History
The
involvement of the Transvoyeur artists and events, tp
the core group or collaboratve, are immensely diverse.
Please select below from the Archives to research the
history of activities:
2004
- Year (1): Research, Events and Liverpool, Biennial 2004.
Transvoyeur
Artist in collaboration on Slater Street, Liverpool, England
(Combined Arts Research Project), 2004.
Transvoyeur artists, Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney and Tony Knox,
collaborate with Ben Zulcke, an artist orginally from
Germany, but now based in Liverpool, England. The brief
is set on the people and space of the city of Liverpool.
Three live interventions are done by Sweeney and documented
by Zulcke (Photographer) and Knox (Videographer).
| Slater
Street Project - Brief for Collaborating Artists
Written by Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney (2004)
Location:
Slater Street, Liverpool, England.
Background research/analysis of street:
Slater Street is not very long with many outlets
in the buildings compressed into it, particularly
a range of bars and public houses. The street by
day is a place of commerce, consisting of many punlic
houses and bars, printers, café, record shop,
art suppliers and so forth. The general daily existence
is one of commercial trade and the mundanity of
everyday mercantile activity. However, during the
evening this space become a hive of activity with
the bars, alcohol infusing an environment of sexual
play, recreation of intoxicating fervour and at
times, quite often, resulting in violence and aggression.
The associations of this toxic environment imbued
by excessive alcholo lowers the conventional inhibitions
of the nine to five subsistence to escape into a
world of the primordial. The instincts and desires
usually confined in the temporal and conditioning
of civilisation and purpose of the individual. Nevertheless,
such social restriction are thrown to the wayside
in the twilight hours of the bars.
The history of the city of Liverpool has been one
of extremes, siginifiantly with the fluctuating
in the economics and commerce. From a place once
founded on merchant trade and wealth during the
British Empire in the hundred years which follwed
and since the World War II is entered a period of
stabilisation to only become comparable to a third
world country needing financial aid from the EU
a decade or so towards the close of the 20th century.
From a place whose ethical measures were equalled
by the mercantile and which contributed to the slave
trade, inherited the race riot Toxteth during the
eightees. The explications for the transgressions
nany and inherited. This commentary to present is
an overall of what has been, a place of radical
economic and political shifts, reflected in the
generations which followed. Now to a stance where
the populace of the city has become one too of extreme
and gauged by the stereotypical ‘Scouser’.
Concept
To capture the essence of the people within
the urban fabric of Slater Street, whether they
work there or frequent the place socially.
The time difference re-defines the nature of the
urban space of Slater Street. These extreme difference
from the mundanity of trade to one of intocixation
revelry. The reality of daily working life is within
the hours of light, tangible and inescapable, while
the evening, darkness pervades only to be illuminated
by the artificial lights of the entrances to the
bars, where any appears good in the subdued radiance.
To eliminate the time difference and pervade the
day light hours with actions and intervensions more
demonstrative of the twilight hours. To fundamentally
juxtapose the function of space defined by the time
variation. These performance to be one of the moment
coexisting in one space.
Context:
To intervene the space in Slater Street with actions
analogous of the inane drunkenness. Not one of stuppering
and blind intoxications, but to take singular actions
removed from a narrative of a drunken episode, sexual
interludes best forgotten, fracas exploding into
violence and at time detriment of others. The actions
which are recalled when sobre, usually fractured
recollections and ones of relevance. The specific
action which ingrains in the memory.
The is not to denigrate the ‘Scouser’,
male or female, as part of a drunken culture. Yet,
there is an emphasis in contempoary society and
culture compelled to drink to excess. This is true
of the British nation, regardless of the class in
the social hierarchy in post modern life. The archetypical
‘Scouser’ is a product of the socio-historical
events which have gone before. From a conservative
capitalist society to one of Militancy and now in
a flux of disillusionment and from this the echelons
and powers that be proclaiming regeneration of the
urban cityscape. Not only an assertion in the environment,
but extended to the social ideologies and conventions
of life here. The one quandary with this blueprint
is there is no room or recognition of the ‘Scouser’.
The regeneration manifesting redevelopment and property
at price and outside the capabilities of most ‘normal
folk’. The ‘Scouser’ strives for
survival ina milieu of uncertainy, as only the previous
generation is aware and a resonance in this younger.
Existence one is of the moment, tribalistic and
instinctive and liberated by the socially accepted
beverage.
This freedom though a false illusion, as desensitised
as the effect of alcohol and so the disillusionment
continues from one generation to the next. The self
import of the ‘Scouser’ derived from
the transitory expressions of prowess or dominance,
whether realised from the a sexual encounter or
the intimidation of another. In someways this can
be construed as a generalisation, as these people
who frequent Slate Street, too themselves will return
to the ordinary existence, nevertheless it is the
momentary escapism of a weekend night, drinking
to excess which gives the levity for being overall.
