Critical Interup tions Vol 1 Steakhouse Live
EDITED BY CRITICAL INTERRUPTIONS
WITH PALIN ANSUSINHA, KATY BAIRD, KATHARINA JOY BOOK, JENNIFER BOYD, JASMINE SHIGEMURA LEE, EMMA SELWYN AND MARIKISCRYCRYCRY (MALIK NASHAD SHARPE)
Critical interruptions Vol 1: Steakhouse Live By Critical Interruptions (Diana Damian Martin and Bojana Janković) [criticalinterruptions.com] with Palin Ansusinha, Katy Baird, Katharina Joy Book, Jennifer Boyd, Jasmine Shigemura Lee, Emma Selwyn and Marikiscrycrycry (Malik Nashad Sharpe)
Designed by Gareth Damian Martin Images by Julia Bauer and Manuel Vason Printed by Book Printers UK
Copyright © Critical Interruptions and the contributors 2018
Supported by Live Art UK and Steakhouse Live
Live Art UK is supported by Arts Council England through the Live Art Development Agency’s National Portfolio Organisation funding.
The Steakhouse: Live Writing project was supported through Steakhouse Live Festival 2016 funded by Arts Council England. Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live 4 Meanwhile, no one was getting paid; most lived inLondon; every women, but most of whom were still white, British and middle class. line publications created space for more writers, many of whom were constraints of broadsheets but often continued awarding stars. On structures underpinning the practice. Blogs broke the word count came embedded. Yet, for allthe changes, no dent was made inthe from full-time jobs; it moved into venues, inhabited festivals, be went fundamental shifts. Criticism moved online; it moved away Over the last twenty years, the ecologies of critical practice under support, sustain, activate, agitate and labour inand around Live Art. To the community of criticism: at the confluence of artistic practice and the politics it lives in, at We beginfrom the position that criticism is apolitical event, formed Critical Interruptions begins from anopposition to this view. of cultural practice. singular authorship, to spaces of authority, orneoliberal valuations unexamined. Inthis system, criticism is apractice that belongs to passes as monolithic cultural good -and the politics of both remain When reviewing is cast as the dominant form of writing, journalism editorial models. fractured dissent, whose most sustainable spaces mirror traditional the fundamental lack of change inasea of changes; alandscape of of analysis, still the norm -is perhaps the most obvious symbol of The survival of the review -still as descriptive, still as dismissive became even more invisible. criticism that had opposed orreacted to these structural problems Those attempting change remained onthe periphery; histories of one still wanted the press ticket for the mainstream, not the radical. those who make, write, curate, - - - - - * Art. This is the first inaseries of publications exploring criticism inLive going interrogation of critical form and language. radical, experimental ornon-normative artpractice requires anon criticism as acollaborative practice. We beginwith the premise that with adisregard for criticism as secluded work and instead, propose ogy of criticism is not one of journalism, but of artpractice. We begin tacks, reinforces orcreates. We beginfrom the premise that the ecol a successful funding application, as the radical generosity of Steak years, Steakhouse: Live Writing was made possible not somuch by through many scattered conversations, taking place over several hind the pilot. Left out is the history of the project: conceptualised elaborates onboth the Steakhouse collaboration and the ideas be The article that follows, originally published on - marking its duration and poetics in apolitical moment. ple, intersecting discussions within the strict confines of the festival all its noise and multiplicity. Live writing creates aspace for multi also inhow it might afford opportunities to engage with the digital in in which liveness encounters the body and action-based work, but Live Artinthe digital realm. We were interested not only inthe ways employed live writing to test and devise new models of responding to ović and Diana Damian Martin). Over the course of three days, we new to Live Artbut not criticism -as well as ourselves (Bojana Jank lin Ansusinha, Katharina Joy Book and Jennifer Boyd -three writers as alive publication, generated for the duration of the festival by Pa FASTER BETTER festival (14-16 October 2016). The pilot materialised 1 Vol Writing, apilot project undertaken as partof the LONGER WETTER Interruptions Critical comes as afollow upto Steakhouse: Live Exeunt Magazine Exeunt , ------
5 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live 6 Critical Interruptions Vol 1 Vol in Live Art:the fact that while the current state of affairs satisfies no Interruptions Critical often conflicting opinions on what criticism is and where it resides. ended upas acollection of articles that reveal passionately held and dience member -to thinkthrough their relationship with criticism. It mine Shigemura Lee, who encountered the live publication as anau crycrycry, the three participating Steakhouse Live writers, and Jas invitation to contributors -two artists, Emma Selwyn and Marikis UK, is not areflection, oran evaluation of the pilot. It began with an This publication, supported over ayear after the project by Live Art house curators, present inKaty Baird’s contribution to this volume. - Critical Interruptions Our evolving answers are onthe last pages of this publication. two key questions: what is criticism and where does it reside? Each article inthis volume offers at least one perspective onthose one, there is little agreement onwhat that status quo is. exposes this fractured state of criticism - - - 7 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Contents 8 Criticism as Collaboration Diana Damian Martinand Bojana Janković Steakhouse: Live Art,Live Writing Instead of anIntroduction Postscript Katy Baird I Have 7Tattooed OnMy Leg Criticism as Archive Jasmine Shigemura Lee To Whom It May Concern, Criticism as Encounter Emma Selwyn I Know What Your Niche Interest Is Criticism as Confrontation Marikiscrycrycry (MalikNashad Sharpe) Possibilities of Bearing Witness Criticism as Voices Palin Ansusinha, Katharina Joy Book and Jennifer Boyd Live, but Dirtier Contents 104 116 80 24 66 94 10 Contents The Other Side: AShipping Forecast -Jennifer Boyd Comfortable viewing -Diana Damian Martin Janković Is Theresa May Britain’s most Feminist Prime Minister Ever**? -Bojana Live Writing Interruptions last performance is over. writing happens inbetween the performances, and ends when the FASTER BETTER. Live writing starts and ends with the festival: the project, developed in 2016 for Steakhouse Live: LONGER WETTER These texts are extracts from the Steakhouse: Live Writing pilot Pieces Iwish Ihad written -Katharina Joy Book Fragments and wholeness: IMMA-Jennifer Boyd A close encounter: Eunjung Kim’s Off -Palin Ansusinha Suggested post -Bojana Janković On Point/s -Diana Damian Martin Chillingworth -Jennifer Boyd Let me just get acup of tea and sit down, Iwant to hear allabout it /Hester London, Man-Bojana Janković Benjamin Sebastian /(a)wake -Palin Ansusinha Emma Selwyn /Selina Bonelli /Jade Montserrat -Diana Damian Martin ATOEWEFTR /Soren Evinson &Charlie Hope -Katharina Joy Book Haiku after Victoria Sin-Jennifer Boyd A SIMLTON-Marikiscrycrycry (MalikNashad Sharpe) Rachael Young &Dwayne Antony -Out -Katharina Joy Book Product review: Rachel Mars’ Rage Arena -Palin Ansusinha
9 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Instead of an Introduction 10 INSTEAD OF ANINTRODUCTION tal work. while luring new writers into thinking about radical and experimen and wonder how to develop rigorous and relevant critical writing, ical forms and strategies indialogue with Live Artand performance mance criticism. With little regard for reviewing, they search for crit Interruptions, acollaborative project exploring Live Artand perfor Diana DamianMartin
STEAKHOUSE: Live Art, LIVE WRITING and Bojana Janković DIANA DAMIANMARTIN, BOJANA JANKOVI are founders of Critical - - - ć STEAKHOUSE: Live Art, LIVE WRITING was hardly hidden from view. bly some of their own money onthe line and ondisplay inaway that collective behind Steakhouse put their taste, conviction and proba no big headliners and no overwhelming institutional support, the mentioned more than employed, was palpable: with no funding, much attention ortraction inthe capital. Risk, abuzzword that gets gramme filled with names that were not necessarily getting that Artist-led, low-budget and ambitious, it delivered acrammed pro tion of what is now the annual festival took over Rich Mixfor aday. Steakhouse Live came to beinAutumn 2013, when the first edi Part One: Longer, Wetter, Faster, Better ceptual, rather than just formal: the programme this year includes Yard Theatre and Toynbee Studios. The change of pace is also con rather than one, and venture to three different venues, Rich Mix,The house: it willtake place over the course of three days (14-16 October), Wetter, Faster, Better. The event marks awhole lot of firsts for Steak Council support, with the intentions implied inits title –Longer, of the fourth Steakhouse Live Festival, the first one to receive Arts the inevitable ‘what now?’ question. The answer comes inthe form like many of the artists it champions came out the other end to face Steakhouse, then, more than survived the process of emerging, and Director of Fierce. min and Aaron Wright recently took onthe position of the Artistic her piece some time ago. Katy Baird is about to embark onanational tour or behind the initiative arguably lost the right to the ‘emerging’ label beyond, Steakhouse is no longer inits infancy. Similarly, the people worked with over 120artists, on25different events, inLondon and der Loin,anight of short performances at Toynbee Studios; having Three years later, the Rich Mixfestival is aregular event, as is Ten Workshy , Mary Osborn, Mary became anArtist Advisor at Artsad ------
11 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Instead of an Introduction 12 too many invitations to the capital. Many of them, like Wladyslaw Ka hind Steakhouse, to create space for artists who don’t necessarily get The programme itself remains largely faithful to the original idea be collaboration. Speech and Drama; Selwyn’s performance willbethe result of that Diploma for Learning Disabled Artists at the Royal Central School of All Areas to commission agraduate from their Performance Making two authors of this text). Steakhouse also collaborated with Access formance and anembedded critical writing project pilot (led by the night of club performances, awhole day dedicated to durational per two commissioned pieces (by Owen GParry and Emma Selwyn), a a chance to idolise St Lavinia, of Titus Andronicus fame; Katherine norms through female drag to thinkabout femininity, there willbe of Radio 4, while going about their day. Victoria Sinsubverts gender rational piece that sees them repeating aloud every word coming out Hester Chillingworth, replicating the gloryof middle England inadu Lucy Hutson, who found inspiration ina derogation of coons and chavs. Other class interruptions come from black hair; Michael Mayhew &Michael Barnes-Wynters confront the Offeh, take onthe fetishisation of white hair and the rituals of ‘fixing’ rean to white and Western; two artists, Jade Montserrat and Harold revives his childhood wish to transform from Chinese and Singapo in two different pieces, Antony and marikiscrycrycry explore queerness and black identity der and body-concepts, is loud and clear. Rachael Young &Dwayne lege and marginalisation, through the dissection of race, class, gen the intent to provoke discussions about the conflict between privi rather than open calls, and remains free of any thematic labels. Still, with Steakhouse before. The festival is curated through invitation, Selina Bonelli, are still inthe ‘emerging’ category, but have worked Zerelda Sinclair, are well established; some, like Nicholas Tee and zmierczak &Ewa Rybska, Sandra Johnston, Katherine Araniello and OUT and A S S I M I L A T I O N O I T A L I M I S S A Made in Chelsea Chelsea in Made ; Nicholas Tee binge, and ------racism and hate crimes, aimed at Eastern Europeans and people of happen to coincide with those of the country as awhole. Hostility, house artists, however basic their common denominator may seem, These days, the frustrations observed and channelled by Steak and one that provides afoundation for every issue of inequality. through the same means. It’s atension Live Arthas always probed, sexuality, disability –orreluctantly belonging to that same realm, the political and social mainstream –through race, class, gender, If there is atheme to Steakhouse Live it’s one of exclusion from wheelchairs and sympathy’. Araniello promises to ‘endorse inspiration porn’ and ‘exude pity, into one another together: criticism and Live Art.We wanted to start Wetter Faster Better, we wanted to bring two areas that often fold For the embedded critical writing pilot for Steakhouse Live: Longer Part Two: criticism, Live Artand model-building ing project. that surrounds them, that we hope to explore through the Live Writ ual pieces, but also their dialogue with the specific political context with marginalised, privileged with oppressed it’s not just the individ encounters, for years to come. AsSteakhouse juxtaposes popular limelight, where there willbenegotiated, informal talks and chance chised identities and lives have beenpulled from the margins to the erendum, but they were exposed by it for everyone to see. Disenfran discrimination and political normcore were not out born of the ref gender pay gap orallow women to remain inthe workforce. Rampant 11, while putting forward exactly zero policies that may bridge the champions apermanent divide between the rich and the poorat age happened have beenprolific; the UK’s second female Prime Minister has had to acknowledge it. Class-based explanations of how Brexit colour, are rising at arate soalarming even the mainstream media - - - - -
13 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Instead of an Introduction 14 the importance of social spaces, festivals can often provide afruitful and with curatorial orauthorial contextualisation. Foregrounding rary communities that gather to experience work more intensely, rules than other cultural infrastructures. Festivals provide tempo be experienced, debated and considered, functioning with different Increasingly, festivals are providing spaces inwhich live works can The festival is animportant context for the presentation of Live Art. festival, and outside of it. of Live Art,but not to criticism, and at audiences both within the practically. The project is aimed at writers relatively new to the field by facing some of these questions, whilst also dealing with them doors open for the directions it might take. op, acknowledge that it comes from different places, and keep the should not beof threat to critics; we need to allow expertise to devel the work presented –artists, producers, writers and audiences. This aimed at working critics, but at anyone interested inthinking about to and platforms for criticism. Importantly, these are not always increasingly temporary bodies that can provide financial support grammes, training opportunities, talks and debates; festivals are Increasingly, new models are emerging: writers inresidence pro galleries and theatres. spaces –it occupies awide range, from public arenas to institutions, ed to long-runs, and it’s not specific to particular kinds of cultural At the same time, Live Art,generally, does not tour well; it isn’t suit but anapproach. for amore fruitful relationship that does not focus onaprofession, criticism, despite such concerted, and culturally significant efforts And this durational experience seems to remain under-served by overlap between conversation and experience, viewing and thinking. - - - - itself; when we talkabout criticism inLive Art,we also talkabout an has to do with different assumptions of the meaning of criticism in Live Art,but as aset of practices, increasingly present. Partly, this So, onthe one hand, criticism institutionally is aforeign presence this. tions, zines and other forms of publishing are emerging insupport of bility of some performance practices over others, and digital publica are increasingly making concerted efforts to address the lack of visi ward-facing language. That being said, individual critics and writers away from Live Art,accused of anacademically-oriented, in At the same time, some dominant forms of criticism tend to stay with its pleasures of the literary, its ambition towards journalistic Live Art;and virtuosity is one of the tenets of traditional criticism, and practice. Virtuosity doesn’t have acomfortable home within have adifferent approach to and attitude around artistic language from Live Art,and that their structures do not support practices that It’s important to underline that mainstream media outlets shy away already legislated by ahighly problematic, and uncontested history. that are multiple. Sooften, what falls under the rubric of criticism is critique; poetics; DIYpublishing and artist-led critique –reflections Art: writing from within; performative writing; experimental forms of which might seemmarginal, are infact integral to criticism and Live A deeper look reveals that these practices of individuals orgroups, exclusivist. the associations of criticism remain damaging, problematic and ways, the support from these comes within the community, because be formally daring, and to occupy different kinds of spaces. Insome the lack of infrastructural support for writers increasingly keen to dominant practices: the short-form review; the star-rating system; sonal. Inaddition, criticism has some established, and problematic artistic strategy –Live Art’s ambition is critique –formal, topical, per - - - -
