#21: More than just peachy for AuntyNazi!

(click pic to read more and book online)

#20: AuntyNazi explore possibility of brand division!

(Article taken from ARTimes’ Jrnl.ssn.2.iss.10 with permission)

In the aftermath of AuntyNazi Phase XIV: Oozing the Spill, Chick which took place last month at Nick Turner’s Nottingham hip-spot The Chameleon, performance art duo AuntyNazi find themselves faced with a dilemma. Luke “Anwar” Ferrit and Daniel Oliver have finally reached the fork in the road that they’ve been travelling down since their debut in 2002. Which path will they choose? The answer, they say, is possibly both. Despite being notoriously secretive when it comes to discussing their work and methods, the two faceless friends spoke openly with ARTimes' Jrnl., albeit with their masks on, about the future of AuntyNazi in what became the most difficult interview I had ever done.


“Back in the day you either had your mask on or you had it off. Everybody knew where they stood. When you’d really got it on, the punter stood a little further back than when you didn’t. Nowadays you’ve got your old performance art lot who are all sporting perms and babushkas and giving up coffee in the name of Live Art and you have your younger lot, the Attitude Generation, who are increasingly demanding the more rough-house style of performance and you feel like you’re caught in the middle busting for the lag without a shilling” explained Luke “Anwar” Ferrit.
“So where do you see AuntyNazi coming from?” I asked.
“Well, Nottingham really, I think that’s fairly obvious” replied Luke in a sincere tone.
“Where are we going?” asked Daniel Oliver.
“It’s green and red. The writing’s red. Jude, keep your eyes out”, stressed Luke.
“How far are we going?” asked Daniel Oliver.

To clarify, at their insistence the interview was taking place in a car. Two days following their performance of Phase XIV, still in Nottingham, they’d surprisingly agreed to meet me for an interview. Having missed my change at Hope in Derbyshire, been given the runaround by National Rail, I was delighted to hear that I was being taken for the best Sunday lunch in Nottingham available on a Wednesday afternoon, which according to Luke “Anwar” Ferrit can be found at a place called The Limes (“Truckers and couples with dogs in the car go. The waitresses are large and honest” exclaimed Luke prior to me getting into the car with them).

Jude (their assistant?) had been driving in basic silence for 20 minutes. Luke had been to The Limes a number of times, but seemed slightly too keen to check at every petrol garage we passed to see if anyone had heard of The Limes, which they had not… Daniel Oliver continued to reassure me that it really was apparently great food. They were squashed in either side of me on the back seat. It was unclear as to whether the front passenger seat was reserved for a mystery guest or if they simply lavished the body contact. I felt it better not to ask. My notes, questions and dictaphone were in my bag which Daniel had positioned on the front passenger seat. Charming though they both were, I couldn’t help thinking, knowing their reputation, that my bag had been unofficially confiscated and that the scenario was possibly an elaborate private joke between the two of them at the expense of a girly journalist. There was no leaving their performance. Appropriately, I had also, much to my regret, switched off my mobile as I realised that it too was in my bag. I pursued with the interview.

“Something that intrigued me about Monday’s performance and with your work in general is the issue of control. Almost like stage hypnotism where volunteers find themselves in situations that can be quite compromising or perhaps even uncomfortable. Could you expand on that?”
“I think specifically because there is an audience there, yes. Daniel Oliver is actually a trained hypnotist”.
“Hynotherapist. But we don’t use that in the work. It’s more involved than that. That would make it not art, for me and Luke anyway. Cheating really. In a sense I cousin hypnotism in performance with mime which is also a bit of a cheat. It just wouldn’t work in Convent (sic) Garden.”
“You’re performing in Covent Garden?”
“N-no. We don’t do mime. What we do is not mime. Obviously, it isn’t real, but not to the extent that it isn’t actually real. What I’m basically saying is, you are trapped in a moving car with us and you don’t actually know where we’re going, we’ve just told you. That’s the reality of your…our situation.”
“Yes”, I laughed, “although I would love to see you in Covent Garden.”
“Right. The problem is that you either have to be absurdly tall or just refuse to move. The idea of fixed or static performance is not the AuntyNazi way. As you know, things generally get very physical as the performance progresses”, explained Luke. “We are actually looking to involve a giant in a performance at some point, funnily enough. The next thing is a sort of psychic peepshow…”
“Involving a giant. Luke’s dad is a professional clairvoyant. Sorry, you don’t mind me mentioning that, do you, Luke?”
“No, not at all, Daniel Oliver. I mean your dad’s quite tall. It’s in the family, you see, it gets passed down. Gypsy blood.”
Again I laughed. “And do you have the gift?”
“I’m six one”, said Daniel Oliver.
“Yes, but you just don’t indulge it. Not as a young man. The responsibility factor is massive. AuntyNazi’s far less dangerous psychologically”, explained Luke.
“Yes. I’m glad I’m sat down”, said Daniel.