Actions:
From the sudued to the more invasive:
Lying in street.
Standing in street and intermittent screaming.
Shadowing someone as they go along their daily activities.
Stare incessantly at someone.
Pointing at an individual in the street. |
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Transvoyeur
Artist Kofi Fosu and his Portrait Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney,
2004.
Kofi Fosu, New York based artist, philosopher and writer,
has exchanged dialogue and research with Gaynor Evelyn
Sweeney on the subjects of sexual, gender and ethnic politics
in the socio-urban culture of the two cities, Liverpool
and New York respectively. The concepts of these themes
are considered in the texts and art of both artists and
further discourse relates to how these are explored and
represented in the various art modes of expression by
each artist. On the premise of these discussions, Fosu
paints a portrait of Sweeney to imbue and embody his perceptions
of Sweeney's art.
Kofi
Fosu (New York) of artist Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney
(Liverpool). |
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Transvoyeur
and Liverpool Biennial 2004: Exhibition
Sponsored
by A Foundation and Arts Council as part of the Liverpool
Biennial 2004.
A
collection of new concepts and art is brought forward
in the exhibition of Transvoyeur at the Liverpool Biennial
2004. This is reported on by Nerve Magazine, Art in Liverpool
Weblog, Absolute Arts (US) and many others. The show is
televised on Channel 5 about the Liverpool Biennial and
hosted by Tim Marlowe (Below are some of examples of art
included in the exhibitions by the artists of Transvoyeur
during the Liverpool Biennial 2004).
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George
Lund (Mixed media paintings on the hybridity of
urban culture and utopia). |
Tony
Knox (Digital projection installation on the super
hero of Moth Man in contemporary culture). |
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Gary
Sollars (Photorealist paintings on gender adn sexual
politics in post modern life). |
Gaynor
Evelyn Sweeney (Digital projection installation
on gender, body and sexual politics). |
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Paul
Clarkson (Sculptural installation on branding irons
and corporate bodies in post modern soceity relative
to ethnicity, imperialism and globalisation). |
Ben
Youdan (Anatomical/biological studies in mixed media).
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Transvoyeur
and Liverpool Biennial 2004: Artists Interviews (Projected)
Sponsored
by A Foundation and Arts Council as part of the Liverpool
Biennial 2004.
A
central part of the research of Transvoyeur formed the
core element to what culminated in the large scale events,
such as the exhibition in the Liverpool Biennial 2004.
Part of this involved the projections of interviews of
all the artists from Liverpool and New York deliberating
the role of an artist in post modern life and culture.
Not only talking about their practice, but how an artist
exists in the current climate and the people and communities
the encounter, whether professionally and personally.
Audience feedback on these interviews was a consensus
of enlightenment to why art is produced, as it provided
insight to the public who normally observes the art removed
from the source of origin, which is the artist. There
was not only an understanding realised by public and art
community of why an artist in a particular place creates
the diverse types of art, but furthermore touched on the
multi-cultural and global impetus to creativity and cultural
practices.
| Liverpool
Collective |
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| Paul
Clarkson |
George
Lund |
Tony
Knox |
Gary
Sollars |
Gaynor
Evelyn Sweeney |
Ben
Youdan |
| New
York Collective |
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| Michael
Ricardo Andreev |
Kofi
Fosu |
Stephan
Fowlkes |
Patricia
Jacobs (PJ) |
Paolo
Pelosini |
Reid
Stowe |
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Transvoyeur
and Liverpool Biennial 2004: Live Performances
Sponsored
by A Foundation and Arts Council as part of the Liverpool
Biennial 2004.
Four
of the main artists from Transvoyeur presented very different
performances during the exhibition. A Transvoyeur Performance
Art Platform with Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney, 'The Temple',
George Lund, The Funky Chicken, ‘May I have this
Dance …’, Gary Sollars, Doll Man and Tony
Knox, Moth Man, 'The Post-modern Hero'. An array of performances
from body politics and modification to the embodiment
of the iconic in art born from the canvas. These performances
were presented every week for five weeks in the exhibition
space during the Liverpool Biennial 2004.
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Tony
Knox as Moth Man. |
George
Lund as the Funky Chicken. |
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| Gary
Sollars as Doll Man. |
Gaynor
Evelyn Sweeney in the Temple. |
Additionally
to the independent artists live performance during the
Liverpool Biennial 2004, Tony Knox (aka Moth Man) in association
with Transvoyeur and Jump Ship Rat Gallery (Liverpool,
England) managed and starred in a live wrestling event
in collaboration with GPW Wrestling (England). Members
of the art community and the general public were invited
along to view this event and not only provided a platform
for popular culture and contemporary art to fuse, but
introduced the two worlds of arts and wrestling to a broader
audience normally inclined or familiar with only one.