15 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Instead of an Introduction 16 plethora of forms of criticism, embedded within short-lived, but Room at the Live ArtDevelopment Agency and you can uncover a writing at Dartington College of the Arts. Just trawl through the Study or artistic: the work of publications like of practices marginal to different contexts, academic, journalistic or To speak of ahistory of criticism inLive Artis to speak of adiversity conversations surrounding Live Art. isations attempting to curate, and to take anactive partincritical acknowledge the work of somany writers, curators, artists and organ objectivity, and ideas oncultural value. And it’s equally important to simultaneously, with editorial, intellectual and accessible rigour. find spaces of plurality, or multiple voices and positions occurring ent critical operations. It underscored that need to model-build and formance and its shape, and that support its debates through differ pursued the possibility of formal structures that respond to live per criticism, performance and their audiences inthe digital remit -and the project. This experience foregrounded the possibilities offered to eters and reference points inspired by the piece, and by the nature of instantly to the performance as it unfolded, guided by aset of param computers across the UKand beyond, were to respondNight… critically and Thousandth the sponding live to the live-stream of Forced Entertainment’s In 2014, we curated adigital publication for with criticism. to look more carefully at how seemingly marginal practices collide trace adifferent history of criticism through these avenues, we need its crossing of territories and visible re-positioning. Ifwe want to forms of discourse weave sopowerfully with those of Live Art,with demic book to the zine orpamphlet. The histories of these different culturally significant publications, across landscapes from the aca Performance , for example, orthe development of performance Agroup of invited writers, sat at different Live Art Magazine Art Live Exeunt Magazine Exeunt (1994-2003) And on on And re ------possible iterations, digital, material ordiscursive. how form, duration and voice play apartincriticism and its many spirit of Hannah Weiner’s characterisations, we wanted to consider criticism. This can support anomadic, politicised practice. Inthe fundamental to Live Artwhich can become central to inflections of Important to the project is also thinking about the counter-voice so how writing might beable to contribute to that. through practice about what such acontext requires of criticism, and oping amodel that can support the identity of the festival, thinking wider set of reference points for Live Artcriticism, whilst also devel This is, inpart,our starting point for the project. We want to trace a disagreement, between expertise without empty professionalisa do we measure the meeting point between accessibility, care and that criticality is threatening, and it can also be unpopular. Sohow the past and still now, taken for granted; but it is also anevidence claims that expertise is authority that mainstream criticism has, in ed by other mechanisms social and political. It is achallenge to the Counter-voice is what sustains fiery debate, but it’s also appropriat bringing performance to other spheres of life. in criticism being anactive participant increating open spaces, in anti-intellectualism and simplification of issues; we are interested and political shifts. It is partof criticism’s cultural remit to resist thing, and the perceptions around that, are affected by wider cultural not reliant ontruth orfactual information. How we talkabout some of post-truth politics, the idea that political success and rhetoric are ment that ‘we’ve had enough of experts’ is one of the many examples ample, the political arena –Michael Gove’s pre-EU referendum state of unprecedented scrutiny against criticality itself. Just take, for ex mance practice, as it does with criticism. We are experiencing atime The creation of communicative arenas resides as much with perfor ------
17 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Instead of an Introduction 18 support that. demand that of our criticism –and consider what models we build to from our artpractices, formal, aesthetic and topical, soshould we legislation). Inthe same manner inwhich we demand multiplicity that the internet is aspace of free access devoid of corporatism or and its apparent democratisation of voice (the wrong impression dangers of journalism’s position insociety, orthe rise of the internet Criticism does not need to bethreatened by obliteration –not by the in the mixnot as tokenism, but as intent. open and uncomfortable, that decolonise and bring different voices tion? The challenge is to create spaces that are inequal measure This article was originally published on Exeunt Magazine, on 6th 6th on Magazine, Exeunt on 2016. published October originally was article This Minister Ever**? most FeministPrime Is Theresa May Britain’s LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION Comfortable viewing +
19 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 20 IMAGE I’m sorryabout whathappenedlast time Is Theresa May Britain’s mostFeministPrime MinisterEver**? HEADLINE I’m sorryfor liking it HEADLINE I’m sorryfor the money Holstein withOctopus The Famous Lauren Barri against consensual sex Rush Limbaugh takesastand crackdown hospitals in‘maternity tourism’ checks onpregnant women in Theresa May backspassport ROB MERRICK/ THEINDEPENDENT/12THOCTOBER 2016 DAN SAVAGE/ THESTRANGER /13THOCTOBER 2016 And all thedistress anddiscomfort IMAGE And for existing IMAGE my ass, andputting thembackintothebox. hat happenedlast time And I’m sorryabout taking all your tamponsatnights, stickingthemup IMAGE FOR TRUMP placard. Donald Trump licking aWOMEN rights march. RISE ANDREPEAL abortion with the text:THIS BITCHAGAIN Poster depictingHillary Clinton
21 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 22 HEADLINE ** Relative curve’s abitch, isn’t she? - Bojana Feminist Prime MinisterEver? Is Theresa May Britain’s most RADHIKA SANGHANI/THETELEGRAPH13TH JULY2016 THE FAMOUS LAURENBARRI HOLSTEIN /JULIABAUER Or, isskinthesurfaceontowhichcomfort isimprinted?(orreprinted) fort? Like, isthebodysiteofyour lackofcomfort? Or their lack ofcom Or whatkindofcomfort we’re talking about. What comfort isbeing challenged. Or, uncomfortable. Uncomfortable viewing iscalling intoquestionfor whomistheviewing Comfortable viewing isnotuncomfortable viewing. Comfortable viewing isnotpleasurable viewing. Comfortable viewing - Diana sible, oreasy shifts. Because uncomfortable isstill fairlyconfidentlyinthelimitsofpermis Or theexperienceofdisplacement, emotional orotherwise? Or, isthisdiscomfort ‘hard’ feelings? IMAGE Or iscomfort emotion, discomfort physical? presidential debates Hillary Clinton atthe Donald Trump stoodbehind - -
23 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 24 CRITICISM ASCOLLABORATION FANTASIES. Projects, London in2018 with the collaborative project ULTIMATE by Jennifer Boyd time inNovember 2017. the collaborative project poetry and literature. Together with Damon Taleghani, she initiated of divided attention, listening and noticing, experienced through tive writing. Her current practical research is concerned with states Katharina Joy Book pening in2018. part of the curatorial team for the first ever Thailand Biennale hap and translation. She recently moved back to live inBangkok and is a in the representation of sound inliterature, the practice of listening, Palin Ansusinha After Us, Afterall Us, After LIVE, BUT DIRTIER is awriter based inLondon who has beenpublished is anEnglish Literature graduate with aninterest and PALIN ANSUSINHA,KATHARINA JOY BOOK, JENNIFER BOYD works inextended choreography and performa SALT. sound writing kollab writing sound , and willbeinresidence at Guest , which met for the first - - LIVE, BUT DIRTIER This wascarriedoutinGoogleDocsoverfoursessions. Katharina JoyBook reflections. sational piece,andperhapsbeagoodcomplimenttoourprevious solo might besomethingreflected/reflectedonreallywellina moreconver you wantedtogive. The our individualpiecestodealwith,aswellanyfurtherstarting points more ofduringSteakhouse).Startingpoint(s)couldbewhat youasked multi medialapproaches What weimagineisapieceof [our proposal] as tributing tothepublicationthroughanarticleonSteakhouse: LiveWriting [brief Palin Ansusinha] We werehopingyouwouldbeinterestedincon non traditionalformsofcriticism contributing tothepublicationthroughanarticleabout [brief KatharinaJoyBook]We werehopingyouwouldbeinterestedin through criticism tributing tothepublicationthroughanarticleon [brief JenniferBoyd]We werehopingyouwouldbeinterestedincon LIVE, BUTDIRTIER a modeloftraining/educationforemergingcritics aswell , Palin Ansusinha relationship betweenisolation/interaction (something wewishcouldhavegiven from adifferentartisticcontext written‘conversation’ incorporating . , Jennifer Boyd getting intoliveart experimental / . . -
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25 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 26 work thingsout;itwilllikely notbeinterestingbutitmightthrowup I’m justgunnawriteastreaminresponsetothebrief tryand ------NO ILLUSIONOFCLEANHANDS NOW I WANT DIRTY I WANT DIRTY THEORY AND I WANT IT NOW NON LINEARISWHAT INEEDINMY LIFE DAY 01 Being vulnerableatspeed Looose stool Shit ishardenough Publish thelog Kollaboration to bevulnerableatthatspeed (having itinyourbodystill) write criticallywithoutintellectualising (pressure) political correctness/notwantingtousethewronglanguage tangential knowledge facing one’s insecuritiesasawriter-livepublication itself the experienceofhavingnothingtosaywhenencounteringwork the roleofmemes DAY 00 when iread‘nugget’ excuse mewhileigolookfor atleasttwomemesthatcometomind a nuggetatleast,okherewe go: CRITICISM CRITICAL THOUGHT AND IWANT IT Hahahahahahahahahahaha. This isnotameme use oftheword‘NUGGERS’.thatkillsme. not adogmemeperson)isthe the one(1)funnythingaboutthis(iam
27 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 28 then illbeback i needtopeeand Palin Ansusinha this? are werecording yep letsdoittttttt k isgoingforit Jen Boyd jump in? should wejustall going on so muchwriting ok wow Palin Ansusinha Jen Boyd : ohyeah : hiiiii : : SO istudiedandpracticedperformanceineverybitofmyeducation,it texts inthe the specific‘openness’ dancehastocriticism,inoneof her morerecent of question.nowthatIhavesaid this,IrememberthatDianamentioned imagination. SimilarlyinLive Art -therepeatabilityofasituationisout somatic practicethatworkswithstatesofawarenessachieved viathe is avalidthingamongdancepractitionersIworkedwith,and within live betweenpeople,andthenpossiblyneverhappeningagain -that At thesametime,Isavorit-fleetingqualityofsomethingoccurring when workingwithit body, time,andotherpeople-acombination ofelements/materialthat rienced atuni)thanotherartforms-becauseyouareworking withthe I majorlyexpe craze (which to theproductivity felt lesssusceptible raphy necessity, dance,atleastcontemporary dance,anddevisingchoreog - experimentation kinship withdancecomesfromthemethodsIfeelinclined to workwith one, writingondanceisdefinitelyapresenttopic.mypersonalfeelingof work, ithasaveryinterestingrelationshiptocriticism-engaged of it;butfromwhatIseeinthecontemporarydanceindustry/scene/net Mhhm thedanceworld-iamonlyreallyskippingalongveryoutskirts dance worldK? close to ‘underground’ though. And thatradicalhistoryofbodyart.Itdidn’tfeelas feeding thosewithinthecommunity…itfeltclosertoideaof chat iheardwasabouthowliveartinsularandclichey, andonly feel veryseparatetothevisualartworldactually…mostofcritical of apromise, of investedpresenceiwouldsay, andactivelywantsthemanifestation which of/ iwishitwasmoreofawidespreadattitudetoart,oranwith Rocío Boliverandthesmellofblood and basicallyjustbeinglike that’s forsure.Itwas quiteoddthenmaybetogofromgoingandviewing oped, comparedtothe‘liveartcommunity’.Iwasn’tworkinginlatter world’, asthatismorewhereiamandmyinterestsliethey’vedevel And actuallyalsoIdefinitelywasnowcomingfrommoreofa‘visualart to lotsoflivearteventsforfunthoughbeforedoingthiswriting. compared tomypalsthatstudiedtheatreandperformance.Ihadgone knowledge ofwhatliveartwas,astbhthecoursesididdidn’tteachit i hadn’twrittencriticism mance theory/howto‘readtheperformative’...IDK.itstotallytruethat and aging,thenwenttoGoldsmithsspecificallystudyperfor and iwrotemydissertationonwomen’s performanceoncamera,women sand-timer - performances -grossmake-up,grinningbloodymouths,drowningina amelia jones…alltheworkimadewhenwasinmyteensvideo was alwaysthemainthingiinto:ginapane,peggyphelan,orlan, live money audiences gointoviewingwork---‘giveme’ isanexpression Library ofUnfinished Texts i amhearingaboutthisforthefirsttime!<33 thepromiseofperformance as thevisualartworlddid. [Istheremoreconversation/processindance?]
over longperiodsoftime,oftenwithminoroutput-by EATS timeGOBBLESIT UP SHAMELESSLY. about i lovethis live artbeforethough,or . i lovethis:giveme : GivemeRon Athey. Giveme . whichis‘ How isitdifferentfromthe i willbe really shouldbemore JENNN <3333 there’ got good
- It did - - -
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(*exhilaratinglycrafted) way-Iquestionedmy feels,brilliantly, likeFILTHY dirtylaundry-butinaSevere,tightlyformal ofwork-in-progress, fragment,thelike-‘whywouldishowthem(the These questionsaregreat. changed too? possibly whyitfeltsojarring?Theprocessofwritingcriticism shouldhave something, itisedited,thenpublished.Justata built inasaprocessitself? As theprocesswassameinaway–write isolation -insteaditwouldhavemorebeenfound,ifthat exposurehadbeen but withoutushavingtoworkoutwhatthatwas,orguess howtowriteit,in exposing realnessthattheworkshopsbeforehandseemed tosayweneeded. a quicktimevideo?Thatwouldhavefeltdirtier/would achievedthis we hadourscreenpublishedlive?With allthemistakesandedits,like we hadtostandupandreadthewordsafterwe’dwritten them?Orwhatif and howwecouldofhadmorethatexperience I wonderaboutthevideoscreenthatshowedourwritingliveatSteakhouse, to guidemeinsteadofthevoiceIwastrainedadoptinacademicwriting. have solittlecontrol,thatItojustacceptmyfateandtrustinstinctivevoice ly. Ialsoappliedtothisprojectbecausewantedputmyselfinasituationwhere shake myselfupbythingsbeingpublishedlive.Iwantedthattobeathrill. really stuckandcloutedbytheacademicvoice,abitparalysed-iwantedto So iguessitwasabitweirdtothenwrite‘criticism’ aboutit.Iappliedbecauseifelt lots moreontimeinclaricei’mcurrentlyreading,butthisfornow
*a czechtheatredirectorireally respect, audience) ourdirtylaundry?!?!’ andbciadoreherworksomuch-which Yes, yesandyes. Dirtier. LuciaRepašská, much liveness faster pace.Whichis ? Likewhatif hatestheidea absolute -
29 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 30 ahahahahahah Katharina JoyBook: pretence vidual tomaintaintheir needs ofthehyperindi Jen Boyd: not surehaha Katharina JoyBook: Palin Ansusinha: cally writeinyourcolour? your ownfontautomati is thereawaytomake good blue Jen Boyd: thank you Palin Ansusinha: using isbeaut palin thebluecolorur reading jen ok goingbacknown Katharina JoyBook: that waskindadeep HAAAAAAA lol-theauto ohyesreally - Ok, gettingback toitnow. string asentencetogether.> we arehavinghere.Wait asec. Tbh thisisdistractionbutIfeellikeican’t - - anymore in whati’vemade have ionlyreallyworkedifi’vepolishedittillcan’tseemyreflection seen asvalidlabor. empowering-works.ahitmakesmethinkagainaboutwhatis tool thatis Steakhouse Liveusethefucking-with-conventions-of-narrativeasa perform at incompletion havingthepotentialtoberadical.artistsoflikethat is aprivilege?ah,butistandby to getbeloosewithformat,anythinggoes(conceptualism) ways, orwesterncomfortablebubbleeconomyways(forexample) omg guysstop<3 i justtolduinthechatbutwill i wouldalsoliketo relevant butwaitforthequote): about thebinaryofassimilation vs.revolution(Idon’tevenknowyethowthisis was talkingaboutwatchingthe X-menmoviewithHarryandtheirconversation But reflectingonthismade me thinkof WOW IS THIS EVEN ABOUT STEAKHOUSE.NO.?? feeling It’s likethisattemptto stood inmyvoice,evenwhenI’mbeing‘critical’. understandable byothers.Somaybethere’s alwaysanxietyofnotbeingunder the Englishlanguageassomethingyou‘puton’ tolooklikeyoudounderstand/are order tofitin/beaccepted.Ofcourse,thisisn’tthecaseat all,infactit’ trying reallyhardto‘perfect’ myspokenandwrittenEnglishtoa‘native’ levelin entirely formedoutofthecontexteducation/studyingabroad. It’ good loveproject] the animatedandgestural.Maybewilllearnalloffriend’s languages-that isa friends intheirlanguageandifeellikei’mmissingoutonessentialpartsofthem, all sointeresting;Ifeelsuchsadnesssometimesbcidon’tgettotalkmybest about myuseoflanguagerecently. man vswhenispeakenglish.buti’veheardalotofconfusingthingsfrompeople interestingly, thatisexactlywhatiheardtheotherweekabout when ispeakger I speak Thai incomparisontohow I’mmoreseriousandcontemplativeinEnglish. which remindedmeofafriendwhotoldI’mmoreanimatedandgesturalwhen talked abouthowourpersonalitieschangewhenwespeakindifferentlanguages, we werespeakingto,whereintheworld,andhowtiredare.We also of usarebilingual.We bothagreedthatitreallydependsonthesituation-who root. Anyway, wewerealsotalkingaboutwhatlanguagethinkinbecauseboth supermarkets inboththeUSandUKarestupidtosellcorianderwithout how rice and chicken abouthowtomake thebestHainanese conversation sionate with aChinese/Americanartistwhowasvisitingyesterday. We hadareallypas But maybeit’s notjusteducation.I’mthinkingaboutotherfactorstoo.Ihaddinner dont wantto,yukno? skills but,like,Ican’tevenchoosewhatiwanttoeatfordinnersometimesand to alwayshaveandpushan ARGUMENT. It’s 100%goingtobuildmypersuasive want toevolveasacriticalwriter. Itwasjustsorestrictiveandexhaustinghaving academic writinghadprofoundlyaffectedthewayIthink,andnotinthat shaped howIthink,speakandwriteinaveryone-dimensionalway. Ijustfeelthat write is‘criticism’.Ofcourse,Ilearnedstuff,butfeltthathighereducationhas I thoughtthatmydegreewouldtrainmetobecomea‘critic’,everyessay whole yearsI’vespentatuni,andquestionifI / educationforemergingcritics’ kind ofmademestopandlookbackatthe3 Reading mybriefandhavingtothinkaboutthisprojectasa‘modeloftraining same time I thinkiwillrespondto/digresswiththebriefandyouguy’s contributionatthe s. IthinkmyrelationshipwiththeEnglishlanguagewasmostly/ explain how I [a miniemotionalinterjectionfromme,thisis feel Maggie Nelson’s The Argonauts Nelson’s Maggie disassociates meevenmorefrommy had wastedmytimeandmoney. s likeIwas s likeusing whereshe - - - 31 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 32 expected ofit. And icameinwithoutanunderstanding ofwhatcriticismwas,andwas I thinkwhereifelldownreally wasthatidon’treallywant different, andifthatwould have engenderedwhatwasdesiredorganically again IguessI’mwondering iftheprocessoflivewritingcouldhavebeen