The fact that I was not having my palm read did not make me feel any safer. Luke and Daniel’s defining of what was real added nothing to my understanding of what was going on or where I was going. It was becoming very hard to tell if any of what they were saying was real or serious in any way. They were both behaving oddly oblivious to the uncomfortable nature of the situation. It was becoming apparent that to ask about the nature of their work automatically meant addressing the situation I was in. It quite genuinely seemed that this was their normality and that they truly did not “get it”. I decided to change tactics.

Whilst known for the more haphazard’n’rather risky side of their performance practice, AuntyNazi’s recent interests have been seen to be leaning towards the academic side of performance art known in the biz as Live Art, with their attention focused on London and less on Nottingham, the city in which their treasured masks were forged. Luke and Daniel studied at the legendary Victoria Studios on Nottingham’s Shakespeare Street, then home to the Live Art Archive, under David Hughes, David Gale, Joshua Sofaer and Jordan McKenzie. Following that they did their apprenticeship at Reactor Towers during the Ghaos era.

“It’s not a case of shifting loyalties, it’s just that the city has changed and you try to move with the times as you grow. It’s all about Hatch (a monthly event in Nottingham) now and whatever’s hatching there, it ain’t Pulcinella. AuntyNazi, and to a degree Reactor also, were a big part of the whole R:Core thing. But you can’t just buy a Ford Capri with Donna Wilson fluffy dice and an alice band at nought percent for the first twelve months and brand yourself a Live Artist. When it comes down to it, we come from a performance background and it happens to be rated R as it were. So what do you do? You divide the brand, dummy”.

That was finally it.
“I’m sorry, I have to ask this. Was that you talking…”
“Yes. I’m not miming.” said Luke.
“…Or is this scripted? For you”, I asked.
Luke looked across me at Daniel either for help or to toss him a wink, it was difficult to tell. I’d still not seen their faces from the moment we had met.
“Yes. No. It’s for you. That’s what we’re doing”, said Luke
“An interview?”
“Yes. For your magazine.”
“Okay, let’s just carry on.”

I semi-jokingly asked the boys if they were suggesting a separation or else the purchasing of mopeds on finance. At this Daniel leaned across and removed Luke’s mask.

“Not at all. It just means introducing another face to things. We’re going to call you Polly. Now let me give you an example of the sort of thing that Daniel Oliver is going to be talking about next”, answered Luke.
“I think what Luke’s trying to say is that we’re looking at dividing the practice into two separate franchises. Two different products. AuntyNazi Academic and AuntyNazi…”
“R:Core. It’s going to be called that, like hardcore but without the HD”, said Luke.
“It’s been going on for a while, but I think we are there. It’s something we’re both very aware of”, concluded Daniel. It took a moment before I realised what he was actually telling me. Breathing a sigh of relief, I finally saw it. The Limes, a large green gingham café with red writing just as they had promised, complete with waitresses who were large and honest. Over lunch we discussed all manner of things not AuntyNazi. I was quite exhausted. A week later I received an email with an mp3 attached. They had recorded the entire thing… and then edited it down. What you see here is what I got, but what I got on the day was something else entirely... Not exactly an interview. Just AuntyNazi.

#19: Smells like hush-money...

On a recent visit to the Nottingham home of Luke "Anwar" Ferrit, London artists Daniel Oliver and Luke his long-term colaborator were caught out with their masks off. As the haphazard performance act AuntyNazi the Contract Impressionist duo are famously secretive when it comes to revealing just what it is we're in for when we shell the bucks to come unstuck at one of their shows.


Signed to deliver the goods at Nick Turner's Chameleon Lounge this past August, the two nipped out on a prop hunt in Nottingham centre and made a beeline for discount store T.K.Max. A source close to the artists who by chance happened to be in the store checking out a pair of skinny denims said she saw the shop-girl go scarlet in the kisser when they presented her with a list of last minute items required for the upcoming gig at the Chameleon.

"Goggles, yes, swimsuits, yes, paddling pool, water guns, see the kiddies section, hose pipe, towels, yes, calipers no, and erm... lube? Not here, unfortunately, guys!"

