National Review of Live Art

Finally attended the performance love-fest that's the National Review of Live Art, and it was really worth it. This was officially the last event after 30 years, though it's returning in a changed format for next year. The event manages to bring together a diverse array of artists working across performance / live art fields under one umbrella. But it true magic lies in the ability to create a level playing field where established and emerging artists can meet and mingle and just be together. Helps its in such a cool city like Glasgow, that's the real deal right there...

One person complained to me about the constant queueing for performances, but actually for me these moments were a great opportunity to chat to strangers, meet new people and spend some time together in one of those odd social moments when otherwise we would usually commit ourselves to getting to the other side of the queue with as little distraction as possible.

Highlights for me:

The gothic ritual sermon by Julia Bardsley called Aftermaths: a tear in the meat of vision, where a zombie-like pentecostal-inspired preacher rants about profits... or was it prophets...

John Byrne's presentation was excellent, especially his Border Interpretive Centre, bringing awareness of the border as object in Northern Ireland.

Frenchmottershead, who I am interviewing as one of the artists I am surverying in my PhD were very receptive as well. They were commissioned to create a one off of their piece Were you Here the Last Time, where at a designated time and space a photo is taken. I positioned my self towards the front with some friends and felt pretty ecstatic with the countdown from 30 (for each year). It created a wonderful shared moment in time, something I truly appreciate.

A low point for me was being scolded and locked out after arriving 1 minute late to La Pocha Nostra presentation, but this was incredibly remedied by sharing drinks with them at the bar!

There's ofcourse so much more, a good place to read up on the work is the NRLA blog, look for the poetic words of Mark Caffrey reviewing the work and interviewing the artists...

(photo above is an unrelated graffiti on the streets of Glasgow but I loved it)