too, andwhatiwantedtoavoid. Howcouldwehavewrittentogether?So photo ofusallatourcomputer screens,whichishowiaminmybedroom speaking? would havealleviatedthefearofmis-speakingabit,and producedfreer I wonderifactuallymakingitmorecollaborative/conversational atthetime tion insomeway?Italljustmovedsoquickdidn’tit. was tensioninexposeyourself,butwe’resimultaneouslybeing editedforprotec trust andcriticalunderstandingoftheworkitsidentitycontext. Butthenthere without beingpersonal?Irememberfromtheworkshopsit being aboutbuilding identity, butthenbeingencouraged tomakeourpositionsplaininsomeway?But one isanindividualanyway;thefearcameoutofsaying wrongthingabout speak aboutsomeone’s workwhenyoudon’tsharetheiridentityposition/every I rememberthemainlearningweweregiveninworkshops wasabouthowto start writinginsentencesandpost-rationalising. betraying yourgutfeeling I rememberreading invested presence,emotionalandphysical. This somaticaffect/effectfromwatchingaperformance-likewhatKsaid,ofthe be morespecifictothecontextofliveartcriticism,itsdissociation alienating effectexplanationcangeneratetothe for once(withmylimitedknowledgeoftheory/philosophy),Iamtoldaboutthis I livemydailylife,butthisoneseemshavestuckwithmethemost.Because, Like, Iwouldlovetobeablequotefromeverysinglepartof The Argonauts as [Ok beforeimoveoncanwealltakeamomentforMaggie.] Because intermsofisolationwhenipictureawritersee that further intothecage derstood distortedourpositions,backedus thecase, theintensityofourneedtobeun peeled engenderedplanet. about ourlivedexperiencesthusfaronthis explain somethingtoeachother, hear only ing theradical. lence, assimilation,threatstosurvival,preserv While wetalkedsaidwordslike The WhitePube’s essay i amnottrueenoughtomyimmediategutreaction’ i feelmoreandlikepost-rationaliseabittoofar, ‘PS: writingthisreviewfeltlikeabitoflie. , notbeingtruetoyourinitialthoughts,whenyou the backgroundbuzzofourtryingto But whenIthinkaboutitnow . andtherewassomethingabout As issooften speaker/writer YEP. toourselves, nonvio to writecriticismatall. - yes pls . And, maybe,to - - from so here. the body. . - - forms ofwriting aboutorofart?) text? (whatdoesJengetfrom epistolarywritingthatshedoesn’tgetfromother experience andcriticalthought intersect/beone?whatdowe‘learnfrom’ writing ‘inthemoment’ usefultoareader? towhatdegreecan‘thestruggle’ of - howmuchshouldoneaim toeducate,atall?howfaristhe‘authenticity’ of Which isaquestionIhaveabout livecriticism,contemporaryformsofcriticism and heisaimingtoeducate. by continuingtowrite-andhowinherentlythereislinearargumentation inhiswritings that heaimedtosustainandcreatethesestruggleswiththe insufficiencyofhisbrain to bedidacticiswhatimean). didactic pain-writing intolettersalthoughitwasadeeplypersonalstruggle. Ithastodowithhis sense thatitispublic.Ifindinteresting Artaudchosetoput hiswriting-painand idea whatthestrangerneedsfromyou. A letterisdifferent fromadiaryentryinthe lower, buttheyaresofter-thanintryingtocommunicate withastranger, withnoreal an audienceifyouwill. At thesametimeitispersonal,andstakesareperhapsnot format tomebcitaddressessomeone-isspeakingand forsomeoneexternal, this wasalsosomethingIthoughtaboutre: Antonin Artaud -aletterissuchgreat But thisisalsointherealmofloveandcrushing,artists speakingforthemselves. enzie Wark. Iloveithardandwanttoread alltheemailsbetweenartistcrushesnow. Sackville West. Between Anaïs NinandHenryMiller. BetweenKathy Acker andMcK I’m superinterestedin from andwiththebodyinthis. tive chunkofwriting… for someone speaking bit forHaroldOffeh,butit[rightly]didn’tgetpublishedasdidcomeclosetothislineof really writelikethatinthis,orfounditdifficultto,didn’toccurtometo…itrieda application, andusuallymywritingworksbetweeninnerouterbody. But,Icouldn’t It justoccurredtomealsothatI’mreallyinterestedinthebodyandIputonmy ‘offer’ somethingspecificdoesn’tit? an authorityoroffersomethingspecifictoaudience– is aplacefromwhichtospeakandthereanequality, sothereisnopressuretohave Perhaps becauseinthatyou’regivenasubjectivity–youareanotherartistand Or, I’minterestedinconversationbetweenartists–likehowtheydo their work,usingsomekindofframeworkitsown,thatisn’tintherealmcriticism. an artistasawriter, andmakingapieceofwritingthatsitsalongsidein-between all atoddswithcriticismreally. I think reallywhatI’minterestediniscollaborationwith this contextitisunethical/doesn’tworkright]andusinglanguagesculpturally [which doesn’treallyworkifyou’retryingnottoassimilateintotheartistbecausein hard, becauseIdon’treallydothat…likethatthe‘I’ canbepassedaroundinwriting gled with.Itwaswritinginmyownsubjectivevoiceactuallyfullsentencesthat - pullinginhistoricalreferences,andevenmorepopculture,allofthat,thatIstrug for everything.ItwaswhenIhadtowriteactualsentencesofwhatisdeemed structural orconceptual,andthat’s whatfeelsmostnaturaltome.Butdoesn’tcome epistolary.do something the audience, of mystyleIwantedsomething Iguessbecause think ofstructuresbeforehandthatIcoulduseandwasonethem–document a work-thatisn’t‘criticism’. Anyway, thatwastheonlypieceIwrote ence, inacreativeway. Butmaybethatiscreativedocumentationandspeakingwith work, anditfelt my postonOwenParry So in terms of my writing practicebackground,it didn’t reallyfit. I think it workedwellfor Anspruch, useful as Sontaglaysout tohimhopefullyindocumentingtheaudienceandexperi even thoughthatwasn’tmyintentionatall,asitwasaperforma epistolary writing I wonderifthereisanotherwaytoapproachthebody/write , whichwasthefirstthingIdid-thatfeltlikespeakingwithhis Which isawholenewthingonecouldgointo-thefact (can’t find the approp translation rn - him wanting . The lettersbetweenVirginia Woolf and Vita criticism seemstowant really BOMB mag liked.Idid . Whichis criticism ina . - - - - 33 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 34 where trust,andthenconversation andconnectioncomefrom. room ofopaqueheadsandhand clapsandsmilesthatwasgreat.Spendingtimeis with yourwork one hasbeenthere, of vulnerabilityperhapsparticular tosomeliveartwork–istheknowledgethat coming toyouasaliveartistitseems–something backquicklyfromthevoid The nicethingaboutsomeonewritingsomethingyour work,anditimmediately Like speakingoverthem? ist’s intellectual,physicalandemotionallabourbeingreducedtomycriticaljudgement. It wasasifIabletoproducethispieceof‘criticism’ possiblyatthecostofart between thepositionsofartistandcritic. every artistnow, notjustSandra).LikeyousaidJen,Ididfeel thattherewastension their artworkand,inthecontextofSteakhouseLive,identity (I’mtalkingabout What Ialsofeltasawriterinthatexperiencewas imposingsomethingonto porary artbeing‘inaccessible’. that couldberead/unpacked/pickedapart,andperpetuatingstigmaaboutcontem thinking aboutliveartisincrediblylimitingbecauseit’s asifI’m treatingliveartasatext Sandra mightthoughtwhatIwrotehadnothingtodowithherperformance. This kindof be likethis.Ithinkthatwasnervousabout‘reading’ theirworkthe‘wrong’ way, that person justafterIhavewrittenaboutthem.Itwasdauntingbutknowitshouldn’t made mefeelsonervoustoo. that shelikedwhatI’dwrittenanditmadeherthink,wassogreatbut nervous. something, IthinkitwasapieceonSandraJohnston,walkedpastherandfeltsuper performances thatweretakingplaceelsewhere. And thattimeafterIhadpublished us sittingatthe‘criticalwriters’ tableatthebarof Toynbee Studios,peripheraltothe To addtoJenondissolvinglanguagethatplacesusinhierarchies,Ipictureall5of constrictions. responding toit.Languageplacesusinpositionswedon’twantbein,andadds of thosepositions–thereisapersonwhomadethisartwork,and approaching itasaperson,notcritic.Itwouldbenicetodissolvethelanguage edge -betweenthepositionsofartistandcritic.Criticismlike I wonderiftheproblemisininherenttension-authority, judgement,knowl which iswhatshouldbeavoidedasitthedomainofgrossoldstalecriticismstyles. if itisforanaudience,thenyoucanendupinapositionof‘mediating’ are wewritingcriticismfortheartist, And maybetheywouldbeusefulfortheartist.Butthenthereisthattensionbetween artists aftereachpiece,andtheywouldbetellingofourthoughtsaboutthepieceitself. I wonderifonestructureiswecouldhavewrittenquestionswantedtoaskthe IrememberthatKatherine Araniello cameovertomeinthecafe,andsaid , andisshowingyouwhat’s beenin theirhead,ratherthanjustfacinga someone has It’s likeIwasalittleafraidofmeetingtheartistin spent timewithyou or for theaudience.[orasadocument].Because to thepractice. between specifictermsthatare mean abalancedaccesstodialogue accessible. Accessibility inthiscase,I whether itispossibleforlivearttobe tion of‘accessibility’ intheworkshop, (Of course,wetalkedabouttheques , someonehasspenttime the whitepube theartist’s work, -you’re - - - - - what youmean? we have,whytheyarethereand howtheyarebeingchallengedbytheseworks.Isthis performance makesyoufeel (uneasy, queasy, indifferent(?)),questioningthebarriers easy? Buttherecouldalsobe somethingcriticalinthisambiguity-focusingonhowthe watching, tryingtokeepdistance orre-emphasisingthebarriersthatmademefeelun thing outoftheiranus.Idon’t knowifIwastryingtobeevasiveoftheresponsibilityin going throughtheexperienceofpleasureandpain-tattooing andliterallypullingsome Sebastian’s performanceand it wasanextremelyintimateatmospheretowitnessthem ence asalivewitnessbutalsoquestioningourgivenposition. This wasfromBenjamin there that’s bothproclaimingbutalsoimpersonal? As ifwewerearticulating ourpres into linguisticstructures. a solidstatement.Iwonderwhatthatwasabout.Proclaiming andquestioning.Falling to expressbeingthere.It’s quitebrighteyedandtongue poisedand der wherethatcamefrom?Itisadifferentenergytotraditional criticism.Itdoeswant has begun A quotefromoneofyourliveblogsP: some criticism? line betweenyour someone else really…becauseformeitwasn’tnecessarilythe piece it worksinrelationtocriticism/ifcouldwork.Ithinkthat’ very socialprocess. of yourownsubjectposition.It’s abouthowyou around. It’s not adenial/negationoftheotherperson’s identity, norisitacensoring good asreadingit:)Ithinkknownowwhatyoumeanaboutthe‘I’ thing likethatandtheexperienceofwritingsomethingwouldfeeljustas actually feelinghowtactileyourwritingisJ.Irememberwishingcouldwritesome I rememberreadingtheexcerptsthatbothofyousentaspartyourapplicationand points towards watching theliveperformanceandwritingaboutit.Iwonderifthiswasareactionthat -- stutteringIamwonderingabouttheexperienceof you havetoalwayssomethingsay. lished intime Yes, aboutpressure-thetoproduceapieceof emotionally oractually, the processesoftraditionalcriticism. for anotherprocessoflivewriting,that maybeI’m didn’t replicateeither longing – again, up producing.Itwould’vebeennicenottohavethatpressureproduceapiecethere Pressure: whatdoesitdotous?Whatdidtheexperienceofwritingunderpressureend ics andemotionsthatrelatetoinaverysocialway. completely boundupwithhowyoufeelaboutmeetinganotherhuman–allthedynam diately. A liveartistyouhave the mediationoftimeandplace,whichgivesyouapositionfromtowriteimme In visualart,youwriteaboutartistswhoaredeadorfaraway–knowthemthrough -itfeltsocialandtactile.Butthenithinklosttheabilitytowritelikethatformuch or perhapsitwasinadifferentway---yeahwritingthingsoverthem…the . I feellikehadsomeofthistone . Italsorelatestothatmomentwhenyouhavenothingsaybecause the uneasinessofspeakingoversomeone? own responseinspiredbytheirwork Yes totally-idomeanitasasocialprocess.Buti’mnotsurehow Thanks forpickingthisup,J. You’re right,thereissomething seen as apersonwhoisthere.Soliveartcriticismalso The sigilisinscribedontothebody. Theritual proclaiming relate uneasiness ofspeakingover toothers,andthatisindeeda and errrrshouldn’tibewriting stuttering s whyIliked writing justforittobepub too inwhatIwrote...won onthespot,while thatcanbepassed into it. myOwenParry But itisalso ------ 35 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 36 the mentalpummeling ofcorporateacademia/capitalism] have beenafriend,ohwaitno itwasme,butinrelationtosexnot the bodylikearug[can’tremember whosaidthatorifitwasme,might and makeslinearstabilitythe bestthing,theonlything.Shakingout - thatgetslikeaweirdnumbing gelintotheinsidesofyourextremities, trying to she istryingtolocatethepure alongside eachotheronthistopic]inthattext,astream of fragments, to ClariceLispectorin Agua Viva [or, ifnotsimilar, theycanberead but a ing aslinearityandnarrative.-sohewasnotabletocreate anidentity, passes howtheconceptofidentityreliesonconstruction of/present translates asidentitynarrative,story-telling;aterm that encom German wordforwhathewasunableto(orsimply, he wasablenottocreatean‘identity’ -Identitätserzählungisthe become themostinterestingpartofmycontributiontothis project forward tosharingdatestoriesinaminnb- secs therejustfortherecord---- she saidhowhislife’s work(s)remainedfragmentary, incomplete Another thingIwildlyappreciatedinSontag’s essayonhimwasthat sion thrulanguage.Couldprobablygointothismore. Artaud issuchakeyfigurere:Live Art. Andphysicalityversusexpres through exactlythatattempt. pain-consciousness heissimultaneouslytryingtocaptureandcreating physical suffering micro-level, andthenthesufferingheexperiences,oftenperceivedas is hisincredibleeloquenceintheseobservationsofownbrainona how hewasabletoexpressitinlanguage. The crazythingabout Artaud perceived asaviolentdiscrepancybetweenwhathisthinking And itmakessenseintalkingabout Artaud, whodealtwithwhathe sual something an and Ilikedtheattitudeinherentinthat,callingone’s ownwritingabout the GermantranslationofSusanSontag’s essayon Antonin Artaud - the word Annäherung a wayofcatchingupwithit(ifonlybarely, andalwaysalreadyonly was feelingaboutwhatihadwitnessed-writingitprobably what too, up’ intext,writing?thatisdefinitelysomethingIfeltatSteakhouse, which isalsoaninteresting wow socatchinguponreadingisthefirsttaskrn DAY 02 the needto‘catchup doing, had presence. detox Annäherung happened, onhowtheothersweredoing&dealing.i acknowledges thenecessaryincompletenessofanytext. -(anapproximation)) approaching - that thingcomesintothe body -frommanysources , whenhewritesandfallsshortofencompassingthat Fuck thisiseverything.Itsimilarinsomeways cameintomymindbecauseitisinthetitleof ’ -onwhatwashappening ----- igotdistractedbytinderforagood60 concept which describesitaccuratelyasaproces it of presence.Iamprettyobsessed with - thisisnotadrill idea? sentiment i knewthiswasgonna did not) at themoment - iamlooking thing, ‘catching do-which was and , on eine - - - - Artaud foundit– approach writing,themakingofanywork-butespeciallywriting Reading thatwasana-hamomentandaoffeelingvalidatedinhowi ening theintersticesincommunicationisgendered,howmuchculturally acts ofconversationalgap-fillingleavesonewithunease;howmuchtheworksoft everything intheunspoolingofathoughtovertime. And howtheremoval ofcertain for interventiontohappen,othersinterruptorclarify. Contextandnuanceare conversation teetersandreturns,thewaythatpeoplepauseintoallow and awordmeaningthespacebetweenthings.I’vealwaysbeenobsessedwithhow upon conductingthisinterviewinpersonasanodto here isaquoteonconversationfromaninterviewmycrushdid: tial/poss unrelatedactually, butitispinkinmyheartandithoughtof--- Also I’mgunnastopdisturbingthischunknow, withsomethingverytangen that lookedveryembodied,andstilldoes. the opposite].Working with youKIwasinaweofyourfragmentedapproach [what isproperly]tbh.Whatafailureloool[saidforcomediceffect,feelquite Art ofFailure solid for liketwoyearsafterIwastryingtorightthatfailure,bymakingotherthings life andpresence.[IgotintoitasaIfelthadfailedatbigprojectthen find aprocesstoshakeoutconstrictions. To getbackintothefragmentary ally asprobsmentionedbefore,doingthelivewritingwasalsoanattemptto probs much]didn’tquiteknowwhattomakeofmeandmyzoom. Also actu to someones’ outer, butalsowanttoexpressthescene-relatingliveart leathered dudes[haveeditedthatsixtimesasdon’twanttobeoffensive and itfeltprettyromantic. Trying toeatherwords. the bookaskstobereadbywaves/saltwater--andirecordedit.W I readalloftheclaricebookoutloudonabeachinseptembergreece-- for sure-ifeltchallenged multipletimesaday) house wasaspecialspacethat feltsheltered(thoughnot‘safe’,inthatway can theyhappenwhenoneis simplyonone’s waybacktothedesk-steak these liveartperformancesthat areinthegenreofintimateencounters-how encountered Kim arise -IlikethatPalinwassimply ‘onherway*back*’ tothedesk the term‘encounters’ -trustingtheencounterofpeople,thatsth*will* & morecentraltomesomethingIwantlookinto theoretically, too. tion /orthemakingofworkthatiwanttobe-is becomingmore a - THE mostfundamental element-oreventhematerialofcollabora cred tome-andconsideringitintermsofwritingcommunicating andas Presence asanecessityandthebasisofliveartissointeresting andsosa more importanttomethancompletionorconclusion,alinear argumentation. Similar towhatSontagseesin Artaud - your processnow-vgladuarticulateditx] king-size andswellingupcomfortablyretheambiguity. My commitmenttoresidinginthefragmentary, kindaclaimingit,livinginit difficult, too,becausewewereawareofnotwantingto house, too. And howitmadeourwritingnecessary, butourpositionaswriters – animpossibility, andIrememberthiswasa conversationwehadatSteak and real andsavedmyselfsometime.Istillhaven’treadthatproperly . WhenreallyIshould’vejustreadJackHalberstam - who getsto tell-their-identity, relyonanarrative-of-identity presence, Interstices, Get themin. and theexpressionofit,is impose [omg yes-icansee the titleofshow or the oldgreek . I hadinsisted when she assume. The Queer as naked expected. - - , - - - - - 37 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 38 Also vtimely[LOOOL]tattoo option eaten alivetakesoutalllines.Itisjustmassandpresence. in again.Ilikeitthemotionof---isn’tlinear. Although itisaline.Maybejust being motion. Self-cannibalism. writing asI’mbeingread’ inoneofherbooksican’trememberwhich... This circle I thinkthereissomethinginthatdescribing.Lispectoralso says somethinglike‘I’m Living as Theory as Writing as EATENBEING ALIVE Haha itistotallyartaud. and ialsofeelitskinda Artaud THIS IS THAT ILOVELITERATURE: NEW SINCERITY THIS ISWHAT IJUST GOT TAGGED IN AND MY RESPONSE TO Bringing yourbody, allyourparts, molecules inand Palin Ansusinha: dream Palin me Ansusinha: Katharina now’ Palin Joy Ansusinha: Book: Jen Palin Boyd: Jen Ansusinha: Boyd: Katharina DAY Joy 03 Book: - button onmykeyboardisbroken] but iguessyoucanskip[exclamationmark][that reading Kfresh,withoutmyinterjections,sorryP, - alsojustoccurredtomethatihadexperienceof here hahagunnacomeseewhatyou’rebothdoing I feellikei’mjusttalkingtomyselfmakingjksdown Jen Boyd: called ‘iammariahtheelusive chanteuse’ Katharina JoyBook: onto theemancipationofmimiorday the xmasbutmoveonto‘takealookat what mariaharewelisteningto? omfg whatthatwasn’tevenintentional how toproceed? woah i’m sohighonlifewritenow hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii wOw but imhappytomove the christmasalbum? hello wow thereisone i mightstickwith hi!!! 39 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 40 publish itlikeanormalquestion andanswer. name. Shetoldmethatiwas tryingtomanipulateheranswersandthoughtthatiwould Best/first super passiveaggressivetone, likebeforesheused‘HiPalin/Supergreat/Can’twait/ here becauseit’s ‘company’ propertyandconfidentialityreasons, etc.]Butitwasthis for hertoreview. The replyigotfromherreallythrewmeoff.