Slideshow Double Header: (1) Math t presents ... Kier in NYC, June 27, 2009; (2) DC presents ... 'Jerk' in London, July 1 - 3, 2009

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1.

The day of the Voidoid release party, Kier calls me and says he's burning holes in books with Richard [Hell], Todd and Josh. Do I want to come over. I've taken the day off and I'm already quite stoned but I get my shit together in record time and arrive at 38 St Press in under 45. Unfortunately, by the time I arrive the burning is over, fortunately having produced 1000 approximate replications of this

The inside of 38 St Press looks like




Josh and Todd have made a lot of books



Kier is drawing individual original covers for the limited edition Japanese bound edition of the book. He is very kind to let me take some photos











Josh binds the limited editions in a simple manner that's sexy as shit. He calls it Japanese binding, evoking a certain type of bondage; plus it involves needles, slurp. Through research that night I learn the technique is originally Chinese and has also been widely used in Korea.

Josh binding the books




A finished copy



During this time I also attempt to draw something; however the faces become garbage. I am inspired by the allstar gang who did the Voidoid and I think I'll burn the faces out


The view from here. Let it be known that everything naughty depicted above was brought into 38 St Press by me. Josh, who hopes to design the Olympic mascot one day, was not involved whatsoever.


Next we go to Printed Matter. Inside



I only get one picture of Richard


Zachary German comes


So do JW Veldhoen and Nb, but inconveniently, I get too drunk to want to keep my camera in hand.

The last thing I manage to snap on 27 June are these zines by Kier onsale at Printed Matter, both bought by me both amazing


Bonus- next day, after pride, I take these pictures of Kier's tattoo



xx
your humble photographer



Buy The Voidoid, written by Richard Hell in 1973, illustrated by Kier Cooke Sandvik in 2008.




2.

The South London Gallery where 'Jerk' was performed is located in the Camberwell area of London and has been around for eons, as you can tell by the building's facade. In recent times, it's been an important venue for contemporary art -- showing big names like Tom Friedman, Brian Eno, Alfredo Jaar, Chris Burden, Gilbert & George, Steve McQueen, and Tracey Emin and young, emerging artists -- as well as film and performance art (or Live Art as they call it in England), which explains why our piece received an invitation courtesy of the SLG's awesome associate curator Anne-Sophie Dinant. Here are images of some previous events and shows at the SLG:









And here's our gang taking over.






This is Gisele Vienne, Jonathan Capdevielle, our lighting designer Patrick Riou, Anne-Sophie Dinant, the unpictured me, and some of the SLG's staff and curators setting up the space, rehearsing, and applying Jonathan's make up on the afternoon of the first performance.

A small boatload of UK based distinguished locals * saw the show over the course of the three nights. I snuck out to meet with most of them for a little while before the performances, usually but not always with camera in hand. Since the SLG is rather isolated, no pubs or cafes were within easy walking distance, so we either stuck to the front of the building or walked down to a nearby gas station for snacks and bad coffee.
* in attendance but not pictured: Blake Wood, James, Chris Goode, Roger Clarke, a.o.

Wednesday, the 1st: (l. to r.) Kier, Thomas, Tomkendall, Oscar B, Rigby, Tender Prey, Wolf. (For a closer look, see: below)



Also on Wednesday: Jheorgge

Thursday, July 2: (top to bottom) Oliver w/ Jonathan; Paul Curran; Pascal & Andra

Friday, July 3: (top to bottom) Colin, left, with Reuben and Caroline; Dominic and Davidc.

In an ideal situation, and the SLG provided it, the room where 'Jerk' is performed should be completely empty apart from Jonathan and the audience. This means that Gisele, Patrick, and I are sitting in an entirely different room during the show, running the lights and sound with a video monitor of what's going on in the performance space as our guide. So, below you see how the London shows looked to me. First you join me in spying on the audience as they file in, and then, when everyone is seated and has been handed their 'fanzine', which includes two pieces of writing that they are asked to read at designated points in the show, Jonathan, who is already sitting in his chair 'onstage' when the audience enters, waits for a prearranged secret signal that tells him it's okay to begin. By then, we're in the control room. For the London gigs, after the performance ended there was a ten minute break followed by yours truly reading four pieces from 'Ugly Man' followed by a discussion of 'Jerk' with the audience. On the first night, the theater maker Chris Goode conducted a formal interview with Gisele, Jonathan, and myself. On the other two nights, the three of us fielded questions on our own. Here are a few links to British press about the shows:

The Times: 'Jerk: puppetry with blood on its hands', by Joseph Galliano
'Jerk' @ Things I Want You to Know About
'Jerk' @ The New MT
A squib @ Time Out

The first night, we went out for dinner after the show, but between the late hour and the extreme sparsity of places to eat in the area, we ended up spending more time wandering around looking for restaurants than eating. After that, we just gave up and ordered in from Pizza Hut. Below you see some of the SLG curators and staff digging in.

On the last day and night of the performances, something strange and quite terrible happened. It's even possible you saw it on the news. Just behind the SLG are two very large low income housing towers, and when Gisele, Jonathan, and I arrived at the venue on Friday, one of them was experiencing a very serious fire. The not very clear picture below was taken from the SLG's backyard area. We all watched the building burn, people clinging to their balconies screaming for help, desperately and hopelessly trying to lower themselves on tied together bed sheets. After several hours, the fire department seemed to have the situation under control, so we went ahead with the show. But as the q&a was coming to an end, the fire department entered the SLG asking to use the building as a hospital for the wounded. The staff quickly broke down the bleachers and cleared the gallery space. By then six people had died in the fire. The paramedics didn't end up needing the space for medical reasons, but the burnt building was declared uninhabitable, and when Gisele, Jonathan, and I left late that night, the SLG staff was preparing for the likelihood that the space would need to be used as shelter and housing for the residents who had been left homeless.

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