firstsite contemporary art colchester

Anne Bean
Autobituary
13 May – 24 June 2006

firstsite presents a taster of international artist Anne Bean’s dynamic sculptural installation, Autobituary. The full installation, comprising 30 video monitors, painted furniture and reclaimed props, can be seen at St Martin’s Church, West Stockwell Street, Colchester from 1 June.

Autobituary is ambitious project by Bean, seeing her return to performance works originally created between 1969 and 1974. Over 30 years later, Bean has restaged these performances in order to explore the act of documenting live events. By restaging these performances within a new context, Bean also draws on the way live art links to a specific moment.

The resulting films have been combined with objects to push the work into the installation at the church. Again this action is a way to test the boundaries of representation and ideas of the real. The installation surrounds viewers; playing on sight and sound to provoke reactions, it recalls the power and atmosphere of a live art event.

For firstsite, the artist has produced a showreel featuring snapshots of each of the recreated performances. In her complete installation these are shown in various combinations, creating deliberate links and narratives, but here they can be seen individually.

Revealing a practice that spans sculpture, drawing, sound and text alongside performance, Autobituary recognises the artistic achievements of Bean. Her work has been seminal to the development of performance art on an international level, specifically for women artists. Focusing on her body, Bean uses this as a gesture to investigate mortality.

Autobituary is at St Martins Church 1 – 25 June, open Thursday to Sunday 12-5pm, free admission.

Performance: ‘Until the Flowers Die’, a 24 hour durational performance, will be on from 6pm 21 June. Admission is free, please contact Colchester Arts Centre for further information and availability: 01206 500900.

Autobiturary has been commissioned by Matt’s Gallery in association with Arts Admin; it is presented in Colchester by firstsite working in partnership with Colchester Arts Centre. The publication ‘Autobituary: Shadow Deeds’ accompanies the exhibition, available at a special price of £15.00

	Anne Bean, Single Ladder Anne Bean Autobituary 13 May – 24 June 2006 firstsite presents a taster of international artist Anne Bean’s dynamic sculptural installation, Autobituary. The full installation, comprising 30 video monitors, painted furniture and reclaimed props, can be seen at St Martin’s Church, West Stockwell Street, Colchester from 1 June. Autobituary is ambitious project by Bean, seeing her return to performance works originally created between 1969 and 1974. Over 30 years later, Bean has restaged these performances in order to explore the act of documenting live events. By restaging these performances within a new context, Bean also draws on the way live art links to a specific moment. The resulting films have been combined with objects to push the work into the installation at the church. Again this action is a way to test the boundaries of representation and ideas of the real. The installation surrounds viewers; playing on sight and sound to provoke reactions, it recalls the power and atmosphere of a live art event. For firstsite, the artist has produced a showreel featuring snapshots of each of the recreated performances. In her complete installation these are shown in various combinations, creating deliberate links and narratives, but here they can be seen individually. Revealing a practice that spans sculpture, drawing, sound and text alongside performance, Autobituary recognises the artistic achievements of Bean. Her work has been seminal to the development of performance art on an international level, specifically for women artists. Focusing on her body, Bean uses this as a gesture to investigate mortality. Autobituary is at St Martins Church 1 – 25 June, open Thursday to Sunday 12-5pm, free admission. Performance: ‘Until the Flowers Die’, a 24 hour durational performance, will be on from 6pm 21 June. Admission is free, please contact Colchester Arts Centre for further information and availability: 01206 500900. Autobiturary has been commissioned by Matt’s Gallery in association with Arts Admin; it is presented in Colchester by firstsite working in partnership with Colchester Arts Centre. The publication ‘Autobituary: Shadow Deeds’ accompanies the exhibition, available at a special price of £15.00