Luckily the former Notts art-scenesters are well-known in the city for their wily ways and the T.K.Maxette saw the funny side. The guys even slipped her 2 tickets for the show! Hmmm... Smells like hush-money to me.

#18: Ready! Set! It's time to get wet! It's AuntyNazi//R:Core...

#17: The Spa Stick

Daniel has his sleeping bag back. This is extra (its just part of it)unlike the Oxfam Carrier Bag, which was, of course, the whole thing. Otherwise it wouldn't have caused so much trouble. The bag, for sleeping, was returned by Johnathon Waring, who is now in Reactor (see pasttimes). Perhaps if he'd been there during the whole WAP exchange incident (bag - Oxfam) there wouldn't be the _king licensing knightmare we have now. Don't stress though, or do, then come for de-stress at the Spa - phase 4teen.

auntynazi make me a 0000210 - Johnathon Waring - returning the sleeping bag

#16: AuntyNazi are planning 4 YOU!

Luke & Daniel have a plan, you’ll

Wonder if they read the manual

But their methods are sound and tested

(as in they’ve yet to both be arrested)

Females shall be free to pass

Note: men must bring along a lass

Or possibly face polite refusal

You know the crack, it’s not unusual

Drip’n’touch techniques afoot

In your costumes come’n’strut

Show disdress just where to go

With hydra-therapeutic blow.

Delirious juice’n’jaunts in flow

Form relaxation radicals so

Never mind the [revolution]

It’s AuntyNazi Therapeution

So come and joy

In the splendour of spa

It’s who you could be

Not who you are

AuntyNazi reach out to you

With two begloved right hands, a length

Of rubber hose and shout to you:

“Come one, come all, it’s Phase 4teen!

It’s fairly legal and it gets you clean!”

AuntyNazi Phase XIV: Oozing the Spill, Chick

Monday August 24^th 2004

The Chameleon

Nottingham

#15: AuntyNazi make public statement following Minotaurial controversy!

Yesterday at 1800 (GMT) Luke "Anwar" Ferrit and Daniel Oliver were forced to make a public statement via WAP satellite.

After an immediate controversy arose following their performance of AuntyNazi Phase XIII: the Minotaurial Candidate on the 3rd & 4th of July in the Arts Building of Queen Mary's University of London an online mob fury of untold proportions gathered to voice protest. "What they are doing is almost so untrue it's unbelievable!" one man said. Even the placard waved by an under 18 seemed to imply a largely disgruntled position had been taken by the future of British society's female member when it came to AuntyNazi.

From behind their masks Luke and Daniel spoke candiedly about the distinction between "contract impressionism" and evil in an attempt to quash the notion that what they did for people over the two days was wrong. "I read about a performance in Italy where a literally brand new baby still with the tag on was placed alone and nude in front of a serious capacity crowd. Now answer me that. There was an audience full of people who did absolutely what?" offered Daniel. "The problem is potentially that huge members of the pre-booked audience are just forgetting to remember what it is they're actually doing there", barked Luke, arms folded a lot. "It's not getting to a point where a man can barely manage his own existence without some c*nt farting in the background, but people have to recognise that the slabs are taking a shift for the worse. I mean, don't look down, but it's happening under your feet!" he continued, clearly getting both emotional and political in tandem way beyond the script.

Recently described by artist and academic Jordan McKenzie as "a hallucinogenic world of fragmented meaning, private histories and public confessions", this wandering Jew of a world into which AuntyNazi wire their audience with rather wet hands has clearly caused a spark on the Mile End Road. "Everything about [contract impressionism] is pushed to the limit as it unfolds, assaults, confuses, cagoules and seduces its audience. Watching or participating in an AuntyNazi performance is a bit like being given a joke bomb that causes an actual explosion. The work is not easy, as it does not give itself up without a fight", stresses Jordan McKenzie. Indeed we shall see.

Scheduled to perform AuntyNazi Phase XIV: Six Women Swear in Swimwear (Oozing the Spill Chick) on August 24th in Nottingham, Luke "Anwar" Ferrit and Daniel Oliver will inevitably be up against it and be no doubt prepared. Whilst very little information has been made available about the show, a source close to AuntyNazi has reported that Daniel will be armed with a balloon and Luke a pistol...

#14: 6 women swear in swimwear, or oozing the spill chick

Hello Mentees and Welcome!

Thank you for coming and experiencing the Minotaurial Candidate.