Knox had through his own art explored the alter ego of
a character known as Moth Man, a pseudo wrestler, created
from his earlier explorations as a photographer. This
evolved in a live performance and he organised a live
wrestling match under Transvoyeur and with support of
Jump Ship Gallery a live event during the Liverpool Biennial
2004. Members of the local community and artists were
invited to attend this event.
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| Tony
Knox as Moth Man in association with GPW Wrestling
(England). Part of the Transvoyeur exhibition and
hosted at Jump Ship Rat Gallery, Liverpool, England,
during Liverpool Biennial 2004. |
Research
Workshops
A
series of workshops were structured and run through the
course of the year in 2004 and including in the exhibition
space during the Liverpool Biennial 2004. These were part
of the Gesquoi Research Projects but formed part of the
central core activities to Transvoyeur. The relationship
of this is one of the resident city of Liverpool, while
the broader spectrum of the international exchange is
considered in context in research and development of contemporary
arts and culture. Other artists and members of the public
were invited to participate in the research programme
to Transvoyeur.
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Gesquoi
(Part 5): Become Jean Michel Basquiat for the Day (Research
and Development in Contemporary Art and Culture, 2004).
Collaboration with artists in Liverpool to explore
and create art within a collective of practices. Liverpool,
England. Presented within the exhibition space of Transvoyeur
venue for the Independents, Liverpool Biennial 2004.
Sponsored by A Foundation and Arts Council
as part of the Liverpool Biennial 2004.
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Jean-Michel
Basquiat was a New York artist who in a short space
of time in the arts scene rose to fame, but sadly
died young. His work was one which used found objects
and recontextualised them to become a metaphor of
socio-cultural issues and other work paintings of
a similar spontaneous and naivity as a commentary
to post modern society. On the precepts of found
objects, the artists of Tranvoyeur and members of
the audience were invited to pariticpate and go
on a search of things discarded and through creative
insight and in the gallery space of the exhibition
transform them to become some other in an artistic
and cultural reference. |
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Gesquoi
(Part 4): Open Performance Art Platform (association with
Transvoyeur). Artists invited to submit visual
and performance based art within a platform of the Transvoyeur
exhibition. Administered through dialogue, workshops and
end presentations of art created. Liverpool, England,
2004.
Sponsored
by A Foundation and Arts Council as part of the Liverpool
Biennial 2004.
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| Artiss
and audience members were invited to contribute
to a performance art platform at the exhibition
space of Transvoyeur during a day of the Liverpool
Biennial 2004. The work presented ranged from preconceived
concepts in earlier work of artists, while others
explored more spontaneous approaches of creating
'happenings' (Above from left to right and down,
George Lund, Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney and Elizabeth
Heritage). |
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Gesquoi (Part 3): Objectifying the Object, the
Civic and Commodifications (Research and Development in
Contemporary Art and Culture, 2004). A collective
of artists co-ordinated by Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney to explore
human residues and artefacts in the urban space and conceptualise
them both as art and in a gallery context. Liverpool and
the Egg Space Gallery, Liverpool, England. This research
formed part of the creative developments to Transvoyeur.
This
was support by the Egg Space Gallery (Liverpool, England)
to present the final art work produce.
| Part
(1): The first stage of this research was for the
artists to venture into the civic and business district
of the city of Liverpool (England). They explored
the city in terms of the civic and commodification.
Residues of artefacts and experiences of human activity
collected and contextualised through artistic conceptualisation,
dissection and modification.To collect and arrange
of discarded items, residues of a consumeristic
society, particularly those from individuals who
inhabit the civic and business urban space. To produce
an intervention in a performance context where the
object was found in the presence of this audience.
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Part
(2): The objects found were then take by each artist
and modified to become an art objective with a culture
reference of purpose and form. From mark makers,
poets, performers, painters and others, the objects
and encounters becomes one of objectififaction,
as it continues a journey of shared existence from
one referenced by the conventiality of the origin
and commodity to become a conception of resurgence
(Examples of art created from found objects from
left to right and down: Gary Sollars, Claire Freeman,
Andrew Taylor, Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney, George Lund,
Tony Knox and Mike Badger. Other artists who contributed
included Christopher Turrell, Barry Finch and Ben
Youdan). The impetus to this research process was
to take creativity to the urban space, but more
on the process of concept and contextualisation. |
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Gesquoi
(Part 2): Art and the City (Performance and Combined Arts
Platform, 2004). Performed by a collective of
artists co-ordinated by Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney. Live performances
throughout the city of Liverpool and the Bluecoats Art
Centre, Liverpool, England. This research formed part
of the creative developments to Transvoyeur.
