As part of our Guest Blog this week, Paula Varjack (Show Me The Money 14-15 Oct 9pm) writes about what she’s planned for our windows and why she’s doing it. For more of her blog, head to www.showmethemon3y.tumblr.com
the politics of space/ what do artists do all day
At the start of this year, as part of my research for Show Me The Money, I occupied one of the windows of Camden People’s Theatre as part of a performative installation for their Whose London Is It Anyway season. I used my day in the window to reflect on two issues: the problem in finding cheap desk and/or studio space in London, and the fascination people seem to have with the question “what do artists do all day?”
I took the day to treat the window like my own studio, right at a time when I knew I would soon have to give up the desk I rented in a co-working space due to rising rents. I did admin, I edited, I wrote, I even filmed an interview with Richard De Domenici for Show Me The Money.
Ever since then I wanted to open up the opportunity to other artists in London, as so many I spoke to after my day in the window, seemed intrigued with the experience. Luckily Camden People’s Theatre decided to open up their windows to artists performing in the theatre this month, and right away I pitched an artist window studio project.
So from today, for every day until Show Me The Money opens on Friday, you will find artists in each of the windows on the main road of Camden Peoples Theatre as if in their studio for the day. What does that mean? They will do whatever they would do if they hired a desk or studio space for a day.
Every day I will post a blog each of the artists writes about their experience in the window, and what ideas it has left them with in terms of the space artists need to create, and the cost and access in London of getting that space. I am thrilled to have coordinated it.
The artists featured will be as follows, I will post a bio and description of their practice each day.
Monday (Today!!!)
window 1: Vera Chok (theatre maker) window 2: Keith Jarrett (writer/spoken word artist)
Tuesday
window 1 Anna Beecher (writer/ theatre maker) window 2 AM Eliza Soroga (live artist ) PM Charles Adrian Gillott (theatre maker/ podcaster/ storyteller)
Wednesday
window 1 Maddie Godfrey (writer/ performer) window 2 Debbie Kent and Alisa Oleva (participatory artists)
Thursday
window 1 Dan Simpson (spoken word artist) window 2 Kat Buchannan (live artist)
Friday
Window 1 Antosh Wojcik & Will Tyas (sound artists/ ilustration/ spoken word) window 2 Lydia Beardmore (writer/performer/photographer)