Remember, as Daniel Oliver said:

'Having said that before you go, if you do find anything comes up in the mentoring you did in the past here today, and you wanted a different kind of chatshop help, its worth noting that Phase XIV is therapy, what we are doing now, in phase XIV.'

So here it is, phase XIV:

Terse? Dried out?
Get relaxed in the AuntyNazi relaxing relaxation Spa hydrotherapy session. YOU can benefit from the tried untested DRIP 'n' TOUCH tehnique! from the HOPE PIPE! from the DAMPENING WORDPLAY! and the WBB FLOP techniques of AuntyNazi in:

AuntyNazi Phase XIV: 6 Women Swear in Swimwear, or Oozing the Spill

Relaxed? Juiced up already?
Then just watch soothingly and slippery from the specifically situated voyeur arena.

This will be tried out next at The Chameleon in Nottingham on the 24th August.

After that, keep your eyeout!


Cable tie IDs:

AuntyNazi make me a 0000593 - Jo Fraser

AuntyNazi make me a 0000552 - Owen Parry

AUntyNazi make me a 0000595 - Louisa

AuntyNazi make me a 0000577 - Bruce

AuntyNazi make me a 0000582 - Hannah Crosson

AuntyNazi make me a 0000537 - Rachel Gomme

AuntyNazi make me a 0000551 - Keren Kossow

AuntyNazi make me a 0000583 - Natasha

AuntyNazi make me a 0000553 - Markus

AuntyNazi make me a 0000520 - Frauke Requardt

AuntyNazi make me a 0000596 - Hannah Clark

AuntyNazi make me a 0000257 - Helena Hunter

AuntyNazi make me a 0000528 - Faye

AuntyNazi make me a 0000244 - Kate

AuntyNazi make me a 0000425 - Ryen

AuntyNazi make me a 0000242 - Tim Jeeves

AuntyNazi make me a 0000217 - Charlotte

AuntyNazi make me a 0000265 - Emma Leach

AuntyNazi make me a 0000289 - Tim Edkins

AuntyNazi make me a 0000238 - Katie Doubleday

AuntyNazi make me a 0000562 - George (Mouse, no relation to 'Jude')

AuntyNazi make me a 0000241 - Ian Finlay

#13: The wrong place

Flaming 'eck!
The've done it again!

If YOU are below though, you've come up in the wrong place.

Please go here: The Minotaurial Candidate

******************************************************************************************

AuntyNazi make me a 0000284 - Hannah Clarke - The Real Greek

AuntyNazi make me a 0000286 - Nico - The Real Greek

#12: The wrong place

Flaming 'eck!
The've done it again!

If YOU are below though, you've come up in the wrong place.

Please go here: The Minotaurial Candidate

****************************************************************************************

AuntyNazi make me a 0000231 - Julia - at New Work Network meeting about money

AuntyNazi make me a 0000207 - Phillipa - Should have got one earlier

AuntyNazi make me a 0000203 - Rachel Gomme - at New Work Network meeting about money

AuntyNazi make me a 0000213 - Nic - wouldn't take it till she new what it was

AuntyNAzi make me a 0000225 - Justin Allen - After chat about Butoh

AuntyNazi make me a 0000283 - Justyna - Outside the Palm Tree

AuntyNazi make me a 0000239 - Andy - Outside the Palm Tree, couldn't get it off

AuntyNazi make me a 0000272 - Catherine (sp) Fry - Outside the Palm Tree

AuntyNAzi make me a 0000228 - Tim Jeeves - I'm sorry Tim this should already be here

#11: The wrong place

Flaming 'eck!
The've done it again!

If YOU are below though, you've come up in the wrong place.
Please go here: The Minotaurial Candidate

******************************************************************************************

auntynazi make me a 0000575 - Jo - meeting to enjoy the musical sounds of Ridley Rd market

auntynazi make me a 0000522 - Mike - meeting to enjoy the musical sounds of Ridley Rd market

auntynazi make me a 0000505 - Jo's fellow - met us meeting to enjoy the musical sounds of Ridley Rd market

#10: AuntyNazi Phase XIII: the Minotaurial Candidate. AuntyNazi make me a

The AuntyNazi mentoring programme is now being brought to London. Luke & Daniel's multi-dimensional revision of the Greek Bios approach to live mentoring is guaranteed to offer a new perspective on your own work and practice no matter where you are in your career. The surgery is open for bookings.