An
art initiative brought forward by Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney
in collaboration with the support of Cathy Butterworth
at the Bluecoat Art Centre and part of the research and
development forming Transvoyeur, an Anglo American Cultural
Exchange.
Gaynor
Evelyn Sweeney (Performance Artist)
Her
body is deconstructed as the city enters a regeneration
of the civic, commercial and cultural.
Tony
Knox (Photographer and Visual Artist)
Art
dispersed into the atmosphere from the commercial
gallery. The commodity and the throw away society.
Barry
Finch (Poet and Writer)
A
self portrait inscribed in tone and orated by
verse. A man in the city of change, but framed
by the origins of the cities heritage.
Liz
Heritage (Performance Artist and Film Maker)
Inscribed
and reflected. ‘Reason does not create its
laws from nature, but dictates them to her’.
Self bound by the Chinese Arch.
George
Lund (Visual Artist and Writer)
A
chicken, an intoxicated chicken, reminiscences
of past loves and the heritage in recent decades
encapsulated and reasoned by aesthetic worth.
Elizabeth
Willow (Performance Artist and Writer)
A
letter written to an audience unknown and the
answer in a space yet to be explicated.
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Gesquoi
(Part (1): The Enlightenment - Les Cushion Belles (Part
1) (Live performance in collaboration with
Kofi Fosu (text) and Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney (performance
concept), 2004. Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, England.
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A
performance and film made in collaboration with
Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney (Liverpool) and Kofi Fosu
(New York). A live art intervention by Gaynor Evelyn
Sweeney filmed at the Walker Art Gallery (Liverpool,
England,) and inspired by the philosophies and text
of Kofi Fosu. This performance considers the canon
and the institutional of the body in a post modern
context aligned to the historical implications of
gender, sexual and ethnic politics.
The
architecture of the Walker Art Gallery, the artefacts
and art came into existence during the an era when
ideals of art history were institutionalised within
the canons and art history, considering the ascendancy
of Plato’s justifications of the ‘good
citizen’ embellished in artefacts of Greek
Antiquity and referenced in the architecture, Vasari’s
ethereal from the Renaissance, Joshua Reynold’s
aesthetic worth during the Enlightenment –
all integral developments in the edifice of this
empirical building and the culture which followed.
The structure founded on the commerce of the British
Empire, when Liverpool was a port, from slavery
to trade of commodities and the seed of globalisation
was shaping commerce and world demographics. All
philosophies inherited, diluted but entrenched in
convention and the genome, along with the architecture
experienced by new generations. Similar, the origins
of the text by Kofi are in French and translated
by Sweeney into English. This inclusion in linguisitics
considered not only the globalistion of the British
Empire, but also French Colonialism. These words
are read aloud by the females in mens clothes, white
shits and black ties, symbols of male institutionalised
system and hierarchies. These are removed systemmatically,
each action deliberate and mirrored by the other
female. They stand facing each other, breasts exposed
and torso each with the words of Kofi's philosophical
text inscirbed onto to them. The reading begins
in French and Engish. This performance one of placing
the human form within art history and the canons,
determined by the human condition and demonstrative
of the genderised, politicised, socio-historical
structures in contemporary society and the post-modern
urban environment. The words of Fosu, a black man
from Ghana, has his words written on the bodies
of two women, who adopt the masculine attire, which
is removed and exchanged, both in the words read
from the flesh and the clothes.
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The
Enlightenment (Les Cushion Belles, Part I),
collaborrtion between Kofi Fosu (New York,
US) and Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney (Liverpool,
England). Inspired by the philosophical text
of Fosu and a live intervention conceived
by Sweeney. |
Poem
by by Kofi Fosu: Les Cushion Belles
Mes
belles de fleurs
Coussin velours
Les femmes des sexualite
L’amour pas de sexe
Vous parlez avec votre coeurs
Esprit et votre bouches
Rouges roses, dent blanche
Mordes les fruits de vie
Vous … moi … ensemble
Nous sommes fort
Nous sommes passiones
Nous sommes vivant
L’amour
L’amout
L’amour est le gorilla et un papillo
(English
Translation)
My
beautiful flowers
Velvet cushions
Women of sexuality
The lover not of sex
You speak with your hearts
Spirit and your mouths
Red rose, white teeth
Bite the fruits of life
You ... me ... together
We are strength
We are passion
We are living
Love
Love
Love is the gorilla and the butterfly
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