Charlotte Andrew

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I am a New Zealander who originally trained and worked as a nurse. Following on from this I had a family and a career change which enabled me to study art in Northern Ireland, the US and the UK. In the past year I have concentrated on the participatory aspect of the viewer along with the collaboration of my associates.

This has culminated in a series of collective liveart projects in specific locations without prior advertising. These events are co-ordinated by myself and include a fluid group of up to 14 artists. Another recent relational work is a mobile art studio and combined gallery which offers drawing participation and exchange.

I call the type of work that I do, outside of a gallery, a ‘perforum’: this is because in part it is (my) performance, and in part it invites (other) people to participate in a forum for discussion. I see the former element as being the structure that sets up the scene for the conversation.

I direct the proceedings in order to broach particular topics … though in a broad manner, as I am open as to the outcome of the subsequent interactions. At the same time I inevitably come into contact with certain boundaries: is it possible, or not, to stage events in certain public spaces. I want to investigate these limits. I use a structure which is designed to open up a conversation: what I see myself doing is setting up a situation in order to meet a contributor and so have a discussion of the sociological or political issues that relate to the event.

My work enables me to have the freedom to go up to, and talk to, anyone. The usual structure offers tea and cakes, or hot dogs, and recently a studio and art gallery from a mobile cart on the street. They are time durational, the tea and cakes lasts for 15 minutes and must be taken sitting on a rug, the hot dog is in exchange for five minutes conversation and the gallery offers an exchange of drawings and conversation for as long as it takes to complete a drawing and an exchange. This highlights two areas, the first is gift exchange and in this situation questions who is the consumer, the second element is exchange of information between strangers.

The work can be interpreted merely aesthetically; or it can be read for its concept, which is to probe and discover boundaries and to push the boundaries and so to understand the terms that really exist within certain underlying situations and interactions. The interaction within that space, of the population that live or work within it, on the one hand, and myself, on the other, sets up a stimulating and informative dynamic. In the past, I have recorded this dynamic in various ways: with video and installation but recently with photographs and a book of the ‘perforum’.

Event:  Draw, Exhibit and Exchange - 03.10.2208 - 06.10.2008