A full on performative evening last night, kicking off at the opening of Ryan Gander’s Fieldwork exhibition at Lisson Gallery. Writer Jonathan P Watts delivered a spirited rendition of Gander’s highly impassioned 30-minute tirade/confessional/manifesto, while the artist himself remained amongst the audience, fielding constant callers to his personal mobile number which is displayed for all to see—and use—on a floodlit billboard outside.
If you fancy a private encounter with the artist, Gander informs me that he will be taking calls throughout the duration of the show.
At the same time, down the road at No 52 Bell Street, there was more artistic action at Lisson’s Broomberg & Chanarin show. This included a giant film projection of parading and pratfalling army cadets presided over by a grimacing padded “bouffon” dark clown. While live in the gallery two drummers were working in relays in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest group drum roll.
After all this sound and fury it was a relief to head into Edel Assanti gallery in Fitzrovia to indulge in a more nurturing form of live action, namely a special House of Ferment dinner. The meal was served from various artist-made ceramics fired in the wood kiln installed this summer in the grounds of Cass Sculpture Foundation in Goodwood, Sussex.
These included Laure Prouvost’s body table and containers (I was especially fond of the breast bowl covers and eyeball-shaped salt and pepper shakers) and Bedwyr Williams’s head shaped pickle jars. Among the items on the menu—sourced and cooked up by the participating artists and Grizedale Arts director Adam Sutherland—were brain pickles, breast milk curd and damson preserves in the shape of Williams’s ear. Thankfully there was also some rather less gastronomically challenging borscht and nabe stew. Yum, Yum.