Enslave Your Senses I

I was recently in Enslave Your Senses Chapel Arts Centre, Bath. The exhibition was exploring work which is not just visual but which explores and activates other senses.

I installed and performed Enslave Your Senses I. Which consisted of three lines of fishing wire stretching across the room. From these lines threads unpicked from canvas were hung in a grid formation. I spooned golden syrup onto the threads, causing it to trip and spin along the canvas threads to the floor.

It was an interesting experience, being the first time I have installed a work without being able to staple into the walls. This proved a huge problem but one which was eventually solved by using the ventilation grills. It was also the first time I have performed a piece. The performances certainly served to animate the work and to give another dimension to the piece. It seemed much more a discussion between the work and the audience. The level of surprise and delight from the audience at the behaviour of the golden syrup was brilliant. The lighting of the work gave a very dramatic spin to the performance and made the work seem alive as the remnants of the syrup slowly seeped and flower down the threads.