[icantpublishthe email ist’s answers. After severalemailcorrespondences,ifinalisedthedraftandsentitout into somethingmoreinteresting,likeaconversationalinterview, self-guidedbytheart tions Isentoutverygenerously. Isawthisasanopportunitytomakesimpleq&a very positiveabouttheideaofq&a,andIcouldseehow sheansweredtheques at thestudionextdoor. 2outof78artistsrepliedwithinweeks. Oneofthemseemed every monday, and startedbysendingoutalistofquestionstoeveryartistsworking for like3months.Idecidedtodoashortandsimpleartistq&a thatwouldbepublished In julyiinternedatthisartgalleryandwasinchargeofthe ‘blog’ Ok Ihaveastoryaboutediting,butidkifitwillleadtosomething buti’llgiveitago. RIGHT --WHAT IS THAT THO??? cleaning ofthevoicedonebycriticism--NOT TOO DIRTY, NOT TOO CLEAN,JUST the writing difference betweenpresentinga‘workinprogress’ and‘progress/process’ aspartof the questionofwhatshouldbekeptin/workedwith,orisseenasirrelevant. as digressionanddiversion messaging andtalkingtopeoplewhileengrossedinawritingprocess what iseditedout or random? of /( KFCgate’). problemos withcriticismnwhyitissupportandnotviolencexxxxwealsospeakabout podcast episodewithLouMacnamaraandEvaDuerdenof12oCollective and supportwith/ofartiststheirwork.Theyhavespokenaboutitthemselves I’d actuallyliketotalkmoreabout Palin Ansusinha: Katharina JoyBook: you knowliketheearthquakething writing atthebottomk? Palin Ansusinha: Jen Boyd: Palin Ansusinha: Katharina JoyBook: a livestreamresponse access name’ anditbecame‘DearPalin/Ihaveconcerns/I do notauthorisethis/full -> horizontal,nonhierarchical)theiruseofinstagramstoriestheconcept ikr P : ) if iaddsomethingabovewillitbetoointerruptiveonwhatyou’re cry it willbeperfect how dowegoonfromhere?uguyshaveagendas versus‘considered’ reflection-whenisitrigorous,nottrivial the whitepube ! -andcriticismasengagement that’s beenleftdead (‘aboutthe functions on a - - ty, time,andisolationofwriting,asit‘usually’ happens.. is justusallintenselytypingaway continuously. which inawaydoesshowtheintensi open thatwetalkedaboutintheworkshops.irememberpeople sayingtheimageofus liveness andthesenseoftime::::intermsbringingwriting processoutintothe tion toanofficialproject. kind ofrespitefromofficiality that, ithinkwe’resousedtoreadingpublishedworksonline, thatitdoesn’tofferany piece a writerisbeingshown,it’s allthere,ratherthanthevulnerabilityofproducinga live actually makethatwork,likemaybemonths.sothere isanotherwaytoalsobe the experienceofperformer, butactuallytheyhavehadtimebeforetoprepare/ to bevulnerableatspeed- lol ijusthavethis STEAKHOUSE LIVEWRITING: do it traditional criticism.istillfeltlikehadtowritehowwouldusuallybutfindaway more aboutwritingthatworksinthesecracks---iknowwelookedatpublicblogsand but alsoprovidedcriticalsentencescombined.maybetheworkshopscouldincorporate why yourpiecesworkedsowellK,becausetheywerepersonalbutfullofreferences write. andhowtonegotiatetheboundsbetweenpersonalcriticism.ithinkthat’s dragged --butthatwasalsoduetotheexpectationsifeltintermsofwhathad how doyoumovequicklyfromyourpersonalimpacttocritique.formeitfeltlikebeing the experienceofhavingnothingtosay::becauseyouhavejustexperiencedwork. and ‘criticalresponsivewriting’? cause itis‘criticism’ ----thedifferencebetweenhowwemightthinkof‘criticism’ tion ofsomekind.orisitallthesethings?shouldtherebeanintention, work, thatmightnotproduceeitheroftheformer, butthenbecomescollabora into thework?orareyouacreativewriter/artistwritingtowardsandaround writing for?fortheartistasaformoffeedback?audiencegateway through aninstitutionalframework--butthenit’s backtothatquestion: ular structuresofmediation--ifitispushedthroughaparticularbody, orifitispushed makes methinkofpushingthewritingthroughawormhole--itpartic me, asaninterviewerandeditor? Where wouldsheseethisinterviewsitinrelationtoherwork?Howdid than itleadingupelsewhere,generatingbiggerquestionsbeyondherpractice? audience ortheartist?Didsheseethisinterviewasanechochamberrather and wasfuriousaboutit.Soyeah, tion thatdidn’tgowiththeinitialplan.It’s asifshehadlosscontrolinourconversation action thatwassoaggressive,andshesupersensitivewithherself-presenta but ididn’tinanywaychangewhatshewrote. Anyway, iwasjustsoshockedatherre Like, wtfialreadytoldherthatwantedtomakeitconversational,whichsheagreed, e.g. alluponthescreen.inthatwayyoukindoffeelsafebecause yourprocessas faster [hardstool]atspeed-becauseevenifthe‘blog’ formatwasmeanttoalleviate but notnecessarily insomewaysithoughtthatbydoingthiswewouldmirror really better DIRTIER, anymorewhenusedaswewereusingit-inrela who wastheinterviewforanyway? An external [haha no]. …. Iwasgunnawriteanalternativetitlebut who isthe solid ------ 41 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 42 some piecesbut notforothers. pens, itmostlyleavesalow, disconcertedfeelingbehind-which is exactlyrightfor I appreciatewhentheperformers simplyleaveanddon’treturn.Butwhenthathap thinking they’dgetawaywith it. clapping butdon’tmakeanysound. Howfuckedisthat?Imagineifeveryonedidthat, piece. I don’tclaptogetafourthand fifthbowfromtheartistwhenIdidn’tappreciate partmentalized. How back fromtheentitytheyhavebeenaddressingindark. Howunnecessarilycom the performersgetasenseofreleasetoo,becausenowthey finallygetsomeenergy It’s that‘release’ ofpent-upenergyattheendfrom audience’s side,atwhichpoint bc Leomoon clap. if you’refeelingecstaticanditwasyourfriendsperforming youmightstandupto standardized though-clappingisprettymuchtheoneoption, thensomefoot-stomping to theperformersthanbymakingnoiseatend.Evenhow tomakenoiseispretty Under conditionslikethese,theaudiencereallyhasnoother wayto dipping oneintodarknessandgivingtheotheralightingconcept -Icouldn’tsitstill. communicate andthedividebetweenseatedaudiencestagespacesoradicallyby would be,sincevisitingblackboxorprosceniumvenuesrecently-performingbodies I’ve beenfrustratedbyhavingputinthatpositionofnon-agency, morethanI parties theatre isanactofinterpersonalcommunicationinwhichonethetwoparticipating and toquestionitsappropriatenessreLive Art. I’vebeenthinking-performanceand all lookingthesamedirectionisalearnedbehavior. itmakessensetoquestionthis, unwritten’. placeable)’ - ‘live artandapplause Omg sointense. Yep -ialwaysgoforawooporyeatoshowmyexcitement overeveryoneelse Yea theexperienceofnotclapping. Whenidon’tlikeitmakethemovementsof usuallyisdesignatedmute. This istheaudience. clapping-isalearnedbehaviorjustlikesittingstillfor1hr+indarkroom Bojana putthisdowntowardstheendoffestivalunder catharsis-the-old fashioned-way. (learned behaviours andhowtheycanfeelinappropriatebutirre give backenergy ‘what remains - - - stool /dirtiercriticismkeepsoccuring Trying tofindsomescatlogyquotesbring inherebchardstool/loose might behealthyforme. exercise mycapabilityforphysical responseasmuchI’vecometothink little burstsofenergy ety ofdisciplinedoestoitsmembers-thankgodformemes givingeveryone Paying myduesinfrontofascreenmostdaysfeelslikepart ofwhatasoci able togetinvolvedafwhenIlikesomething? mess withyourpropsonstage-lol).whodoIthinkamthat Iwanttobe I wanttogetmessywithyou(evenifjustviawords,even youwon’tletme barely beentappedinto. way. And itstillfeelslikethereservoirofmypotentialresponse-abilityhas energy outintothewhite-space,afterhavingleftblack-space -that’s one and establish? What otherwaysto that moment? flag camedirtyoutofhisass. Talking aboutSHIT, Jen-doyouremember with theartist,butimpulsetoreactwasnotagainaspotentwhenthat it hadshitsmearedonit.atsomelaterpoint-theaudiencechantedalong then whenSebastianpulledaflagwrappedincondomoutofhisanusand buzzing -andasharptingeofcitrus). ginger tea(withlemon)forboyswhomissedtheirmothers/(exquisite,fine drinking gingertearightnow;andithinkofhow, repeatedly, ihavemade on theweekend/unlessuwanttobringmeteaandginger/amsick’ it boltsthroughtheskin]./someonejustwrotetomesaying‘webettermeet needle intheroom[doesn’tatalldojusticetokrass-nessofpainas room likemeltingheavybutterontoast yesterday ] [ IsawartistLizRosenfeldgettingtheweatherforecasttattooedonherleg most stronglyinmyhead)-BenjaminSebastiangettingtattooed might alsojustbetheperformancesofwhichimageryisstillkicking I thinkofworksinSteakhousewhichfeltthismostpertinently(which feelings? The performanceofbeinganaudiencemember-do’s anddon’t’s someone cameoutscreamingI’dbelike,isthisforyourego,or a cinemayoufeelmoreanonymouspotentially. And thenwe’rebackto-if know yourreactionisondisplay…perhapsthoughbecausecomingoutof it anyone’s feelings. The clappingisa audience soyouarefreetorespond-don’thaveclap,thinkabout given toyou,andperhapscinemadoesthesame. You are writing criticismaboutartistswhoaredead. There isasolidpositionthere But thatistheatre,soperhapsclosertocinema…itmakesmethinkabout something livesomehow. LikeIdidgetthatwhensaw Angels in America. have allthesesuperintensereactions.Butthatisn’tacceptableafterseeing Like whenicomeoutafterseeingafilmyoufeellikeyou’reinitandcan and investinthework. I leavethespacewithabubbleofenergythatwasn’tallowedtogiveback continuing inyou.Soitseemstotallyatoddswithliveart.Butequally, you [beforeshespreadthemagicofherphysicalityacrossanentire I didn’tseethatworkkkkkkGUTTED Puttingfingerstokeyboardstraightafter, andbarfingthat respond to giveproofofalive-nessand libido This alsomakesmethinkaboutgoingtothecinema. Love thisK to Live Art andperformancecanwefind? break ] -thatexquisitefinebuzzingofthe that stopsbubbleofbeing /Idon’tgetto categorically a(wake) -iam an in - 43 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 44 we’re no distrac writing...unreal. andyes ing constantlywhile TOO ---actuallylaugh Jen Boyd: even distractions major interruptionsor this foranhourwithNO two, I’vebeendoing process ofwriting.for OUT LOUDwhileina for one,iamlaughing u knowhowgr8thisis? Katharina JoyBook: house. thrown about,butifeltlikedidn’t havetimetoalwaysagutfeelingduringSteak sentences andpost-rationalising. ing yourgutfeeling I rememberreading ‘finished’. Iwouldbesointerested toseewhatwewould’vewritteninstead. of clickingsend. And the frameworkforwritingthatengendered-makingsomething the experiencewehadwithoutpublishingprocessand the pressure[andrelief] publish, toclickpublish------iknowkeepgoingonaboutthe livescreen, and thenwehadtoputthemournamesbecausetherewas still out. time toreflectyet as Ihadnotimetoreflectandbeinglike How doesmovingatspeedaffectyourbrain?Iremember not knowingwhatIthought you there. to howthereactionsofyour digesting shitting.Itshouldbethatvisceral. face byit.NeedingtimetodigestitbutthennotgetButthe conceptualideaofeating about. Just lookingaboveattheshitandgobblingaspectsofwhatwe’vebeentalking Georges Bataille These contentsshootoutwitharacket, andfallback,streamingdown.”- entrails. Although thisglobeeatsnothing,itoftenviolentlyejectsthecontentsofits “The terrestrialglobeiscovered withvolcanoes, whichserve asitsanus. It lives onitself:itsexcrements areitsfood.”- FriedrichNietzsche to becomeandnever ceasesfrompassingaway- itmaintainsitselfinboth. passes away. Orrather: itbecomes,passesaway, butithasnever begun “The worldexists;itisnotsomethingthatbecomes, that isalsoessentialtoourexperience.”- JacquesLacan they say- ” Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart I givemyselftoyou together <<<< Sometimes itmademefeelsosyphonedthatIdidn’thave thoughts thatItrusted tions bci’m/ About thebodyandcriticism. About eatingthework orbeingsmackedinthe YES ME Lol sotrue… You putyourbodyinwriting. Oh, mystery!ischangedinexplicablyintoagiftofshit instead ofconsentingtolive dead.”- AntoninArtaud - . longbeenapuzzleforMozartscholarship. inhislettersandafewrecreationalcompositions. This materialhas Just becauseyou’regoingquickdoesn’tmeanthetruthwill come The WhitePube’s essay , notbeingtruetoyourinitialthoughts, whenyoustartwritingin Man couldjustaswellnothave shat, , thepatientsays again, not have openedtheanalpouch, as hewouldhave chosentolive “There whereitsmellsofshit body Scatology: ShitMatters but hechosetoshit it smellsofbeing. But alsoretheabove,maybe itisjustmeasifeltso were inyourwritingKandthatwasgood--itlocated but thisisn’twhatiactuallythinkhaven’thad Or idunno-maybei’mjustthinkingback andtherewassomethingabout but thisgiftofmyperson displayed scatological humour the pressureto - aterm but imagine betray - as - - as thesearesonice:))))) always moresessions Jen Boyd: min orso but guysihavelikeanother15 Katharina JoyBook: know whatireallymeant.ygm? problematic bcitalsorejectsanykindaauthorialaccountabilityformeifidon’t attemptsatarticulation…butimeanit’s alsomaybe of like…readingmypast-self’s experience ofitisonthesamelevelorsidelikevagueposition us bothifiwritesomethingconfusingnhazyandwetrygetthruittogether. likeour analyse thesplatterpatternswithu,reader. as theycomeout,areexpelledfrommybodylikeaviolentshit. demically justifiednowsoihavehadtocommititandjustlikethesewords that feelslike(withmeatleast)it’s akindoflaziness,butalsoitisonethati’veaca honour andrespectthatintentionfromthepastnotbetraymyself…like,yes read betterbciliveinthepresentnotpast,andmeantwhatwroteneedto WP: THE SPLATTER PATTERNS black atchisenhale.Somegreeeeatthingssaidandtheyalsotalkaboutshit--READ Just thinkingaboutthewhitepubeagain--belowistakenfromtheirreviewofhannah Jen Boyd: glad ubroughtitupagain stooooooooool looooooooseeeeeee Katharina JoyBook: i’m readingnowtoo much ofitistotalramble oh fbacktoloosestoolami has unpluggedmeeee Jen Boyd: next 20orsoithink focus onreadingnowforthe my rabambleattheend!!iwill you haveaddedsomuchto Katharina JoyBook n like,i’vestoppedgoingbackandeditingcorrectingtyposmakingthings that’s ok!!wecan :))))))))) sorrythisconvo ! : ahhJen about art etc. in a way that isn’t at the service of this-butbe art etc.inawaythatisn’tattheservice about an and clever, thatisjustterrifyingtopplwant lack ofknowledge,their seem guage peoplecanfakeit,coverthemselvesup-their actual cool engagement with The thingis-withlearntreviewandacademiclan or creativeclever…Soforsomeonetowrite itfeelslikeanequalplayingfieldfor bad actual social ‘opinions’ -cantryand knowledge andthoughtful system ofbullshitting. i canonlylike uphold a - - 45 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 46 came to us, an audience, together maybe? DIGESTION YES -----you’re/we’reontosomethinghere or justvomitoutalienideasthatwedon’teventrustourselves? appetite?) When wedon’thaveenoughtimetodigest,orevenagutfeeling shitting Needing timetodigestitbutthennotgetit.Buttheconceptualideaofeatingdigesting About thebodyandcriticism. About eatingtheworkorbeingsmackedin facebyit. question youasked?iwant toanswerthatforyou good question likes. it’s thatfeelingthat’s comparablelikemaybe peoplereaditandarelikehmm k: it’s almost likeputtingupafacebookstatusforsomethingandit’s notgunnagetany know ifthereissomeonebehind thescreen right questions,soit’s evenmoreselfconscious fortheaskertoaskbecauseyoudon’t tween soifiwritequestionsdon’tknowthattheyaregunna readit,orifi’maskingthe with steakhouseistillfeellikecan’tgettotheartistthere issomuchdistancebe p: notinvestigatingwhat thatquestionleadsto stuck k: ... it’s aboutknowingthatthereissomeoneontheothersidetoanswer. . Itshouldbethatvisceral. , doesthiscountas but nobodycomesuptoa writers tableandislikeyouknowthat YEH k: them thingsthatgotstuckforusmighthave critical indigestion? p: criticalpresence,hastodowithbeing j: ifwe’dhavebeenabletodigestallthethingsthat mightleadtocriticalindigestion present audiencemembertotryingdigest, k: yeahandhavingtogetfromthatstateofbeinga your bodyneedsmoretime j: askingquestionsisquiteopentoreaderasthe useful? ineedtostatesomethingnotjustask. would betoaskbunchesofquestions.butisthat my reactionwouldbeifitgotstucksomewhere what todowith,sohowyouwriteaboutthem. know whattodowiththis.there’s somethings... get stuckinyourthroatbecauseyou’relikeIdon’t ideallyyou’dwriteaboutthethingsthatgot the dangerformeisstoppingatthatpoint, , butthosearethethingsyoudon’tknow we’d besofuckingfull Likewhenwehavenothingtosay making yourpresencefelt Let’s talkabout thisonchat CRITICAL IN , butthings (to havean but that - - splatter markstogether. asking questions review bythewhitepubeandshewaslike‘ohmaybethisisn’thelpfuli’mjust and leaveitbecausethat’s thecontribution.iwasthinkingaboutinthathannahblack j: especiallyonlineitcanbequiteeasytomakethestatementorquestion interesting forusandalso themaswell. together ratherthansomething ontheperipheryorextra,ifeellikethatmightbemore sort ofcommunitybuilding.yeah iliketheideaofwritingasanartworktheygo about theprojectmoreasateam, theydon’tevenknowwhoweare,justtohavesome p: doyouthinkifwemettheartistsbefore,toletusbeabit comfortablewiththem,talk them primarilyaswriterswouldyoueventhinktheywant tobespokento? meeting. k: imeanthere’s alsothequestionofassignedroles,anddifferent levelsofexpertise in somewaysrightlyso. enough whatweweredoing.weren’tanequalpartofthe festivaltotheworksand i feelliketheytriedtomakeitpublic.butdidn’treach. itwasn’tobvious k: ifeltlikeourpositionwasn’tasclear. over theweekendandthereweren’tmanypeoplewhocame totalkus j: intermsofwhowewerewritingforatSteakhousethere peoplewhowerethere sand. you doit, actually caretospeakto.maybethatdifferenceshouldbeclearinthewritingofhow anonymous followers,andspeakingasthoughyou’retothefiftypeopleyou k: ifeelliketherecouldbeadifferencebetweenspeakingasthoughyouhavelotsof listening, youdon’thaveafollowingSON. and werelikemymumsayswhydoyouwriteasthoughyou’vegotloadsofpeople and they’dwrittenapostlikesomeonewithloadsoffollowersonlygotfifteenlikes j: itslikeoninstagramisawsomeonedidapostandtheyhadnotthatmanyfollowers ly addresssomeone. pretend ihaveanaudience?oramgunnawaituntilauthenticallyandgenuine years agoandthinkingabouthowdoistartablogamgunna are gunnaengagewiththemaskingquestionsitremindsme,,,thinkingaboutblogging are likesoconfidentandrightlythattheyhaveacommunityofpeopleppl there ispeopleontheothersideoratleastthat’s howtheypresentthemselves, k: ifindthewhitepubesoadmirablebecausetheyareconfidentinlikeknowingthat wants toanalyseourshit,doesanyonewannamaybenot my shittogether, whereaswerewewritingfortheartistsoranaudience, j: ..youarehereiamgivingyouthepositionasanaudiencewegunnaanalyse k: suchagoodsentence if youknowtherearegoingtopeoplesatattheirlaptops andyouknow you shouldn’tbespeakingtofiftypeopleasthoughtheyareathou but all i can really do is shit it out and we can all just analyse the .’ there wasmysteryaroundwhowewere. am igunna likewho - - 47 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 48 my favorinsteadoff*ckingme up) moving body. (Thisiswhereahypersensitivity thatisinherenttomythinkingworksin physical senses/receivership --theaccessIhavetoitassomeonewhoworkswith moment actuallybecomingmore andmoreawareofthepowerexplicitlyusingone’s ence felt/Iwantedtomakeexplicit mybeingapersonwithinthetext/andIamat much Iconsciouslyrelatedittothebodyattime.butiwanted tomakemypres wanted frommywriting(BUT I’MNOT SUREIWANTED IT CONSCIOUSLY? -orhow commented onthisyet-partlybcitmakesmetoohappythat yousaythatbcit’s whati J hassaidthatmybodywaspresentinwritingnoticeably andIfeellikehaven’t yess P: wehaveathaiversionofwalkerscalledlays,butchanged ittolazysoiwaslike K: yeahiwasgunnasaythatitssogood J: J: iwonderwhatartistsaregunnawriteaboutinthisbook? K: yeahandisawthatowenparry?Heretweeteditorsomething J: isawthatnicholasteehadputlinksonhiswebsite work andtheniwassoscaredtoasklikeohitusefulyou,youknow was crazyilikehavewemetbeforeandsheyeahyouwroteaboutmy mine, andbycoincidenceiendedupworkingwithoneofherfavouritepoets,it K: yeahimetselinabonelliayearortenmonthslater…shecametoworkshopof people neverwriteaboutmywork,sothatwasnice J: ..yeahexactly.. thethingshesaidwasthankyouforengagingwiththisbecause as otherdidn’tfeeltheneedforit,oritwasn’ttheirpersonal… K: so shemaybehasmoreanunderstandingof that aspect, where community building lot.. J: ihadoneatsteakhousekatherinearaniello,itwasreallynice,butshe’s arounda K: itdidn’thappentomeatsteakhouse P: itwasnicethatatsteakhousepplcameuptoyouandtalkedaboutyourpieces just pleaseconfirmthati’mallowedtowriteaboutyourwork and made tousbySteakhouseandBojanaDiana,butultimatelythisistheartistswork j: whatyousaidpalin,ifwe’dmetthembeforehand,justhello;theinvitationwas engaging withitloads,someareclosedandyou’rejustmeanttowatch to beconstructedoratleastinvited,andthenobviouslynoteverypieceissuited k: theactofdoingsomethingtogethersooftencan’thappenspontaneously, itneeds i likeurt-shirtpalin they have notinvitedmetowriteabouttheirwork...inawayiwaslikecanyouall such loveforthisandyoux - - but anyway, hasbecomeabitofmantraforme.) head.’ Hay: ‘WhatifwhereIamrightnowisneedtobe?’ and: right now?’ Ifyoudidn’thavejustthepossibilityofrespondingfrontally. Also Deborah one ofthex-millioncellsyourbodywasfacingoutwardandreceivinginformation this isrelatedtoSiobhanDaviesquotingDeborahHay-Iparaphrase:‘Whatifevery AJHHHHHHHHH Lel hi HAHHHA HAHHAHAHHAHA WHEHEHEHEHHHA :’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’D i wasjustgunnaleaveitas‘let’s…..’ asicouldn’tquitearticulate. that the speaking thru/with- [for dirtiercriticism,justaddthebody, lol] to writesomethingaboutthisabove~ dirtier criticism,let’s speak through/with/oftheseprocesses. processes tomakeourthoughts process forspeaking,digesting,eating,shitting---wecan’tdoawaywiththese it This isalsowhatclaricestrivingforinaguaviva-tospeakthepresent, -andwhyilovehersomuch. (which idon’tknowwhythishitsmesomuch,isitjusttheuseofexpletive? thru/with mightbemuchmoreimportantthanthespeaking yes! ofcoursethatiswhatneeded.yes.iamjustthinkingnow But iguessthebodyisalwaysmediator, thereisa immediate haha! obvsit’s notasimpleequation!but in thepurestsense.Soinstead,for WOAH AND WOW. shivers. ‘Turn yourfucking let’s just ‘let’s’ :’D Yesss iwasstarting of . Yep totally-also - - 49 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 50 active responsibilityofanaudience toadegreethatmanyotherartformsdon’t. As abasic/obvious observation:Live Art activates/enablesthis participation-element/ bility toarise----isthissomethingwecan/diddoaswriters evaluatingtheworks? greater -/theresponsibilityofanaudienceandhowtoENABLE thatsenseofresponsi above) waysofreceivingandeatingdigestinginformation, individualresponsibilityis tasks istofirstofalleven if thestateiseektoexperienceandshareisoneofresponse-ability, thenoneofthebig presence ///helloartaudagainmay-b I hadn’tadjusted/learnedtoengagewiththeseformats?------thisisalsore:critical ~ wouldpeoplelikethewhitepube(even@williamcult:‘messy feed’)beusefultomeif I feellikeamcomfortableworking/thinkingwithimmediacy, simultaneity, over-sharing Is itsthonehasto*learn*engagewith? A learnedbehavior?Isitagenerationalthing? reflect onSteakhouseLive;wethinkaboutitaswritehere. and participationinaninvolvedway. This isaquestionthatwethinkaboutwhen do agreethatitrequirescriticallythinkingaboutSETTING,conditions,invitationre:public people whosayitisaninternalizedandself-referentialkindofworkthatalienates-butI NOW, SO-howdoesonesharethis? This being-invested-in-learning?Idon’tagreewith (also: what’s theroleoflove?) WRITE LIKE If thisisthestateIalsoseektoexperienceinwriting,howdowrite?MA respond brilliant -/Ijustthoughtwasactuallysurprisedmyapproachseemedunusual.Ifamto *Response* -suchausefulmodeofoperationforme,thisiswhySteakhouseLivewas NOW, SO-ifthisisthestateIalsoseektoexperienceinwriting,howdowrite? of astatelivenessandthisisthealive-ness. first movement andwhyIworkwithcollaborativesettingswhereamlisteningtootherbodies incredible possibilityof work andfeelinghersupporthelps)-butthisactivatereceivership;continuous gin? And nowthiswillbedifficultformetoputintostrongwords(butknowingSiobhan’s scious experienceofthought activating astateofresponse-ability. A keythingtheyspeakaboutwiththisisthecon performer Helkaare Siobhan alsospokeaboutinthediscussionafterwards:whenneitherhernorfellow ly WITH THEM. BecausetheworkisaboutacontinuousstateofLEARNING-which like, Noooo!Don’t!!!!Don’tleanback. You willnotwitnessanythingifyouareactive can justleanbackandwatchtheperformance performance. The moderatorontheeveningIsawthemperformsaidtous, relates toreceivership,andthespecificform/levelofreceivershipneededre:Live much-as-possible experienceofthepresent.Whichrelatestowhitepube.which These arethestatesfromwhichDeborahHayandDaviesmakework-anas- and thegeneratingofresponsecomessecond. This formeistheuniquepossibility toawork,andalso THIS ? predicting learningsomethingnew invite commit tothepresentmoment, arriving whatwillhappennext,theyarecontinuouslygenerating/ theaudienceintoresponse-ability. I feel likeinthese(the inthebody;andthen,wheredoesmovementbe (beforethediscussionstarts). And Iwas each timeyoumove;iswhyIworkwith how else? and thenyou YBE I Art & - - - - APPENDIX Hi, This isgreat ful… Ikindofhave anaversiontoeditingthe actualwriting K: Soifeellikewhatyousaid Jenabouttakingoutchunksthatwethinkaren’tasuse J: Yeah, definitely like partofit K: NobutIfeellikethat’s partoftheconversation,even justusefullittlebitsofyeah,it’s P: Ohyeahthatwasme other likeyes,yes K: Imeanthere’s lotsofbitsthatseemsuperrandomwherewe’rejustconfirmingeach K: Ifeellikeformatthatwediditin,mighthaveansweredthe briefthattheygavetome P: Let’s talkaboutediting,becausewekindawantittobeliveandunedited annoying input from meagainbutyes,it’s supergreat.<3 - 51 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 52 P: mostyouhavefootnotesand youhavefliptothebackanditssofuckingannoying this pointbutbooksare K; butthethingsyoucandoonline, theillusionofthreedimensionality, itspedestrianat P: ifonly J: ifonlywecoulddoabookinspiral thing inthedocument P: it’s aboutthetangentialknowledge,chattinganditkindaalllinksbacktoevery wanna visualisejustthatwe’rechattingondifferentplanes K: isittheactofchattingwewannashow?Orthereinformation inchat?Likeidon’t J: itwouldbestrangetoputallononelevelcoshasn’t happened allononelevel is thelight used thismetaphorofaplantgrowingwithoutsunlightandithoughtthatwascool,chat P: thefirstdayirememberjenwassayingsomethingaboutwritinginisolationandyou the frontforreaderisakindthingtodoithink J: costhatishowconversationgoes,spiralling,repetition,sopullingto all: yeah K: butwedon’twanttokeepthingsdirtyfordirtinesssake,ithasbeuseful J: yeahitundoeswhatwe’vebeenwanting J: yeah P: yeah that’s theoppositeof whatweweretryingtodo K: Ittakesawaythewholeaspectofimmediacyoutit,itliterallycleansup,and all. do? Ithinkthatwouldbeimpossibleinawaybecausethistextisnotwrittenlike na correctmygrammar, sowhatwouldcorrectingourglamour...haha...our grammar J: Yeah …intheWP thingthoshe’s likeidon’twannagobackandreaditwan P: Or...grammarkindaisok? tighter doesnotmakesensetome that makessense,butmakingbettersentencesdoesnotmaketryingtoit K: likeforexamplepronounsorsomething,addingreferencesnamestostuff,cos J: Yeah that’s howifeel…unlessthere’s likelittlebits… Liketogothroughandchangealltheu’s toyou… even more pedestrian. - at - K: yeah P: yeahthat’s true for this?Likefuckinghell,iwanttoputmywholebrainintooneofthose J: didyouguyshavethosemakeyourownadventurebooks?Fliptopageseventytwo P: RECEIVING}}}} K: allmyheartspowersgoingtoyou 53 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 54 Lucia Repašská, Clarice Lispector (1978), Page 29 Something OtherBlog, of womeninMexicoandglobally. SheperformedatSteakhouseLivein2014. Rocío BoliverisaMexicanperformanceartistwhoseworkfocusesontheoppression mances ofRon Athey by DominicJohnson. of artisticpractice.’(Taken fromtheblurbof PleadinginBlood: The Art andperfor life, death,crisisandfortitudeinthetimeof AIDS, Athey callsintoquestionthelimits Ron Athey isan American performanceartist:‘Inhisfrequentlybloodyportrayalsof body artandidentity. Amelia Jonesisanamericanarthistorianandtheorist,whofocusesonfeministart, Sainte-ORLAN which involvedanumberofplasticsurgeries. ORLAN isaFrenchartist,bestknownforher1990sproject Politics ofPerformance (1993). Peggy Phelanisafeministperformancescholar, andtheauthorof Unmarked: The activating thebody, sheoftenusedcuttingandbloodinthese later works. Gina PanewaspartoftheBody Art movementinFrancethe1970s;interested Page 28 December 2012;23(3):206–223. Karen Barad(2012),‘On Touching—the Inhuman That Therefore I Am’. differences1 Page 26 ENDNOTES Woolf Virginia Woolf, Vita Sackville-West (1985), ter-faster-better/harold-offeh/ BETTER, The Yard, London,October 2016 Harold Offeh, HairographyLive,Steakhouse Live:LONGERWETTERFASTER BOMB Magazine, forecast http://criticalinterruptionslive.tumblr.com/post/151811218798/the-other-side-a-shipping- Jennifer Boyd(2016),postonOwenParry:‘TheOtherSide: A ShippingForecast’ Page 33 house Gallery’ The WhitePube(2017),‘TheConch,SeaUrchinandBrass Bell:ZadieXa@Pump Page 32 Maggie Nelson(2015), Page 31 Clarice Lispector (1978), Page 30 http://www.thewhitepube.co.uk/zadiexa http://www.depog.cz/cz/depog http://bombmagazine.org/ https://somethingother.blog/category/library-of-unfinished-texts/ The Argonauts. A BreathofLife. A BreathofLife. The LettersofVita Sackville-West toVirginia http://www.steakhouselive.com/longer-wet The Reincarnationof - - - blr.com/post/151904335148/what-remains-unwritten Bojana Jankovic(2016),‘What RemainsUnwritten’, Page 42 in-defence-of-criticism The WhitePube(2017)‘InDefenceofCriticism’, Page 40 Mariah Carey (2014),Me.IamMariah...TheElusiveChanteuse Page 39 the workofCleopatra Alchemist (c. thirdcentury, Egypt). wikipedia.org Early alchemicalouroborosillustrationwiththewordsἓντὸ πᾶν(“The njung-kims-off-on On’ Palin Ansusinha (2016),postonEunjungKim:‘A CloseEncounter:EunjungKim’s Off: Susan Sontag(1980), ‘Approaching Artaud’, Under theSignofSaturn Clarice Lispector (1973),ÁguaViva terre-thaemlitz-on-queering-the-image-and-taking-back-sites-of-abandonment/ www.aqnb.com/2017/10/25/re-thinking-the-transgendered-stage-an-interview-with- Thaemlitz onqueeringtheimage+takingbacksitesofabandonment’, AQNB Madeleine Stack (2017),‘Re-thinkingthetransgenderedstage:aninterviewwith Jack Halberstam(2011), Page 37 Clarice Lispector (1973),ÁguaViva Susan Sontag(1980), ‘Approaching Artaud’, Under theSignofSaturn Page 36 tian-awake wake’, Palin Ansusinha (2016),postonBenjaminSebastian:‘BenjaminSebastian/(a) ter/benjamin-sebastian/ min, London,October (2016), Benjamin Sebastian,SteakhouseLive:LONGERWETTERFASTER BETTER, Artsad Page 35 dra-j-7-26334161_2-2/ London, October 2016, Sandra Johnston,SteakhouseLive:LONGERWETTERFASTER BETTER, Artsadmin, steakhouselive.com/longer-wetter-faster-better/katherine-araniello/ LONGER WETTERFASTER BETTER, Artsadmin, London,October 2016, Katherine Araniello, Page 34 1996. Kathy Acker and McKenzieWark (2015),I’m Very Into You: Correspondence1995- Anaïs Nin, (1986)HenryandJune:FromtheUnexpurgatedDiaryof Anaïs Nin http://criticalinterruptionslive.tumblr.com/post/151904801388/a-close-encounter-eu http://criticalinterruptionslive.tumblr.com/post/151884477598/benjamin-sebas The Araniello Show(feat.Milnes&Finch),SteakhouseLive: http://www.steakhouselive.com/longer-wetter-faster-better/san The Queer Art ofFailure. http://www.steakhouselive.com/longer-wetter-faster-bet https://soundcloud.com/thewhitepube/ http://criticalinterruptionslive.tum All is One”)from http://www. http:// Terre ------ 55 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Collaboration 56 @williamcult Instagram(2017), founding membersofJudsonDance Theater. a Sea’ (2015)and A Lectureonthe‘PerformanceofBeauty’ (2004).Sheis oneofthe Deborah Hayisanexperimentalchoreographer, wellknownforsuchworksas‘Figure bican/ be’ Siobhan DaviesDanceexhibitionattheBarbican(2017)‘material/rearranged/to Page 50 tuelles&Itemid=11&lang=de cle&id=3152%3Ahybrid-encounters-siobhan-davies-a-arno-villringer&catid=18%3Aak Kaski, Siobhan Davies’ performanceinBerlinon24November2017,‘Figuring’ withHelka Page 49 criticalinterruptionslive.tumblr.com/post/151849517628/selina-bonelli-memory-print Katharina JoyBook(2016),postonSelinaBonelli:‘SelinaBonelli/MemoryPrint’ Page 48 be.co.uk/hannah-black-some-context-chisenhal The WhitePube(2017),‘HannahBlack@ChisenhaleGallery’, Page 45 house Gallery’ The WhitePube(2017),‘TheConch,SeaUrchinandBrassBell:ZadieXa@Pump Georges Bataille(1931), Solar Anus. Friedrich Nietzsche(1901), Jacques Lacan(1973), Antonin Artaud (1947), Page 44 miere 21November, 2017atSophiensaeleBerlin. Liz Rosenfeld,(2017)‘If You Ask MeWhatIWant, I’ll Tell You. IWant Everything’.Pre 2017 attheNational Theatre, London. Tony Kushner(1991)‘Angelsin America: Page 43 http://www.siobhandavies.com/watch-listen/2017/03/28/material-rearranged-be-bar http://www.scheringstiftung.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=arti http://www.thewhitepube.co.uk/zadiexa To HaveDonewiththeJudgementofGod. The FourFundamentalConceptsofPsycho-Analysis. The WilltoPower. https://www.instagram.com/williamcult/ A GayFantasiaonNational Themes’. http://www.thewhitepu April - http:// - - - - - 57 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 58 Antony -Out Rachael Young &Dwayne + Mars’ Rage Arena Product review: Rachel + Forecast The OtherSide: AShipping LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION bodies lock togetherinasoftthree-way harmony. a man-whoare wearing trendy sportssocksandblackparkas;their He gazesatthethree people on thepatchwork plane -two girlsand fingers are crossed (he’s hopingtogetlucky, or perhaps healready is). His hands rest onhisknees,crossed legs. On hisrighthand, like atadistance). Hisfaceisupturnedandthelight makesitshine. from aplastic brandedbottle(EvianIthink,atleastthat’s whatitlooks of thebendyforest. Heiswearing ablue denimshirtanddrinkingwater A. Aguy sitsattheedgeofsynthetic shore, where itmeetstheedge The OtherSide: AShippingForecast world). es acan. Herjaw is very strong (itwas madetosupportthe weight ofthe blood coagulates. She’s wearing stripy socks.Thegirlnexttoherclutch makes herfacered tooassheclutchesherknees.They are scuffed and C. Agirl in ared shortwoolly jumper: itreflects awarming texture and think itisplay for apocalypse survivors. nate space. Asafe universe. They are playing well atinnocenceifyou A synthetic universe butitfeels safe; thisisnotadystopia. Itisan alter radioactive mesh,thatglistens,crystalizes and beams). written onhiscapinbrightgold.