Friday 3rd & Saturday 4th July 2009
Queen Mary, University of London
6-10pm

To book a session or for further enquiries simply email: contact.auntynazi@googlemail.com

Sessions last thirty minutes and take place within a huge labyrinth.
Thorough knowledge of Ancient Greek mythology not essential

********************************

auntynazi make me a 0000533 - Chloe Cooper - in the pub after after mentoring (she can't make it)

auntynazi make me a 0000516 - Jieun - in the pub after other mentoring

auntynazi make me a 0000565 - Hannah Crosson - sent to NWNW after 0000536 was accidentally left in pub, then tied to a bar in said pub, and finally retrieved with nail clippers and sent with to Hannah with 0000565

auntynazi make me a 0000568 - Richie - inside the Betsy Trotwood

auntynazi make me a 0000550 - Amy - inside the Betsy Trotwood

auntynazi make me a 0000544 - Rich Chapman (and Rebecca) - outside Betsy Trotwood with the german language

auntynazi make me a 0000600 - Jen Harvie - Essay Feedback QMUL

auntynazi make me a 0000525 - Stephen Crowe - Gogen break room with food

auntynazi make me a 0000469 - Maria - eec at the end

auntynazi make me a 0000526 - Owen Parry - eec at the end

auntynazi make me a 0000548 - Emma Leach - eec Junto Mentor

auntynazi make me a 0000519 - Andrew - eec LADA expert

auntynazi make me a 0000597 - Natasha - eec Junto Mentor

auntynazi make me a 0000597 - Jiva - eec cut the blood off to his finger

auntynazi make me a 0000546 - Martin - eec wrote down as Jamie and tortured

auntynazi make me a 0000563 - Louisa - eec Junto Mentor

auntynazi make me a 0000421 - Jacob - Sighing eec

auntynazi make me a 0000432 - Lexi Matza and Marjorie Dove - eec european thinkers

auntynazi make me a 0000459 - Sarah Ruff - whiplash girl eec

auntynazi make me a 0000683 - Alex Eisenberg - Smoking on the street.

auntynazi make me a 0000412 - Ellie Hall - The breakfast table.

auntynazi make me a 0000540 - Brian Lobel - EEC cocktail party.

auntynazi make me a 0000541 - Johanna - EEC cocktail party.

auntynazi make me a 0000567 - Frauke Requardt - Pinter Studio.

auntynazi make me a 0000536 - Hannah Crosson - Drinking BS Gin & Tonic w/lime.

auntynazi make me a 0000598 - Richard - Drinking London Pride.

auntynazi make me a 0000594 - Anita McKeown - Waltzer.

auntynazi make me a 0000515 - Jenny - Dance contestant

auntynazi make me a 0000512 - Ben - Dance contestant

#9: Chek's lies and cable ties

AuntyNazi are under threat of legal action. While Daniel was in Austria, helping the Reactor people help with Big Lizard’s Big Idea and Luke was working at an equestrian centre for troubled youth, last month I became the subject of a very tragic legal nonsense. Debate has arisen regarding my legal status as a member of AuntyNazi. The use of the Sooty Monkey mask, image, name and all character likenesses it has been claimed are still licensed to Mr Chek Bytes, the former Webmaster of the defunct WAP site with which I was associated until June 2004 when I made my impromptu appearance in AuntyNazi Phase IX. For legal reasons, I have received notice that I shall "...not be appearing in the upcoming AuntyNazi Phase XIII: the Minotaurial Candidate" which is scheduled to take place in London next month. We'll see how things unfold.

In 2004, during the performance of Phase IX, after Luke unwittingly opened a window and climbed into WAP, thus creating a natural vacuum in Reactor Towers (the location of Phase IX), I grasped the opportunity and climbed down loaded into the performance, filling the void created by Luke's departure. Shortly after that the WAP site was shut down and Luke was then able to return and we have been a trio (although Luke and Daniel oddly still use the term duo) ever since. Five years on it has come to light that I am still bound by contract to Mr Bytes. Keen to hold onto me, Luke and Daniel have decied to blow their entire budget on the purchase of 1000 cable ties.

#8: Illuminazi: The Islamicist Disclosure

The recent revealing or "opening" of Luke's middle or "inner" name Anwar or in Arabic "أنور", meaning glow-in-the-dark or "illuminati" has come about due to his realization that the - in inverted commas - suppression of the Islamicistic element of his heritage might be misinterpreted as a weakness for Gin.

Obviously interpretations are subjective, but never-the-less, it's certainly safe to say:

"From the land beyond beyond,
From the world past hope and fear,
I bid you, Genie, now appear!"

