Performance
A Mouthful of Feathers (2010)
Jones and Llŷr
- Aeon, 3 Degrees Gallery, Bristol, 11th September 2010
- Inbetween Time Festival, Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol, 1st December 2010
A bold queer performance exploring play, pleasure, spit and disgust. Through the actions of spitting, sucking and the secretion of spit, two performers playfully endure the limits of their own revulsions as spit and sugar become intermingled and colour is transferred from mouth to mouth and mouth to cloth. Mike Jones is an Arnolfini Associate Artist and Gareth Llŷr Evans a member of random people and a founding member of Showroom. This is their first collaboration.
Untitled Performance With Sugar (2010)
- Bristol Live Open Platform, Arnolfini, 28th March 2010
La Petite Mort (2009)
- Battersea Arts Centre, London, 11th September 2009
- The Secret Warehouse, Bristol, 18th September 2009
- EYHO, Boneyard Bar Bristol, 12th November 2009
Set to Wagner’s ‘Liebestod’ (Love Death) from Tristan Und Isolde, the artist enacts a series of small deaths. Beginning naked, facing the far wall of the space and wearing a number of pearl necklaces, the performer carefully pours a can of treacle over his shoulders. The treacle slowly runs over his body to the floor; a slick, shining black curtain creeping over his skin.
Walking slowly backwards into the space as the Liebestod comes to its climax, the artist purposefully breaks each necklace by extending his arm against the pearls until the strings reach breaking point, scattering the pearls across the floor of the space. As each string is pushed to its limit, the artists’ breathing is restricted as the pearls tighten around his neck.
The performance is measured and demure in tone, a powerfully calm enactment of the female orgasm in contrast to the high drama of the opera score.
- Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol, 7th February 2009
- (Inter)Action for 21 Carnations, Arnolfini Gallery (Bristol) 7th February 2009
A steward holds a small card with the words ‘Follow Me’ which she uses to solicit the attention of strangers who have strayed from the bar. Those who choose to follow are lead to a private, darkened space. In the space there is a suitcase, containing 20 pink carnations. Silently, the steward pins the carnation to the clothing of the audience member. The encounter ends with the presentation of another card – “Please don’t tell anybody what happened here” and a smile. The audience member is returned to the gathering. As the event progresses a secret society of Carnation wearers is created.
The Moment Before We Kiss ( 2008 )
Two strangers meet.
They move their lips together to kiss.
Their lips never touch.
- Cube Cinema, You and Your Work 4, Bristol 24th January 2008
- Elevator Gallery, Zero Du Conduite, London 14th March 2008
- FIERCE Festival, Birmingham, 23rd – 26th May 2008
A one to one in which participants visited Jones at a private rented flat to experience to moment just before the kiss. Jones welcomed each participant with wine and conversation about first and worst kisses before inviting them to his bedroom to experience the moment before the kiss.
Define Me [STRIP] (2007-2009)
- 17/11/07 ‘In the Flesh’ Festival, Barbican Theatre, Plymouth
- 12/01/08 ‘Good Shit From Bristol’ Weekender, Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol
- 06/11/09 ‘Act Art 7′, Hidden, London
In Silence
1. The artist and participant will meet in a private space.
2. The artist and participant will undress, together.
3. The artist will write upon the body of the participant.
4. The participant will write upon the body of the artist.
5. The artist and participant will dress, together.
6. The participant will leave.
