In 2015, I was invited to show in a studio and project space in South East, UK. I had prepared to show a sculpture of Ian Duncan Smith’s inverted head painted in emergency exit red. The head itself, was attached to a scaffold pole to evoke the custom/symbolic value of placing a head on a spike for the purposes of warning spectators or as in the historic case of Oliver Cromwell posthumous execution at Tyburn. His head was subsequently displayed in Westminster Hall, the exact same location as the trial of Charles I as revenge by the monarchy on the head of state.
I planned to install the piece on the roof of the space. During the show, it became quite clear that the original artist fee became ‘dematerialised’ amongst these young curatorial hands. As a form of vengeance, I installed the head for the duration of the show in the only staff toilet on the premises. The closest public toilet was 500ft away in the town centre in a Costa Coffee chain.
I planned to install the piece on the roof of the space. During the show, it became quite clear that the original artist fee became ‘dematerialised’ amongst these young curatorial hands. As a form of vengeance, I installed the head for the duration of the show in the only staff toilet on the premises. The closest public toilet was 500ft away in the town centre in a Costa Coffee chain.
