faux-anatomy

just a thought : faux-anatomy dance education systems #SayNoToScience

Bttm Manifesto collaboration with Richard Orjis

Our long-overdue invitation to you all to participate in the Bttm Manifesto open-source doc (as link to google doc in the webpage below):

Bttm Manifesto was co-created by artists Richard Orjis and val smith in 2018 during PhD studies at AUT (Tamaki Makaurau, Aotearoa). The manifesto takes many forms, including public readings and a rotting paper version that was buried for three nights under a ring of colonial oak trees in Albert Park. Bttm reflects an emergent collaborative practice that underpins the conception of a number of projects, including Queer Pavilion.

This version of Bttm Manifesto is an open-source document. Your contributions are invited with excitement for how it might travel. Feel free to add, share, edit or shuffle at will. We also welcome any feedback, critique or suggestions on the manner in which we offer this.

You can contact us on valvalvalsmith@gmail.com, richard@richardorjis.com or as comments here

nga mihi!

bttm manifesto open source document

Untitled performance, Arts Foundation Ball 2019

Arts Foundation Ball 2019 performance, smoko section with Richard Orjis. Just before bar staff told us that "those drinks are not for us, they are for the guests, so please do not take any more." Apologies to the bar staff who were not briefed properly on what this performance would involve. (Damn though Bollinger tastes delicious!!) #DoNotDisturb #classclash

Photo credit Kyro Selket 

queer walking

I graffiti-ed a 2x4 area of pixels in the middle of a digital photo that witnesses a colonial tree twig resting on top of a discarded used lube sachet. The twig and lube lay together in the hidden grassy margins of a suburban recreational park space frequented by pram pushers. A cluster fuck of material-discursive issues. And yet still they shine.

That particular twig is now part of a growing confederation of witch-sticks, wands utilised for their magical powers to transform the fucked-up-ness of judging, shaming and belittling queer sexualities.

The graffiti includes a knee jerk thought-feeling—gays are good—a gesture to counteract my own #gayshame; a marking that wishes to make my presence known; and a mapping of that iteration of queer walking through Te Wai Ōrea Western Springs Lake Park, drawing-moving with encounters, relations and ideas in flux.