Other vital updates worth mentioning:

Luke & Daniel's invasion of Athens might be relocated to Stoke Newington. Partly due to issues with the Gigi, Goddess of Bios and partly owing to financial reasons. The latter, however, may soon cease to be such a problem, however, now that Luke has changed his name to Anwar or "أنور" or however you "wish" to say it.

#7: "NATURE FINDS A WAY" Claims Goldberg Re: AuntyNazi Vlog!

Following the sad delay of the past few hundred weeks, obviously experienced by many of us, indeed it has been difficult in public, private and other sectors as we are all aware. I do appreciate that some were forced to bare witness to countless performance-based unfortunates. AuntyNazi basically ran into certain problems cutting things together as all my parts were completely shot on Hi.V-2 and Adobe just refused to capture-stroke-upload it (ERROR: I/o error (bummers) (System Error Code -36), Luke had gotten his mask on backwards and Daniel was in a hypnotic session. As Jeff Goldberg said to David Attenborough, however, "NATURE FINDS A WAY" and I am hereby proud to introduce the AuntyNazi Vlog.

#6: More riskier than fags...

#5: AuntyNazi: STOLEN via YouTube

The AuntyNazi name has been stolen. There is an AuntyNazi channel with football footage and naive political nonsense and probably videos of a boy falling off a bike and a girl in hotpants not really breaking any rules, just sort of tickling them. So AuntyNazi have had to set up a different channel. This is it:

Click above to view the full AuntyNazi video channel or see below for selected samples from Era #1 (2003 - 2005).



Look out for future uploads.

#4: Reviews of the last show.

Saturday, 13 August 2005

Reactor: Function V

Experience One

I stood outside the gallery for a few moments longer than I would have normally. I'd never been to a Reactor Function event before, and despite myself I was nervous. I'd heard stories of people being taken off by shadowy figures and having unspeakable things done to them. I don't know if I was dreading this happening to me or if I...wanted it...

The masked figure at the door ticked my name off the list and let me in, and I realised that the entrance space was unusually full of people. We were being herded forward with no way to escape. There was the unnerving feeling that we were cattle being led to the slaughter.

I was surreptitiously given a way out - someone handed me a card offering me the chance to take part in a cultural experience, I snuck off up the stairs to a room covered with exotic fabric to be greeted by a man speaking an Asian-sounding language. Through gestures he led me through a series of rituals, answering my questions with polite but firm gibberish. I felt out of my depth and angry that I didn't know what was going on - echoing the experience of being introduced to rigid cultural practices as a child.

By the time I emerged, everyone else had moved into the main exhibition space with AuntyNazi barking arbitrary rules at them such as only ten people being allowed in the bar at one time, and announcing that the event had 'started'. The audience stood around with almost identical expressions of mild fear. I realised I probably shared this, and distracted myself by looking around.

The layout of the show was much like any ordinary exhibition, with individual performances going on in discrete areas, and the space as a whole had not been altered. Works included a picnic where audience members read a jumbled argument from an autocue; an artist who spent most of the event on the floor, moving at timed intervals; a man standing in an alcove turning with a camera in his mouth, his body partly obscured and recreated by screens; someone explaining how their plastic polar bear was a van; a rambling talk; and a (possibly) live typed commentary.

What really brought the event to life were the complementary performances by Reactor and AuntyNazi. The latter, with crude masks and loud proclamations demanded most attention, but if you focused on the surface alone you'd miss their own subversion of authority. Every demand for obedience to Health & Safety laws was accompanied by dangerous behaviour; every announcement of a new activity from the timetable was combined with muddled flicking through notebooks.

Meanwhile, in the background, Reactor could be seen ushering people through a door, followed by disconcerting bangs and screams; and moving scary-looking objects that seemed destined for use in violence and intimidation. Finally they shepherded us into a room, built up the terror by filling the room with smoke, and eventually let us escape into the street through a window.

Gratuitous non sequitur to be used as a quote: Lies, confusion and shouting - some of my favourite media.

© Ana Milgram 2005

---

Experience Two

Every now and then, for my whole life, I got this thing where I felt odd. The best way to describe it is to say that I felt like I was detached from the world like about a foot back from where I actually was. That and feeling like I wasn't myself. Whenever it happened I'd feel like that for several weeks before it wore off.

Then a friend of mine who sticks needles in me in the name of acupuncture told me there was a reason (a husband/wife block - whatever that means) and fixed it in about an hour.

