Monday, April 1, 2013

Tom Geoghegan & Live Art

"Rubbish" & "Strange Fruit"

Decontexualizing, placing himself in bizarre locations in situations and positions that can't help but stir controversial questioning reactions. The city, the park, these areas themselves become Geoghegan's gallery when he inhabits the space with his out of context work.

"Strange Fruit" based of Billie Holiday's song

Instead of a black body, he's dressed completely in white, head to toe, hanging still from a tree in a desolate park. He remains in the pouring rain, an all day endeavour, not moving a muscle, showing the extreme dedication he has to his work. The depth of this symbolism only intensified for me after hearing the original lyrics to the sad, sad song. Geoghegan puts an entirely different spin on a very influential, historically painful time period that applies to everyone. You can tell he chooses what issues to cover wisely and stylizes them in his own unique way.

 Even as "Rubbish" when people pull, poke and kick at his limp body, he remains still. His personal connection to the work is quite inspiring considering his cluelessness to how many people will actually witness his excursions. Geoghegan defines Live Art, far from performance, solely for attacking the audience with a visual that promises a challenge almost as provoking to the mental state.

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