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CollectingLiveArt: Exclusive interview with Laura Eldret
22 Apr 2008
"The presence of performance, video, installation and site-specific work within the visual arts is raising critical questions about the resonance, collectability, legacy and sustainability of such ephemeral works." CollectingLiveArt 2007
Performance by Eloise Fornieles and Kate Hawkins, Please to meet you, 2006,
Site specific performance during CollectingLiveArt Symposium, January 2008,
© CollectingLiveArt and Alejandro Trenor
CollectingLiveArt is a non-profit curatorial initiative committed to demystifying and developing awareness of Live Art as a collectable art form. It was established in 2007 by Directors Teresa Calonje and Laura Eldret.
Laura Eldret, is an artist and freelance curator, whose practice has a strong performance trajectory.
Why are you passionate about Live Art?
I like the fleeting moment of Live works, the casting of all that are present into the pieces (audience, artists, collaborators etc), its volatile potential, its assault or non-assault on all the senses, the fact that it privileges those who partake in the moment but often establishes its placing in a wider context with tales from those present, photographs, documents and memorabilia. Live Art exists primarily in time rather than in a space and I enjoy the fact you can't hold it in your hands or draw a line around the work and say this is it - though this obviously does not make it the most collectable art form!
What prompted you to set up CollectingLiveArt?
Teresa and I meet a few years ago and found that we shared common, but a quite unique combination of interests in the collecting of contemporary art and the Live Art sector. Teresa initiated the project by starting to work on the symposium, which we presented in January 2008, and when looking for a collaborator it seemed to make sense that we worked together. During the development of the symposium we were in conversation with many individuals, organisations, artists, collectors, museums and this confirmed for us the need for CollectingLiveArt to establish itself as an organisation.
Why collect Live Art?
Individuals are constantly looking for the new and in recent years contemporary collectors have been fighting for the next new graduate, the future art super stars. I don't think this is sustainable for artists and our cultural climate - artists need time to establish more sophisticated practices not just feed demands heaped upon them. Collectors need to pay homage to artists at all stages of their careers and collections have a social responsibility to be a true reflection of our time. Collecting is a mode of engagement in contemporary art and for all those neophiliac collectors out there who are up for the challenge Live Art is the way to go.
CollectingLiveArt believes it is essential that collectors realise the crucial role they can play in sustaining artistic practices and ensuring that Live Art is part of the legacy that collections are creating. There is a thriving international Live Art scene and these artists need to recognise the potential impact the concept of collecting Live Art may have on their practice, especially with the current uncertain public funding climate.
Sally O’Reilly during her performance lecture, A Potted History of Performance,
CollectingLiveArt Symposium, January 2008,
© CollectingLiveArt and Alejandro Trenor
Which Live Art practitioners are you particularly excited by?
I'm biased and most interested in the work of artists that CollectingLiveArt have or are planning to work with in the future; Bedwyr Williams, La Ribot, Rory Macbeth, Pawel Althamer, Tim Etchells and Vlatka Horvats, Jordan McKenzie, Eloise Forneiles, Kate Hawkins, Juneau Projects, Yara El-Sherbini and Marcus Coates to name a few. We are exploring different ways of performing, re-performing, scripting, documenting, editioning and selling works and to be pioneering live works in this way is very exciting.
Where can people find out more about experiencing Live Art?
Live Art and performances happen everywhere; organisations such as Live Art Development Agency have been presenting Live Art events for many years, commercial galleries are becoming a lot more confident in the presentation of Live works and public institutions are showing a commitment to the presentation of performance within their programs. My advice would be join mailing lists of galleries, institutions, Live Art Development Agency, Live Art Uk and Artsadmin - the more you see the more you will be invited to see.
What are your 3 top tips for anyone thinking about collecting Live Art?
- Experience as much as possible in as many different venues as possible: theatre, commercial galleries, museums, public spaces, street, art fairs, cabarets, private homes etc.
- Establish a network - as with every art form, it is good to have people around you to discuss works with, even more so with Live work.
- Be brave - the question that CollectingLiveArt is constantly asked and looking to address is what resides in the collection?
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