had value? Does documentation automatically insert value on to an action or event? – it was of enough value to document in the first place. In this respect does documentation self validate?

I think at this point it is a good time to again define the word ‘validate’ - To validate is to demonstrate or support value or truth of. It gives weight to something demonstrating its purposefulness or importance.

ASK FOR TIME IF RUNNING QUICKLY SHOW VALIDATION VIDEO!

At present it is this support of value that I am looking for and hoping to achieve through the Guinness World Record book for my attempt at ‘The largest display of knitted mice’

This attempt has been rejected on the ground that it is too specific. However a similar attempt of 'Largest display of paper-mache pandas' has recently been accredited in the 2010 book.

A Facebook group Called 1000 blind mice has been launched as a campaign at the appalling rejection of this record in attempt to gain access into the book of world records.

Please join the group to raise awareness of the plight of the mice.

1000 BLIND MICE

A Story of validation – CCW Salon @Flat Time House 25.05.10

2010-05-27T14:12:00.001+01:00

A Story of validation – CCW Salon @Flat Time House 25.05.10

To validate is to demonstrate or support value or truth of. It gives weight to something demonstrating its purposefulness or importance.

Ok so first off I think I better explain why I’m here. Well I guess it all started with Nick here. He sits opposite me in the studio you see, Usually perving over Gemma Artitons face or spouting some nonsense about colour sequencing or plywood. Anyway last Fri was different. Nick was focused and not on Gemma Artiton for a change. Confused by this I asked what he was doing.

‘I’m making some work for that salon thing we got an email about the other day’

‘Salon thing? What Salon thing?’

‘That salon thing we got an email about the other day.’

‘What email?’

‘The one we got the other day’

I forgot to mention as well as being a nonsense-spouting pervert nick is also thinks he’s funny.

I give him this look (pissed off)

‘yeah … there’s a salon going on and there after performative work you should send in a proposal.’

Bollocks! Now I’m going to have to make some work. Its funny how I feel obliged to do theses things.

I thought about this for a while then forgot about. That was until Nikki come over and asked if I sent a proposal you your dear selves. Crap. Gota do it now. A proposal couldn’t hurt, its not like it was going to get it accepted especially with the shitty proposal I sent in. This pre-documentation of sort will work; a kind of an performative utterance or such meaning I wouldn’t have to do the work the proposal would be enough.

But then you fuckers just had to go and accept every thing don’t you.

So here I am attempting to validate my inactivity to you.

O shit I better introduce my self – I’m Lauren and I am a Visual Language of performance student at Wimbledon and because I am a Visual Language of performance student I feel somewhat obliged to perform at these things even if I haven’t got a clue what to do. A kind of DANCE MONKEY DANCE thing.

I should also tell you that my work deals with seemingly pointless endeavours as part of which I have taught my self to do a rubiks cube then did it for an entire week documenting every time I did it and I am currently trying to break a world record for the largest display of knitted mice.

This attempt has been rejected on the ground that it is too specific. However a similar attempt of 'Largest display of paper-mache pandas' has recently been accredited in the 2010 book.

This group is a campaign at the appalling rejection of this record in attempt to gain access into the book of world records.

Join the facebook group 1000 blind mice now!

Any how plug over I digress

Also as part of the course we have recently been told that we need to do a performance outside of the uni sooo…

So this is why I’m stood here now like a numpty because logic tells me to validate why I should be here in the first place.

Ok so technically I’m not really doing anything here apart from telling you this pointless story but surely my presence here validates my non-action.

Anyway for all you know I could be making this all up. I could just be some weirdo telling you a stupid because I love the attention I’m getting. (hey)

But what does it matter. Your buying it. Your Belief in the truth or that that is packaged as the truth doesn’t make any difference here, it doesn’t validate my presence any less. By documenting my story and repackaging it as this performance I am not only validating my experience to others but even making it bigger and better to get greater validation for something originally quiet pointless.

Performance as storytelling is part of this validation in terms of documentation. I document my inactivity, to tick some boxes, validate to my self, I twist it to make it ‘interesting’, tell it you, validate it to you, tick some more boxes and gain some public interest.

It is ‘interesting’ isn’t it? Its got to be interesting? This is what we strive to achieve if we want to enter into this world, public interest the validation of others. The need for someone to be interested in order to validate your experience or endeavour is the fundamental issue here. I am interesting! I have a purpose. I have a point.

But this is all bollocks really isn’t it? what the hell am I doing here? Fuck it.

Dave Gorman Genius @ BBC studios 24.05.10

2010-05-26T20:13:00.000+01:00

Dave Gorman Genius @ BBC studios 24.05.10

Dave Gorman is my idol. I’m sure your very aware of this by now. His pointless endeavours, his books as validating documentation, his storytelling stand up gigs, he is just genius. So of course I’m going to see the recording of the second series of genius even if that specifically doesn’t relate to my practise. Any excuse to marvel in his presence.

I sit there giggling at the wannabe genius telling Gorman and his guests of there fantastic ideas.

‘Flammable jam for making toast when you haven’t got a toaster.’

‘Guide people for blind dogs’

‘Ride on vacuum cleaners’

‘Average people in the Olympics so you can see just how good the athletes are’

I wait with baited breath as they decide if the ideas are genius or not.

“But what is all this for?” Jeanne asks me half way through. “What are they getting out of this? Do they win something or something?”

I’d never really thought about it before. What do they get out of it? Of course, they get validation, validation that their idea is actually quite good, hysterically funny or just completely insane. Of course they can get that down the pub with their mates but here you get bigger and better validation from the general public and well as the master of pointlessness himself Mr Dave Gorman.

Dave Gorman thinks I’m a genius – what more could you want?

Backwards @ B.A.C Scratch Festival 22.05.10

2010-05-26T20:10:00.000+01:00

Backwards @ B.A.C Scratch Festival 22.05.10

As I walk in to the B.A.C I realise that this wasn’t your typical theatre foyer. Sure it had the usual stairway in the centre leading up to the performance space and the obligatory man stood at the bottom taking tickets as well as the box office where you could purchase you tickets to get passed this little man, but along with the traditional fixtures was a space filled with all your feedback needs.

A grassed area filled with deckchairs and plants where you could fill out your feedback form by hand while relaxing in the sudo-sunshine the space seamed to provide with it comforting atmosphere made filling out a form seam less of a chore.

For those in a rush a live twitter feed was projected onto the wall meant you could give your opinion about what you have seen in your own time as well as view what other people had made of it.

Don’t fancy writing? No problem. Feedback phone at your sevice. Take a seat in the cosy armchair, pick up the receiver, press a button and talk about the performance to an answering machine at the end of the line.

All of these data collecting little devices did one thing for me. Highlight the importance of audience feedback. This was what the festival was about- testing out ideas and getting an opinion about it.

Though in saying that I haven’t got a clue what to say about the performance that I seen ‘Backward’ apart from it was a simple concept executed in what would have made for a very tiring process. Starting at the end a working back to the beginning made you search for search backward for the information you had not get been provided.

Well at least this is what I had told the lovely answering machine at the end of the line.