(This isnottheenlightenedsun, itisa cap. Ithink, although Ican only seethefirsttwo letters, that QUEER is gered perfectly astwo profiles. Hewears along whitefurrycoatanda ing, up. Nexttoheralso lookingforward isaguy inprofile. They are stag B. Awoman inprofile: halfherhairisscrapedback, adiagonallinepart do thetwo Hims.HELLO FROM THEOTHER SIDE. leaning in.LET’SDO IT.Thepeople ontheshore takeofftheircoats.So blush red. Hischainglistensin thelightas other Himturnstohim, Back tohim: hewhisperstoaguy inawhitet-shirtandsmiles. Turning - - - - 59 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 60 Drowning. Pinked andnotquitetouching fingertips. Synchronised swimming. There isanEUflag knitted intothepatchwork plane. the peoplehere lookreally happy.) universe would look like? Or are they happy tobathe inthisone?Alot of Appreciation. Wistfullooks: iseveryone imaginingwhattheir alternate ised bythegovernment, orthepermeatingpush towards marriage. Iam (I amashippingforecast, Iamnot surveillance. Iamnotdatingorgan People feel comfortable inthisuniverse. She holds acanof red stripeandhasatemporarytattoo onherwrist. F. Amaninleathers kissesthetopofalonggrey-haired woman’s head. from thieves andliars. Green lasersform anenclosure asifprotecting aprecious diamond There are nostatuesof‘great andpowerful men’here. There’s justus. RAISED. THIS ISMYMONUMENT. THISISOUR NEWMONUMENT THAT HASBEEN universe are black soundproof material). shore, itframesthealternatepeople, whilst therest oftheedgesour eyebrows andgazesout tothevista(awhiteinfinite spacebeyond the ten onalead. Hemoves hisbodytothebeat.Thewoman raises both guy iswearing glasses,holdingasportsdrink, andhasaleopard kit E. Two peoplestand beside each otherbothfully dressed inblack. The start ofaBeyoncé song). watch thepeopleonshore. They glow. Aclockchimescalm (it’s the a personwithpinkcurly hairandpinkblushingcheeks. They smileand D. Apersonin anorangeheadscarfand coatcomesinandhugs - - songs inthemash-up are beginnings.There are nowords and there will The popblanketthat cloaks ustogetherbringsonaeuphoria. All ofthe the top. Aplatonic romance; anacknowledgement. her nippleskissesamanwearing all black withabrightblueblazerover H. Awoman inadenim jumpsuitwithlaserscomingout ofhereyes and native?) out. Shuckoffold universes (heteronormative living: isthere noalter They’ve beenhere awhilenow. They rubeachother’s skin.Rub theknots green lasers.They sitinalineandgive eachotherbackmassages. G. Three people sitattheedgeof sea, intheprotected triangleof the sea.There isnotonepersonthatwants totakeit.Noone even moves There’s amicrophone onthefloorthat stretches from theshore out into really happy too. J. Thetwo guys from A.in matchingwhitetopssingalong. They look I FEELSO FINE. hand massageandshelooksreally happy. One ofthepeoplegettingamassagegives the girl withthestrong jaw a word isoutmoded. Itisnolongerneededbecauseeveryone isfree.) innocence, here itis‘normal’ butitisn’t even called thisbecausethat They all have matchingtemporarytattoos.Theoldworld would call this and two girls. They are equals; heisnotapredator, heisanotherperson. (It isimportantthat thefigures onthebeachare acknowledged asaman this isall admirationnotvilification. The crowd intheforest hold upcamerasasifabankofpaparazzi, but be no end.Thisisforever: analternative not anapocalypse. - 61 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 62 - Jennifer giggling glitches anditisthemerriestsound. H. Aguy inacapandwoman in apatterned dress sway intime. Their bars. Theirteethimmediatelywhiten. K. Two people hugandfeed eachothernaan bread, thensomecereal large amounts ofpapertender. (Tender here doesnot meanthis). orange arrogance andfalseself-belief inducedbyyears ofprivilegeand There isno onevoice demandingcommandofthisworld basedonlyon towards ittentatively, consideringit. There isnoleader, nosoapbox. OWEN GPARRY, UNRELEASED (LASKETCHUPEDIT)/ MANUEL VASON @DARC.MEDIA THE REPRESSED EMOTIONS YOU WERE TOLD TO COMPARTMENTALISE DESTROYING EVERYSINGLEPIECEOF THEFANTHAT REPRESENTS others working around you [BECAUSE YOU’RE CONCENTRATING ON BY YOUR FRIENDS]. Andthat’s notall, itsquietoperationwon’t disturb desk fanadaptstoyour needsperfectly [OR WHENPEER PRESSURED Range. Withitsadjustable tilt andtwo speedsettings, thiscompact IN AYARD] withthisoscillating 7inchdeskfanfrom theSimple Value Turn on.Cool down. Turn off. Inthehomeoroffice[OR OUTDOORS Simple Value WhiteOscillating DeskFan-7Inch. Product review: Rachel Mars’Rage Arena - Palin AS ANADULT]. RACHEL MARS, RAGE ARENA/JULIABAUER 63 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 64 of thefruitonskin,thattakesitout, thatrippingtheinsideinshears, of theskin.Itspeaksagainsthard laborI’m witnessing,theslapping The swish ofthe softvapor juiceexpounded, sentforth from the surface I don’t know about Jamaica. Idon’t know about theCaribbean. ‘Fruitful’. sole ofherfoot, until itsoftens, andshecansipfrom itssweet juice. floor, placing herfoot atopit.Rolling itcarefully, deliberately underthe an orangefrom thatbowl that’s always there, settingitdown on the habit: Comingbackfrom school toherSouth Africanhome, picking up IDon’t WantIn ‘Things To Know’, DeborahLevy recounts achildhood Rachael Young &Dwayne Antony -Out ple’s desires directed attheirown skin. touched before thisbreast -travelling, navigating one’s own body, peo this; this surfacewill beattendedtobefore thisone, thisupperarm this particular pieceoffood inmy mouth next; it’s moving. Iwant todip people actout theirimmediatedesires ingesture, asthey arise-Iwant eat. Itisasituationindirect intimateconversation withour bodies, and Witnessing anactofwashing feels aspersonalwatching someone ty, rolling flesh? on thescreen behindthem.Are they apartorapartfrom this communi slower, more deliberate intheirmovements thanthebrightly lit people and whatdowe roll onandaround eachotherfor? Young &Antony are What dowe dancefor whenwe dance?Whatdowe grabeachotherfor force. shared are still calmlychewing asthedripandspray continues, with Audience memberswhogladlytookpieces oforangethatYoung had Pungent smell, citrusonskinismy worst. I know about oranges. sheer baptism. - - this istheedgewe findourselves in. AmIthere withthem? anges between us, sitting across from each other on oil drums; I imagine out; isthatwhere we are. Iimaginethat’s where we are, abucketofor queer identityattheedgeofsociety, inPentecostal preaching; pushed her chest, hard, withherhands?We heard voices before, speakingofthe ing, ofownership ofthebodybroken oraffirmedbyYoung’s slappingof Deep homeinthesensual RnBsong-isthis senseofhomeandbelong to themasitwas tomeimagineit? indulgence ofit,ontheirskin?Was itnotpleasurable, was itnotecstatic remain withthefreshness oftheorange, thelushness ofthefruit, the Why didYoung and Antony wash? Whatwas inthewashing? Why not - Katharina A thingIwant toroll undermy foot andmakesoft,puncture, anddrinkof. IWant toKnow About’.ies thatexperiencedthefruit, full? Thisisa‘Thing In my sensesconnectingtotheoranges, are they connectingtothebod RACHAEL YOUNG &DWAYNE ANTONY, OUT /MANUELVASON @DARC.MEDIA - - - 65 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Voices 66 CRITICISM ASVOICES tre. Dance Space, Live Art Development Agency, and Marlborough Thea for the Arts, a-n, Fierce Festival, Hackney Showroom, Chisenhale and have beensupported by ArtsCouncil England, Canadian Council formed their work invarious venues across the UK,USA, and Canada, tion of various dance and choreographic systems. They have per many other aesthetical and ontological concerns, with the excava abstraction, nonessentialist transgenderism, cybernetics, amongst Marikiscrycrycry’s POSSIBILITIES OF BEARING WITNESS work integrates Black pessimism, minimalism, MARIKISCRYCRYCRY (MALIKNASHADSHARPE) - - - POSSIBILITIES OF BEARING WITNESS frames, and aesthetics have lost clout and direction, orhave been Somehow the revolutionary practices of mining ulterior realities, placed onthe market, and artsuitably complicit, at its own peril. entire planet and it oftentimes looks like smog -everything being power. Neoliberalism has placed aninsufferable sheen over the authoritarian world being shaped by corporations with far too much ass quotidian, and the increasingly fully automated and feverishly feel, and illuminate the phenomenon of humanity -of the boring spaces inmy subconscious, reminding me of some of the ways we the work of artists making performances today often resonates in my choreographic thinking at the moment. The ways inwhich Iview Art doesn’t need to befixed. es. Iam longing for acritical discourse that accounts for that, to no thing that Ichoose not to ignore when Iwatch and make performanc wise), but contextualisation is always key. At the very least, it’s the pinned onthe ideas that materialise onbodies (corporeal orother ities is often overlooked. The subject of performance usually gets the frames of witnessing and the making of otherworldly subjectiv The context of allartis always important, yet its role informulating proposition. route of escape, and more amilieu that motorises aradical social bleak historical moment, performance ends upbeing less vehicular advent of hopefulness looks like inwhat is anotherwise unbearably that Iadmire (I’lltalkabout them later); when Ithinkabout what the inspired by the methodologies and practices being created by artists billionaires right beneath the soilwe tread. Ican’t feel renewed and cannot understand. These are currently being ruthlessly gutted by world and its mysteries, the many things that exist alongside us we sant desire to destroy everything Ionce considered magical -like the can’t help but despair over the state of late capitalism with its inces the corporate technocracy for allit’s got (Idon’t blame them), but I traded for technologies that double as get rich schemes; these milk At least, this is the idea that underpins - - - - 67 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Voices 68 words denounce more than they describe. Where is the interrogation Stops as ‘rudimentary’ and ‘cryptic’ dance inMeg Stuart’s In boredom. also perhaps missing some of the utility behind rambling, and even timing, who is/isn’t allowed time onstage and otherwise. This view is be alarger trend of artists making choices and criticisms of time/ practice of watching and discoursing circles around what seems to to edit ‘rambling’ because they end up‘losing our attention’. This avail. Wendy Perron in from the system at play. It doesn’t ever really talkabout how the glorified opinions of those who have historically benefitted the most coming from? It doesn’t feel at allreflective of anything but the Why does criticism do such apoor job of talking about where it is performances. who write with power and authority, about the propositions made by discourse that reflects more astutely onthe value systems of those and our consciousnesses, and Iwould certainly hope for acritical and detailed about what is being created and brought into the world the contexts being made by performances themselves, respective and for whom? Iwould like acritical discourse that accounts for I question its utility. Who does it really benefit and what is it doing, Look, Idon’t have many opinions onthe shady world of criticism and *Shrugs* gerous [phantom] trend towards ‘victim art’. Maybe it wasn’t for her. as awork ‘discussing the undiscussable’, apartof startling and dan Yorker New Arlene Croce infamously wrote about BillT. Jones’ of individual bias entering critical writing? Even as far back as 1994, The Times The , but how can dance becryptic? Dance is what it is; and these without even watching it, denouncing what she declared , Donald Hutera wishes for less of what he describes Dance Magazine Magazine Dance wished for choreographers Still/Here Until Our Heart Heart Our Until in The The - with defiling the utility of experimentation and propositioning, or at to produce new ideologies, critics have usually beenpreoccupied wishful about something intheir own image. While artists endeavor the thing that willtell them least about what they are watching: be the essential act to any performative gesture -and instead opt to do literary, etc.) because they are seemingly unable to bear witness - to historical and exclusionary ideas of genre, beit theatre, dance, seriously reading the writing of many mainstream critics (being tied ated by performances themselves. Ihave allbut beenforced to stop can actually runinopposition to the worlds and contexts being cre least does not do any work to examine how those systems of value placement of criticism is tied to corporate interests; and at the very cisms. possesses its own and unique logics, frameworks, and even criti logics of performance, meanwhile ignoring that performance itself wand of authority. Criticism parades around as ifit understands the are already present, yet rarely spoken about when criticism waves its course that wrestles with the power structures that don’t emerge but exclusions of certainvoices and bodies. Iwould like acritical dis performance work that take into account the many, many biases and lective culture -the learned patterns of looking and responding to the historically White institutionality of its positioning inour col I would also like to seecritical discourse that engages directly with enacted. The subject of performance is possibility. in which you look at yourself, it’s aportalto seehow other worlds are sider what it may mean to bear witness. Performance is not amirror they are making. Iwould implore and advocate for criticism to con mance being made now, and why artists are making the choices that I would like to read more criticism of the peculiarities of perfor that they write about. formance encounter. Critics are woefully out of touch with the works the very least, the complexities that operate at alllevels of any per ------ 69 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Voices 70 Daniel Brathwaite-Shirley’s performative video and sound work not agiven. Black body to exist/not exist within/or inrelation to that culture. It’s agency to question whether ornot there actually is aplace for the for the Black mind and body to not only disagree, but also exercise tension surrounding our performing bodies. It is entirely possible systems laden within those dance cultures, highlighting acertain possible to identify/disidentify/and not identify with the values and dance cultures. The piece opens upaspace inwhich it is entirely the possibilities and placements of Black bodies inrelation to White Last Yearz Interesting Negro’s piece witness, how do we critique the work that forges, leverages, and enu Emerging from its own unique frame and terms of viewership and cultures of wellness. tiquing the ways we view and understand prevalent and neoliberal and the many possibilities of choreographic form, allthe while cri combining the curiosities around the aesthetics of queer spirituality Eating onies. Montreal-based choreographer Andrew Tay’s purposefully and necessarily outside of those majoritarian hegem plex that sooften misunderstands the work and aesthetics existing people of colour. Indoing sothe piece slams the White critique-com laces that operate unabashedly at the periland exclusion of trans sity to betranslated into terms that are digestible for certainpopu Demon Trans other form of making and generating aesthetics, Brathwaite-Shirley’s goal. By defiantly creating the space to critique, by actualising an needs as imperative ones, and Black survivability as the rule, not the that experience, and the dreams of anulterior world that posits trans transfeminism, by creating worlds that are defined by the logics of figuratively and literally plays with the formal ontologies of Black also illustrates how to build aworld of critique within awork, illustrates this idea poignantly, and defies the neces BASICTENSION FAME PRAYER / / PRAYER FAME wrestles with ------and understand possibility. and enacted inorder to forge anew the very ways that we see, view, should endeavor to bear better witness to the world’s being suggested of writing critiques inthe image of our own wishful thinking, critics conservatism? Beyond the hegemony of default Whiteness? Instead of the current theoretical frame? Beyond the authority of ill-willed formulate critiques that use these tools to exist beyond the violences merates its own critiques, worlds, logics, and theories? How do we 71 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 72 son &Charlie Hope ATOEWEFTR /Soren Evin + Haiku afterVictoriaSin + Marikiscrycrycry A SIMLTO N- LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION - the vision that was planted in my brain IMAGE my in planted was that vision the sound ofsilence - again you reaching out heavenwardto talk to want i hello A SIMLTO N-Marikiscrycrycry taken out ofitscultural security blanket. a precious, adornedandadored body boyhood sexuality retching ofthesoul by brought oninmewithforce almost a a lossofinnocence i feel lossofanidolized, naive beliefintheimpervious body - ithinkofhow ifeel about ‘justin bieberpuking onstage’ carefully applied glittered face as marikiscrycrycry convulses, hardened bythesoftsong cut intobyaperformance ofpain. - breathless -the naive, openeyed isaseductive image marikiscrycrycry raisinghisvoice atthemicrophone Stage Youtube page Justin Bieber Throws upon 73 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 74 transported intoimaginingyoung black meninthestreet, victimsofthe that uponhearingashotandseeingblack body, Iamimmediately what kindofstateare we in if hit. comes before we hearshotsandmarikiscrycrycry moves onthefloor as - executed withprecision - the violent retching andstaggering instead ofinterruptingastaging. in marikiscrycrycry’s casecarefully staged visibility? the estrangementofone’s own features or why applyglitter? vanity - at themirror inthestagebackground and whatwere you before? crycrycry set asstandard. the coldwhitefemale voice intones theautomatedvoice from thescreen black i’m dead i’m when DEATH. blood ayayayayayayayay bloody blood blood tency oftheimagebecomesalive, iswhenit’s and inachronological order: theheavy breathing, themomentpo which inthiscaseisthree gunshots- (-d voices) performing aseancefor thesound ofsilence marikiscrycrycry functionshere asanidolmakingeffigy police - - dragging testiclesacross thefloor broken that shotbody was nation our of in thepossibility ofbeingthatbody spirit the morning grief this up woke we when DEATH blood shimmering. bloody blood blood a patrioticmarch exhaustively, PTSD Adderall, -Katharina life own my in is thismadepossiblebyassimilation? participant Matter Lives Black strong openjumps-theresistance tobethatbody. out ofthedark- face, asweet wave the coquette, shortinterplay onhow thegameisplayed with aglittered from theblackout - blood blood bloody blood bloody blood blood 75 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 76 MARIKISCRYCRYCRY, ASIMLTO N /MANUELVASON @DARC.MEDIA - Jennifer And full fat And fresh My gendertrouble iscrispy Haiku afterVictoriaSin VICTORIA SIN/IMAGE: JULIABAUER 77 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 78 ‘i’m inacave beingread to’. takes and or why Ithought ‘caveat lector’,whichwas - smoke, lighting, space. strobe uses confined a in place performance this that beware ‘let thereader beware’ caveat lector ATOEWEFTR /Soren Evinson &CharlieHope certain result.) ButasIhave beensittingfor awhile withmy eyes closed, with connotationsofacertain emotional coloring, before atask, togeta (This ispartofwhy ‘priming’ works -exposingpeople tocertainwords the motionsasifwhatwe are reading is‘happening’ tousinreal time. in themind,how byreading aword, we graspitsconceptandgothrough colliding. Ithinkofhow reading aword supposedly produces animage the voice speaksabout words, andtheimage, theword andthe image kind ofvoice. Whilethegolden foil distortionsbecomevisible, inflashes, I amhearing avoice mediatedbyamicrophone, adystopian, machine shift. will mountain Words and their potency, without animage.this Inthe cave, beingread to, and room, this in mountain a is There shapes thatcorrespond tothemovements onour insides. architecture’ -ifwe could build rooms like we feel about them,inthe audibly shiftingevery timeoneofusintheaudiencemoves. ‘Emotional A womb influx,glisteninggolden ontheinside. Malleable material - confined space. - actually, thisperformance ISstrobe lighting, smoke, andbeingina still underquicklychanging light. There are theseshiftinghills offoil though, slowly coming intomotion, there isnotabodyvisible torepresent, orfor theaudiencetorelate to. structure -theaudiencesitsinasemicircle asiffacingastage, yet The voice speaksofthebody. Thebodiesinrelation