[INstitutional] BODY

(INstitutional) BODY is my final presented work for the Master of Fine Art Show (2016) at Cardiff School of Art and Design. This project is a response to the protocol in place at institutional settings that prohibit the use of bodily material within a public space. Ethical standards prevented me from performing my intended final work at CSAD, (this work, 16000:1 OPENING, was performed at Tempting Failure 2016 instead); for me this raised an interesting notion in relation to the presentation of body based work that I hadn’t considered. We perceive artistic works in public spaces to be a free expression of the artist, yet these works are often shaped by ethical standards and health and safety protocol. This is by no means an entirely negative influence, but it is interesting to consider the voice of both the artist and the institution within artistic works on display. If the ‘red tape’ creates a framework then where can free expression exist? Using red tape to cover the walls of the intended performance space it almost looks bodily with it’s visceral skin like quality. The absence of the body within the work of a body based artist creates a presence. Are these the traces of a performance that nobody saw? 4.8M SQUARE ROOM. INTERNAL WALLS COVERED WITH 19MM WIDE RED TAPE.