So when I turned up to Reactor's Function V event (That's V for 5), guest curated by AuntyNazi, feeling all husband/wife blocky and like I wasn't myself, what happened next was quite unexpected.

As around thirty "audience" members stood around on the slipway in the entrance to Spectacle, and while a guy in a cardboard mask (Luke) crouched, tapping a twelve foot length of drainpipe with a sledgehammer, another guy in a mask leapt up on top of a ten foot high pile of packing crates while introducing himself (Daniel) and Luke and the show while giving a general health and safety talk while the pile of crates swayed under his weight. During this time Daniel popped a lens from his glasses that fell to the floor and made a big fuss about it. A friend of mine called Ed bent down to look for the lens and I went over to help too. I can only guess that this was the reason why Daniel then leapt to the floor, threw his arm over my shoulder and proclaimed to the audience that I was called Steed. And it made sense.

It occurred to me later that Ed had worked with Reactor before and may have been an undercover performer.

One rule: Ten people maximum in the bar area at any one time.

At various intervals people could be seen both leading members of the audience out of the back door (we joked that they were being led off to a gas chamber) and carrying assorted objects through the gallery and out of the same back door; fire extinguishers, ammunition boxes, etc.

I found the whole experience quite disorientating, so therefore, for clarity...

Performances I actually noticed:

1] The main AuntyNazi performance of compering involving the renaming of audience members, announcements about the show, and dangerous health & safety announcements. Also, the bit where Daniel walked up and down gesticulating wildly while shouting "This is a background performance" and variations thereof for about five minutes.

2] A woman called Tina who had two TV/VCRs set up as autocues while she and various other audience/participants ate sandwiches while reading the dialogue aloud. I was so busy trying to remember to keep my mouth full of sandwich and keep up with the text that I have no idea what any of the dialogue was.

3] There was a woman in the bar area drawing portraits of people and, I think, talking to them, then sticking the pictures on the bar room wall.

4] A projection in the bar area appeared to be a description of people passing though the space, but someone told me it was playing off a laptop somewhere and was pre-recorded. I didn't believe them.

5] A guy dressed like a tired ballet dancer looking through a toilet roll; unrolling it as he turned in quarter turns while two videos played a live rotation and a recorded rotation of the same space.

There was one scary moment when Luke put his hand on my back and asked if I was ready, several times, in the dark. I wondered what was going to come. Then he rushed off to open the lift doors for...

6] A monologue by someone in a scary mask that sounded like a cross between Alfred Hitchcock and Bill Hicks in the dark with a torch, but his mini disk broke down (on purpose?) and when he asked if it was ok I reassured him.

7] An attic space like a kind of ashram where a guy called Harminder was just ending whatever it was he'd been doing (I think Ana had seen him earlier).

I went outside to show someone what I thought was a red lynx on the building next door and noticed some reactor guys carrying the same fire extinguishers, ammunition boxes, etc. as earlier out of the back door again and putting them in the back of a van. "Oh, I see".

I pointed out to Jude (made up name) the security guard that at one point there were more than ten people in the bar area and he told me that most of them were reactor and therefore did not count.

The whole event was a very interesting experience that I still feel like thinking about more and that was a week ago. If there's ever a Function VI, I'll definitely go, but I still want to know if the woman in the red jacket who was on the phone all night was dictating what was being projected on the bar room wall.

The finale was frankly the best way of getting the audience to leave a show that I have ever seen. We were herded into a back room and locked in. There was red light, a box in the middle of the floor with hazard tape around it, and an announcer telling us there was a count down to something explosive. The box kind of exploded in a lame way, but then smoke started pouring in through a vent and I thought about the earlier gas chamber 'joke'.

Then a loading bay four feet off the ground was opened up onto the pavement outside and everyone clambered out onto the street. Baffled. I wasn't sure if I was still Steed or Stuart again.

© Stuart Milgram 2005

http://brainloveart.blogspot.com/2005/08/reactor.html

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Function V, Spectacle Gallery, Birmingham, 13^th August - 2005

Performance Art is nothing new. Historically, for example, all we need look at are tribal rituals through to abstract expressionist New York "happenings." However, in relation to ‘Art’ as we now know it, performance is based on a sense of theatre; one that eliminates any barriers between the various disciplines of art and allows the ‘artists’ to combine, neglect, absorb, or become the art they are creating. This idea of performance art is one that has been in practice heavily since the 1950s and has been an effective way for artists to express themselves in an immediate sense. They exhibit not only the ‘show’ but also current affairs through artistic-theatrical activities derived from reductive experiments and the dematerialization of work into the simplest form; presenting the artist rather than the art. It captures situations in society, politics or indeed art through physical gestures freed from traditional ideology. It is perhaps still the most accessible and ready art form around today, even though it has recently been contended by the digital image; I believe it still remains the purest form of art.

