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H A N D S  O N:
Negotiating New Social Realms

Fish Factory,

Falmouth Wharves, North Parade, Falmouth

19^th, 20th, 21st August

Admission free

HANDS ON: Negotiating New Social Realms is a Live Art event exploring the principles of participation and audience engagement. Selected artists investigate and push the boundaries of socially engaged practice, bringing diverse approaches, strategies and discourses into Live Art performance from different backgrounds. The artists draw upon materials that are specific to Cornwall to develop performances that immerse the participant and attempt to close the separation between artist and audience.

A programme of performance events and happenings over three days invites the audience to participate and co-create the performance with the artist. Four local artists have developed site specific performances in response to a curatorial brief comprising a set of instructions.

Charlotte Jackman’s performance event 'From Our Depths' involves a collective untangling of used fishing nets where this alternative social situation encourages the creation of new relations. The participants get caught up in the meditative tasks, involving sizable nets yet micro-actions. Felicity Hipgrave’s installation piece draws upon audience participation to make and develop clay houses that become part of a larger installation exploring the shared notion of home, and how we respond to the idea culturally as a community.

Katie Comley’s initial ‘street interactions’ taking place around Falmouth are triggered by the giving of ‘Thought-Sweets’ displayed on a portable vending trolley, constructed from reclaimed objects. Comley’s secondary form of her practice is the facilitation of a discussion forum held at the fish factory where these perceptions can be shared, discussed and exchanged further through group dialogue. Shireen Darabi in her participatory performance event ‘Unwash’ invites the audience to interact with local materials, experiencing a journey of cleansing through un-washing, and to work together in a quest to re-establish a balanced relationship to place.

Hands On is curated by University College Falmouth, MA Curatorial Practice student Lauren Bishop.