tospaceandthis mental image. autonomous sonicinformation intomy thoughts without my makinga commands, Ithinkthatwords are potent,letters insist, andcarrytheir ing inthebrainuponreception ofaword. Driftingintothevoice’s happens, whetherthere isalways already visualinformation form I remember aconversation Ihadrecently, about whetherthatactually - Katharina Now. now. now. now. Now. SOREN EVINSON ANDCHARLIE HOPE, ATOEWEFTR /JULIABAUER - 79 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Confrontation 80 CRITICISM ASCONFRONTATION and crip queer performance with Liselle Terret. They have achapter coming out onemancipatory disability research Electric Brixton, Soho Theatre and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. and Not Your Circus Dog,having performed at Royal Vauxhall Tavern, disability consultant. They are aperformer with Access AllAreas Emma Selwyn I KNOW WHAT YOUR NICHE INTEREST IS is acrip, queer performance artist, facilitator and EMMA SELWYN I KNOW WHAT YOUR NICHE INTEREST IS a white picket fence weren’t for me… and, more importantly… that ginning to acknowledge (and celebrate) that a9-5job, 2.4 kids and agency that Iwas enjoying with Access AllAreas. Iwas at last be expectations of my partner and their family, and the validation and I wanted to explore my new-found freedom from the normative Areas inJanuary 2016. starting the Performance Making Diploma course with Access All I had just come out of atoxic long-term relationship aday before Wiggling are never thought could exist -and Iwanted to capture it. Feet and Hands My exhausted and anxious: Ifelt like acircus doggy doing tricks to ‘pass’ expectations of acisgender, neurotypical ered and uplifted me. Ihad lived my life trying to conform to the Learning that Ididn’t need to conform to normative criteria empow relationship and to beout and proud about being aspectrumite was okay to choose not to beinacisheteronormative this was absolutely fine. For the first time, Ibegan to believe that it came from aplace of joy 3 world. Iwas constantly 1 monogamous monogamous which I 2 . - - 81 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Confrontation 82 ing phenomenon known as stimming as acceptable. It also allowed was away of celebrating the fact that Icould now view this amaz autistic people are stereotyped to do. book: I‘knew better’ than to rock and flap or do allthose weird things Before the course, stimming * and peers not only accepted me, but valued me and allmy ‘isms’. lenge stereotypes and allthose who perpetuate them. My facilitators Performance Making Diploma gave me the self-confidence to chal as acceptable inthe eyes of the mainstream, normative society. The health issues. This list of neuroatypical conditions is not exhaustive. ple with conditions such as autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and epilepsy and mental 5 Neurodivergence: sometimes known as neuroatypicality, this encompasses peo it. People of any age, any race, any gender and any background stim without realising there is no exhaustive list of specific things which categorically are orare not stims. in mainstream society include biting nails, jiggling the leg and knuckle cracking, but helps the person doing the stim to self-regulate their emotions. Common examples 4 Stimming: short for ‘self-stimulation’, stimming is amovement and/or asound that Wiggling) known as E.via. are Feet and Hands The background music Ichose for the piece was * and my me-ness. sion to befar more open about my neurodivergence All Areas proud to bethemselves made me feel that Ihad the permis unacceptable stims. Seeing other openly disabled people inAccess me to explore the chasm between socially acceptable and socially 4 was very much adirtyword inmy by the Korean rapper Tymee, then My Hands and Feet are Wiggling Wiggling are Feet and Hands My Shrinking (or, My My (or, Shrinking 5 , my queerness, - - - - was perfectly fine for people to bite their nails, pout when thinking Even before Istarted developing the performance, Inoticed how it of stimming could feel like. words struck achord and reminded me of stimming and what the joy from topic to topic and played with rhymes, rhythms and sounds of The title of the song interested me. The nonsensical lyrics that leapt who were supposed to support her (inthis case, her record label). forced to play the role of acircus dog and was treated badly by those and created during avery dark period inTymee’s life. She too felt Although silly, cutesy and catchy at first listen, the song was written ing. Isthis piece anexploration of autistic behaviours and identities? I want the critics and the audience to wonder where my gaze is fall on’ individual audience members. consider the relevance of my searching the room and then ‘picking in the all-consuming throes of my latest obsession? Iwant critics to my niche interests making apoint, or have Iforgotten the audience prevent it? Ismy exploration (some would say, ad nauseam) of one of my autism playing me? Isthe stimming deliberate, oramIunable to much is unconscious. When amIplaying the audience and when is wardness, the pursuit of ‘niche obsessions’) is deliberate and how I want critics to wonder how much of my piece (for example the awk * nonsensical fun inlife. have to becool allthe time, and that there should beroom for silly ics, Idiscovered that it is aplayful commentary onhow rap shouldn’t emotions. Listening to the song, and reading and writing out the lyr learnt that allthese behaviours were forms of self-regulating one’s or twirl their hair, but not to wring their hands orrock orleap, and I - - - 83 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Confrontation 84 Art. The only autistic performers talking about autism that Iknow As far as Iamaware, there is very little exploration of autism inLive * as queer. the world. Ifind it much harder to come out as neurodivergent than the cisheteronormative lens through which somuch of society views straitjacket of neurotypical expectations and the straightjacket of ness? Ihope too that they might consider the parallels between the unconscious self-indulgence onmy part,showing little self-aware An exploration of the audience’s behaviours and assumptions? Oran voice; before, Ihadn’t considered that I could be‘allowed’ to chal make the social and political points Iwanted. It helped me find a Live Artwas agood fit to explore my new-found confidence and * Oliver, Katherine Araniello orJess Thom, to name but afew). and neurodivergent but non-autistic performers (for example Daniel of other spectrumites, neurotypical people who play autistic roles, consider parallels –oreven the lack thereof! –between my work, that which represent ordiscuss the autistic female. Iwould like critics to spectrumite –has beenmale. Iamnot currently aware of any works by autistic artists –and indeed by those merely playing the role of a Sam Gardner from Therefore Not Normal (Sheldon Cooper from Interests That Are Actually Obsessions Because He IsAutistic And Man The media has perpetuated these stereotypes: the savant ( burgh Fringe show) and my colleagues from Access AllAreas. of are Paul Wady (who turned his book ) orthe Desexualised Man-Child With The Weird And Wacky Atypical .) Asfar as Iknow, almost allother work Guerilla Aspies Guerilla The Big Bang Theory Bang Big The into anEdin Rain Rain - or - - synergy. reaching ashared understanding. Only Live Artallows for this and stereotypes back onthemselves turned the arbitrariness of the audience’s judgements, assumptions my awkwardness and maybe experience some of it for themselves. I The interaction with the audience was critical: Iwanted them to feel me because of my label. to challenge and educate those who had made assumptions about chimed with the urgency Ifelt to explore this new me; with the desire lenge stereotypes and presuppositions. The immediacy of Live Art stereotypical autistic meltdown, instead she has used her ‘negative behaviour’ and characters. and behaviour’ performance. attending aschool for gifted male birds;rights the player can choose‘negative to date several of the civil her used positive, has she 7 powerful, a instead into it meltdown, turned autistic stereotypical for the Spectrum ArtPrize: 6 Here is areaction from Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, who saw the performance to distance, alienation and confusion. of the game dered whether Ihad included the extensive and in-depth exploration not expected orintended by the artist. For example, one critic won times challenging!) possibility of critics interpreting apiece inaway perhaps explore it inmore depth. There is also the exciting (ifsome audiences (and readers of acritique) to process aperformance –and logue and by providing interpretations of apiece. The latter can help Criticism inartis vital. It helps improve work by encouraging dia * Hatoful Boyfriend: Boyfriend: Hatoful Hatoful Boyfriend Hatoful A Japanese video game inwhich the player is ahuman girl Emma’s performance could be seen as an example of a a of example an as seen be could performance Emma’s 7 as amethod of exposing the audience 6 , challenging them but, Ihope, - - - 85 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Confrontation 86 different to you?’. somewhere, thoughts like ‘yeah, this is me…deal with it’ and ‘am Iso or otherwise) can beboring ifdwelt onat too great alength. And Somewhere inthere, too, was the idea that anything (mainstream it was indicative of the huge variety of niche interests that exist. that some of the audience might want to go and find out more; that developed. There was the thought that Iwould enjoy talking about it; clusion had come from amixof ideas, none of which had beenfully I hadn’t fully explored my reasons for including this section. Its in effect. Words like, ‘boring’, ‘odd’, ‘too long’, and ‘confusing’ were used. who had seenthe work) Icould seethat this had indeed beenthe I hadn’t intended to do so, but onreflection (and after asking people mainstream, they would start to democratise the critiquing process. ple video oraudio. Ifsuch forms were to become better known and teresting to seecritique explore more accessible avenues –for exam Most criticism is still offered inwriting orface-to-face. It would bein * continue to develop my self-awareness infuture work. ened: the critique improved this piece but willalso, Ihope, ensure I Wiggling of interests. Subsequent performances of I acknowledge that Imay have beeninmy own little niche bubble that Iwanted everyone else to enjoy it, orat least seewhat it was like. I suspect the fact that Ifind have seenthe Hatoful Boyfriend Boyfriend Hatoful Hatoful Boyfriend Hatoful My Hands and Feet are are Feet and Hands My section significantly short sofascinating meant - - - - LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION London, Man + wake Benjamin Sebastian /(a) + Bonelli /JadeMontserrat Emma Selwyn /Selina 87 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 88 Three Materials // On Identity(theintimateactofpublic re-presentation) On Memory(from the tongue totheframe) On Humour (thenoisearound normative behaviour, ticks,andcare) Three Portraits Emma Selwyn /SelinaBonelli /JadeMontserrat - Diana On Ritual, socialpracticeasreligious practice. time, folded memoriesonbroken frames On Following thered dripdown thethread, theinadequate passingof On Arrivingtothestage, ready for astand-up Three Instances // On Hair(thesmell ofburnthairand thedeliberateliteralisationofritual) On Shards (strings, drips,broken down frames) On Voice (speakingout, speakingwith, speakingthrough) EMMA SELWYN,MYHANDSANDFEETARE WIGGLING/ MANUEL VASON @DARC.MEDIA 89 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 90 marked byasmall oriental rug,abottleofdisinfectant on thefloor. smoke. Hethensitsonthechairthatisalready setupfor him, thearea performance, continuestoburnanddiffusestheroom withalayer of The fire hehadlitfrom thestart,markingcommencementof this the sign. word inscribedbythemagicianappearslike asigil,boththe word and Although theconstructionofasemioticsignisdeemedarbitrary, the then quicklydismantledandreassembled itintoanew unifiedform. The magician’s inscriptionoftheword isprecise and premeditated. He Benjamin Sebastian /(a)wake The flagthatheslowly pulls out from hisown bodyisopenedout. glimpse ofmagic inaction. The fire isre-lit and hiskaleidoscopic faceilluminates momentarily. A from thepaininflicted bythisprocess ofembodiment? that themagicianconstructed for himself. Or doesthepleasure derive cent golden substance, perhaps resisting theinscriptionof blackink There mustbesomekindofpleasure intheactofsmearingthisirides magician issmotheringhimselfingold. I look down andmy notepad isspeckedwith ashes.I look upandthe mechanical chant mimickedbythecontinuous humoftheneedle. magician’s doing:thisnauseatingfumetoanaesthetiseusall andthe suffocating from thefire thatstartstopuff out blacksmoke. Itisthe of thisritual. Ifeel claustrophobic and subconsciously aware thatI am No, ithadalready begun.Ihave entered thisenclosed spaceaswitness The sigilisinscribedontothebody. Theritual hasbegun. - - Palin We all risetothiscommand.Theritualiscomplete. RISE RISE RISE BENJAMIN SEBASTIAN, (A)WAKE /IMAGE: MANUELVASON @DARC.MEDIA 91 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 92 London, Man BOJANA JANKOVI ć - Bojana experimental artists. that provide rare direct views over strangepracticesofradical, live and than 30minutesfrom CanaryWharf.Luxuryfeatures include balconies coming area ofbuzzingEastLondon. Close toall the amenities andless A collection of1, 2,and3bedroom apartments,in athriving, up-and- BOJANA JANKOVI ć 93 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Encounter 94 CRITICISM ASENCOUNTER ideas of productivity and work. She is amember of ‘@some point’, agroup of people prodding the vulnerability through the use of humour, illusion and interaction. Live Artand installation. Inher practice she explores identity and Jasmine Shigemura Lee TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, is an interdisciplinary artist who creates JASMINE SHIGEMURALEE TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, events that never really happened. Inthe future, web links are bro force us to construct situations off-line and make references to instantaneously. This is apost-internet age inwhich social media social media, we have access to criticism and opinion onLive Art are filed by unpaid interns. But for now, through the internet and machines to access texts and images. Inthe future, printouts of blogs computers are obsolete, we pre-book inadvance to use slow, noisy the projector, forgetting Iwas never really there. Inthe future our fire alarm going off mid-show and that daddy longlegs drifting over and Itell someone else allabout it, sovividly to the detail of the an immersive experience based onthe Twitter feed of Tim Etchells In the future someone tells me about being inLancaster, enced the experience orthe interpretation of the event. social climate of the live performances, and how this may have influ contextual posts are important for understanding the political and more uncertain time. Fake news is often trending. Inthe future, these an impossibility inaparallel world. Inthe future, we live inaneven ty of the future ahead. The outcome of Trump winning the election is and images Hillary -this is pre-election with allthe tense uncertain works are experienced. At one point, there is anassembly of Trump the writing, and highlight the landscape inwhich the performance references to current affairs (and pop culture) are embedded within posts also exist inanarchival state. This is the time of Brexit –such running parallel to the live event rather than post-show, yet the blog down to go backwards intime. Critical interruptions are moments of the live writing gives the impression of endlessness as Iscroll the artists’ names and the references used inposts. The digital form perience has occurred. At first glance it is familiar, and I recognise I encounter the Critical Interruptions live writing after the live ex of the hyperlinks still exist. live writing. to remember Itry what it looked like and wonder ifany ken and Ican no longer view the Steakhouse Critical Interruptions seeing - - - - 95 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Encounter 96 linear timeline, highlighting how much orlittle things have changed, notified of our activity onthat same day each year, disrupting the wards intime is no longer sostraightforward. On Facebook, we are time of constant reminders, even scrolling downwards to go back (although with Trump there was no need for scrolling). This is a physically mining, scrolling through years and years of information on reading. We imagine the person who uncovers ancient tweets and attention spans. Ihope this is still interesting enough to keep the endless digest which has affected our sense of time, experience, to Live Artthrough social media and have become accustomed to tate, wondering ifwe were actually there. We encounter responses We often attempt to recall how we felt during past events and hesi don is comparable to particularly what aLive Artfan wants to read about. Live ArtinLon gain aninsight into the process and history of Live Art.Process is embedded criticism, we can understand potential influences and Art references might beabit inside-jokey. But for now, through this Owen Parry pops upinanew window and reminds us that the Live simultaneously engages ingenerating Live Artfan art.Inthe future, activity. Perhaps these digital texts can beseenas criticism that know what’s going onbut apartof me feels like it’s anunderground Reading the live writing is like reading asecret diary. Iwant to of urgency to declare thoughts and reminders. nature and form of the Critical Interruptions writing delivers asense a collective memory of something that never happened. The live widely known scenes we understand the emotional feeling, through vides the possibility of presenting the impossible, and inreferencing disaster scenes, stating ‘it was like inafilm’. The medium of film pro event members of the public refer to asense of filmic reality and news? Often when asked to describe the feeling after atraumatic pre-timeline.ry Isit possible that our collective memories are fake uncovering posts which we thought had long vanished into ahisto Made in Chelsea in Made : a‘reality’ show inwhich the - - - - - tweets are used