So when invited to see Reactor’s FUNCTION V offering at Birmingham’s Spectacle Gallery I was intrigued to experience Performance Art first hand. I had previously heard of Reactor, a Nottingham based ‘collective’, who have worked on and with many other projects of this type previously and had quite the high reputation. Their work is said to focus "on developing works collectively, based around ideas of evolution and interaction…[challenging] the viewer to no longer be a passive observer but to directly respond and interact with the work." By putting an element of the ‘show’ in the hands of the captivated audience, the air of uncertainty is indeed heightened and I found myself on edge through the entirety of the evening for fear of being ‘picked on’ and asked to contribute in some zany manner that would please both choreographer and audience. I enjoy art as I am safe in the role of voyeur and was unsure in my new role as ‘crowd,’ and I am not 100% sure if I totally enjoyed the event as a result.

On entering we were informed of health and safety risks by two over excited gentlemen in small round masks who yelped out instructions to an audience masking their own fear by nervous grins. The large audience were then bullied and ordered into the main gallery space and kept in order by two stern security guards which made everyone immediately uneasy with shoulders hunched and gripping onto to fellow lab rats nervously. When the drinks bar was opened however, the mood lightened and I watched pleased to see people get involved when left to their own devices to include themselves in the show or simply gaze upon those who did.

Personal highlights of the show for me were Robin Close who milled about the space, unaware he was particularly being watched getting on with his work. Moving his television monitors from one area to another unravelling toilet role around his feet as he spun robotically on the spot, his television screens echoing what he saw through the toilet roll and what was being discarded around his feet. His air of subtlety was a lovely aside for many that gazed at him, and got lost in his repetitive motions. He held the viewer for a second longer than the others as his motion was comforting with an air of the familiar, unlike the rest of the evening.

My other highlight has to be Luke Ferrit and Daniel Oliver, the two boys who appeared high on E numbers with their Blue Peter style Halloween masks. A constant shock throughout the evening, they did however keep the event exciting and fluid. Directing the crowd from one moment to the next, without them I fear that the event may have actually been a little dull.

The guest curator of the event was the notorious AuntyNazi, which brought into the equation an interesting mix of artists. The other artists on show were: Jonathan Waring, Nick Holloway, Katie Doubleday, Katherine Cooper, Tina Carter, Joanna Callaghan, Roman Alaska, Harminder Judge and, of course, Reactor.

© Charlie Levine 2005

http://www.spectacle-gallery.co.uk/charlie_levine_function_v.htm

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Reactor: Function V curated by AuntyNazi at Spectacle Gallery.

Works by Roman Alaska, AuntyNazi, Joanna Callaghan, Tina Carter, Robin Close, Katherine Cooper, Katie Doubleday, Nick Holloway, Harminder Judge, Reactor and Jonathan Waring,

Saturday 13th August 2005, Spectacle Gallery, 38 Freeth Street, Ladywood, Birmingham

www.reactorweb.com

www.spectacle-gallery.co.uk

#3: Tutorial Clippage (2003)

NOTE: These clips have been TEMPORARILY REMOVED due to engineering works. They will return soon.

In August 2003 AuntyNazi ran tutorials for students of Nottingham Trent University Art & Design Faculty.

#2: AuntyNazi return to the ring

Following a 4 year sabbatical, AuntyNazi has had to reform. Luke has come out of retirement, Sooty Monkey is back from WAP, and Daniel Oliver, now a trained hypnotist, has resurfaced in London.

The Spiel Berg has been redefined.
Jude is vacant once again.
Steed is still to be agreed.
Polly shall soon be a pretty girl's name.
Luke has been issued with a brand new bag supposedly made from an old fashioned flag.
Sooty Monkey is suspected to be carrying.
Daniel Oliver is getting connected.

A pool, 6 slides and a labyrinth are under construction.

#1: Hello & Welcome To This

I'm back from WAP
For the cardboard trap
Has mechanism, mask and map
A suitor with a stolen router
Terracotta hand and shooter
Heard the orders that were given
Back in time they shall be driven.

"Bang!Bang!" cried Cactus, "Bang! Bang!"

Keep reading &

keep it up!

Quite sincerely

-Sooty Monkey