as instructions for re-enactments by Live Artfan In the future we don’t trust hyperlinks. Inthe future, records of see and beinterested incollides into nothingness. post-show echoes, yet often the overwhelming amount of things to of missing out which is partly nourished by social media posts and and reminders are sent. There is asense of exclusivity and afear ed onFacebook. Each second inthe Live Artsphere, notifications convinced you saw it allfrom the adverts, orfrom being interest is tribute, and is uncertain. Even ifanepisode was missed, you are even beyond, at international gatherings. Live information is gossip, chosen characters are bound to cross paths inthe same venues, or age? we develop relevant critical writing about Live Artinapost-internet cepts. What happens when these links no longer work? How might feel when scrolling through and often back upstatements and con other writing, videos and images add to the sense of endlessness we gain afeeling of multiple voices inadiscussion. The hyperlinks to more descriptive and combined with links and visual imagery. We ing and presenting ideas are intertwined, some more list-like, others presented like anongoing conversation, and the varied styles of writ others. Inthe writing, multiple views onthe same performance are oes the way we might recall a memory of an event and share it with nature of the Critical Interruptions live writing and hyperlinks ech meanings, surviving through alternate realities. The fragmented lost innever-ending networks and links we loop around to validate over their mouth and arectangle over their eyes. But for now, we are unless the rebel critic decides to beinvisible, painting atriangle mirror it ifwe sowish. The face is automatically detected and tagged free to occasionally glance at the facial expression reaction and face of achosen critic inthe corner of the live performance. We are groups. Inthe future there is aminiprojector that live streams the - - - - 97 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 98 Suggested post + On Point/s + Chillingworth hear all about it/Hester tea andsitdown, Iwant to Let mejustgetacup of LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION placed… Itreally doesjust makethem lookabitridiculous theminuteit’s stop myself becauseIthinkhonestly, couldn’t thatenergy bebetter and thefactthat they justkeepbangingonregardless, butthenIalways waves… AndsometimesIfeel quiteaffectionate towards themreally, cessive central heatingbills inthewinter, awoollen blanketofradio time… whichissuchaluxury isn’t it…Imean,it’s oneway toavoid ex over theradiowaves, puffed out ofcomfortable pocketstopassthe middlest ofclasses, wouldn’t goonsomuch,all thathotairflyingaround So thenIsaid,dearymereally wish thatthemiddleofEngland, the Hester Chillingworth Let mejustgetacup ofteaandsitdown, Iwant tohearall about it/ - Jennifer makes you thinkdoesn’t it? out oftheirmouths and then comesout ofthemouth of another… Itreally - 99 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 100 HESTER CHILLINGWORTH, HOME CORRESPONDENT /JULIABAUER Two: Ronald McDonaldistakingabreak from clowning, until thehysteria and University ofCalifornia San Diegoin2010. Investigated byRepublican Congressmen, FBIOffice ofCybercrimes California desert’ the US-Mexicoborder whileleading themtowater cachesinSouthern ‘a mobilephonetechnology thatprovides poetrytoimmigrantscrossing One: TheTransborder ImmigrantTool On Point/s - Diana. on ahighnote. Four: TheRoyal Vauxhall Tavern hasgained GradeIIlisting status,toend searches ofpeopleenteringtheclub, anddrug-related deaths. Three: Therevoking ofthelicence for Fabricasaresult ofinadequate pleted adocumentary, Circus Kid,about growing upinthering. performing asaclown whenhewas two years old, and hasjustcom a goodidea,” saidLorenzo Pisoni,adramaticactorwhooriginally began calms down. “Clown Lives Matter?Ohmy God.Ireally don’t know that’s - 101 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 102 worth. Foreign accentsechoingthrough aroom inEngland, theEngland Foreign accentscomingfrom Radio 4, reproduced byHesterChilling follow you wherever you went. they dotoday, andtheforeign voices were exotic, becausethey didn’t afternoons, tolistenRadio 4drama,proper drama, notlikethethings we lived retro, andthefamilygottogetherinkitchenonSunday nostalgia-ridden room, where patinabreeds comfort. Remember when worth. Foreign accentsechoingthrough aroom inmiddle England, a Foreign accentscomingfrom Radio 4, reproduced byHesterChilling Suggested post - Bojana brainstorm ideasonhow tomaketheir own lives worse. The goodnews is, theHomeOffice will now pay selected immigrantsto helps winelectionsandI? Maybe that’s somethingwe have incommon-thismythical England that can’t stomachany more foreign accentscomingfrom Radio 4. middle England isfake, butIrunaway for real, because, asitturnsout, I worth. Theaccentsare fake, theforeigners are fake, thesepia-tinted Foreign accentscomingfrom Radio 4, reproduced byHesterChilling everywhere. proportion idiots of are out there thing xenophobia overreacting, whole this blowing when England would tell you, over apintortwo orthree, policies cometoherhead. Remember whenwe could live indenial, Theresa May imaginesinacricketclub, theEngland shethinksofwhen , andr that you’re you’re that eally, you’re you’re eally, - - - LIVE WRITING HUBAT STEAKHOUSELIVE/JULIABAUER 103 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Archive 104 CRITICISM ASARCHIVE the new Artistic Director of Home Live Art. radical performance practices and has recently beenappointed as clubs and raves. She co-produces Steakhouse Live, aDIYplatform for performed at Live Artfestivals and venues as well as squat parties, Katy Baird I HAVE 7 TATTOOED ON MY is an artist, curator and producer of Live Art.Katy has LEG KATY BAIRD KATY I HAVE 7 TATTOOED ON MY LEG all the work we put inas acollective. I worked really hard then maybe we could allultimately get paid for consequently even more ambitious. Ieven had the crazy idea that if I wanted to raise its profile sothat it could be more successful and major reasons. Spending more time ondeveloping Steakhouse Live was one of the tion to become afreelance artist and producer. Last year Ileft my steady, paid and full-time job inartsadministra 1 A(kind of) beginning the list went onand on. tote bags for our artists, aboard, useful contacts, acohesive vision – marketing department, branded t-shirts for our volunteers, branded brochure, alogo, anArtistic Director, apull-up banner, contracts, a down allthe things we might need to bemore successful -aglossy ing to make afive-year Business Plan for Steakhouse Live. I wrote Fast-forward five years and Iamsitting ina café in Folkestone try aspect of life 2 Dominant discourses of neoliberalism dictate almost every it again. mance to happen was addictive and that we definitely wanted to do Most of all,we realised that the thrillof creating aspace for perfor and nowhere near enough places for them to perform. be fun, there are loads of amazing artists making incredible live work dience for this type of work, watching performance can and should realised afew things pretty quickly –there is most definitely an au mance event inLondon. That first event was a bumpy ride, but we Steakhouse Live started its life five years ago as aone-off perfor - - - - - 105 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Archive 106 anything else that pulls at our time orresources. The freedom to prioritise the work, the artists and the audience over The freedom to make mistakes and to fail. The freedom to not take ourselves too seriously. The freedom to behighbrow and lowbrow simultaneously. knowledge that we are helping each other. The freedom to build relationships with artists we love and to ac The freedom to berowdy, to have alaugh and to belast minute. want. The freedom to make things happen when we want and how we Then Ithought about what we have lots of already –freedom. stopped to ask myself what success looked like. After ayear of working out how we can bemore successful, Ifinally ing the same 4 Arejection of professionalism is arejection of everything look and ways of working, is also important. that step before, being the no-pressure testing ground for new ideas in the UKare acrucial partof the performance ecology, but being laxed and supportive environment. Allthe ‘proper’ Live Artfestivals where artists out can try new ideas orrevisit aprevious work inare Being under the radar means that we can beanincubator, aspace itself from corrupted dialogues 3 The strength of the underground is its capacity to disassociate 1 - - - plain about this, we thought (as always) we should just do something mainstream media and critical writing ingeneral; rather than com am acutely aware that the work Ilove is often under-served within native models of working. Asanartist and apromoter of Live Art,I ing the freedom to take risks, test out new ideas and facilitate alter The Critical Interruptions project is the perfect example of us hav whole year to realise. always shit hot. Maybe this is obvious, but it has actually taken me a simply mean continuing to do what we do and making sure that it’s having ahigh profile outside our small Live Art bubble. Success can Success doesn’t necessarily have to mean being professional or festival and the work. mony with filmand image to create a360-degree experience of the Critical Interruptions live writing did exactly that, working inhar Considered criticism adds acrucial third layer of documentation. continually document our lives, every day. more than ever, we live inahighly visual, image-led world where we documentation and how essential it is to selling our events. Now employers; as a promoter, Iunderstand the importance of visual and how essential it is to beable to show your work to prospective As anartist, Iunderstand the importance of visual documentation responding to the here and now inavery immediate way. artists who are working at the edges of more traditional artforms and classified. At Steakhouse Live we use the Liveterm Art to talk about is arefuge of sortsfor artists whose work is not easily identifiable or Live Artis away of thinking about and interacting with the world. It 5 Live Artis soooinstagrammable us map out possible new ways of responding to Live Art. about it ourselves! That’s when we invited Bojana and Diana to help - - - - 107 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Criticism as Archive 108 sonal memoirs, discussing everything from glitter to Goethe. facts, meanders, tangents, memories, histories, video clips and per The Critical Interruptions project blog contains thoughts, feelings, how did it make you feel?’. me afterwards is ‘but what does it mean?’. Iusually reply with ‘but live work with someone new to Live Art,the first question they ask society, we are obsessed with creating meaning. Often when Isee a feeling, anemotion, amemory, athought and somuch more. Asa Live performance at Steakhouse is visceral innature -it can trigger 6 Allresponses are valid It is asnapshot of the time the work was made and displayed in. consumed. It explores the possibilities of liveness and challenges how the live is the direct. ‘expert’ and revels inthe fractured, the immediate, the natural and It actively rejects the formal, the professional, the idea of critic as an make you feel?’. It is not just preoccupied with ‘what did it mean?’ but also ‘how did it can have when they experience live work. It replicates the multiple and varied responses anaudience member myself doing more and more). often use when talking about this type of work (something Ifind means there’s no defaulting to the overly academic words that we It is written by critical writers new to writing about Live Artwhich - 7 Sometimes the only option is just to do it yourself us at Steakhouse Live to have beenasmall partof this process. written about and responded to. It has beenagreat privilege for allof and anopportunity to thinkabout the many ways Live Artcan be Both the live writing and this publication are important resources 109 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 110 Pieces Iwishhadwritten + wholeness: IMMA Fragments and + Eunjung Kim’s Off A close encounter: LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION sticks totheentire lengthofherbody. Itwas aslow process inwhich Covered inbrightyellow goo, she curled andstretched. Thegooey paint floor justbythestaircase. performance intheFire Room, whenIencountered Kimlying on the on my way backtomy writing desk,afterleaving SandraJohnston’s door ordarkcurtains whichsignify a‘performance space’; Iwas simply 2 days. There was noconventional senseofwalking through aclosed ters’ more than theforms ofa‘performance’ I’ve experiencedthesepast My experiencewithEunjungKim’s piecefalls underthe term‘encoun A close encounter: EunjungKim’s Off - Palin It hascometoapointwhere my thoughts coagulate; brainisjelly-fied. reality, andtheboundaries ofcultural identities. Kim ismoving, very slowly, ontheedge. Theedgebetween fiction and weigh herdown like thegoothatrestrains herfrom moving forward? his performance ‘No, Idon’t speakChinese’ -doesthecolour yellow also The colour yellow reminded meofwhat itsignifiedfor Nicholas Tee in sion, intrigue, ordisinterest. Kim slowly slithers on thefloor, stoppingeachpasserby, causingconfu - - 111 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 112 EUNJUNG KIM/MANUELVASON @DARC.MEDIA 113 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live LIVE WRITING INTERRUPTION 114 - Jennifer bigassmessage.com/dd855 her Own. space’, then slips through any grasping fingers because she is resolutely IMMA, THISCOULD BETHELASTTIME/MANUELVASON @DARC.MEDIA - Katharina 4) onawkwardness 3) onreception 2) onthebodyasidol 1) onboredom Pieces Iwishhadwritten 115 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Postscript 116 and politics -and we seecriticism as partof that fabric. What often Live Artis marked by resistance, hybridity, intervention, community marginal to it. We say it again: criticism is not reviewing. erases the multiple, rich histories of engagement and reflections structures of authority that render most discourses invisible, and tradition of criticism that conflates reviewing and thinking, upholds journalistic practice. We are dissatisfied with granting power to a We resist the claim that criticism is solely anevaluative, neoliberal, Keywords A Postscript guages and approaches, and how allof that can change. [we don’t invited to write, why they don’t, how welcoming we are to new lan Thinking about who gets to write is not enough; how about who feels term. Diversity is not areplacement term for Critical case for diversity tices that sit within it. It’s not just writing and it’s certainly messy. Criticism inLive Artdraws onthe same hybridity as the artistic prac this alongside and with artists. inequality, discrimination, political and economic collapse and do scope, find new languages through which to think about privilege, Our work is anintervention; we experiment with critical form and the nature of criticism as aform of political thought. meaningful visibility orexposure to marginal work; instead, it erases or context. Too much power is afforded to amodel that fails to grant that work inthat tradition -often severs the work from its politics passes as criticism -broadsheet journalism, oronline publications the other the ; equality is abetter - - Authority ginalise and render invisible. We should refuse to grant power to structures that continually mar audiences, and how that can change, are also questions of criticism. the audience, why they don’t, what barriers are put infront of absent clusion are experienced by audiences too. Who feels invited to bein Thinking about who gets to write is not enough; inclusion and ex changing bit.] always feel invited, because of our names, and that’s ok, we’ll do the There’s no critical hierarchy with reviewers at the top. we write with and sometimes, about. We write because we have aninvestment inthe same issues as those write about plays one day. We don’t write about Live Artbecause we hope someone willlet us Is not the pinnacle of every writer’s career. Is not (the only place) where criticism lives. Journalism look!] Let’s not hide our relationship anymore. Arts Council England is already funding criticism [like right now! tion money; we’re we sorry couldn’t pay more. No one should pay their dues; everyone should get paid; we willmen what they call the generation gap. if it’s ok to mention money, orifthat’s too crass, and that, Iguess, is and it stank of privilege and ignorance. Someone recently asked us Someone once told us that we can’t get paid before we pay our dues, Money more adaptive, reflective and just better. We claim none. We’re just here for aconversation. Plurality is far - - - 117 Critical Interruptions Vol I: Steakhouse Live Postscript 118 multi-vocal, and that open updifferent modes of engagement with Live writing is one of our approaches for creating spaces that are of what came before, what speaks to now, and what might follow. times, language isn’t even the best mode of criticism. We’re insearch There is no neutral language, just as there is no neutral form. Some about transparency, process, language and modes of engagement. We need to develop sustainable models, and this requires thinking Models /Form Criticism is apolitical event. Writing about Live Artis thinking with. Writing about Live Artis writing insearch for alternatives. - Critical Interruptions Too late. Should have written about it before, Iguess. Something about Brexit We’ll keep thinking. Let’s do it together. performance inthe moment of its occurrence. - CRITICAL INTERRUPTIONS VOL I: STEAKHOUSE LIVE IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF PUBLICATIONS EXPLORING CRITICISM IN LIVE ART. * WE BEGIN FROM THE POSITION THAT CRITICISM IS A POLITICAL EVENT, FORMED AT THE CONFLUENCE OF ARTISTIC PRACTICE AND THE POLITICS IT LIVES IN, ATTACKS, REINFORCES OR CREATES. WE BEGIN FROM THE PREMISE THAT THE ECOLOGY OF CRITICISM IS NOT ONE OF JOURNALISM, BUT OF ART PRACTICE. WE BEGIN WITH A DISREGARD FOR CRITICISM AS SECLUDED WORK AND INSTEAD, PROPOSE CRITICISM AS A COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE. WE BEGIN WITH THE PREMISE THAT RADICAL, EXPERIMENTAL OR NON-NORMATIVE ART PRACTICE REQUIRES AN ONGOING INTERROGATION OF CRITICAL FORM AND LANGUAGE. * CRITICALINTERRUPTIONS.COM