I saw this performance video last year. I remember the issue we were talking about and I think it was feminism or maybe gender or maybe even the use of text in art. I remember saying at the time I wish we didn’t have to have these words, or categories. Why can’t people just…be? But that’s kind of the point of my project. ‘We are all in this together’ might be community building fort some. But it was clear when hearing an indigenous man speak last year around the time of the ‘Black lives matter’ rallies disputing this, that this is never the case. In any situation.
In saying that, I don’t quite get Archies performance where they begin to look frustrated at a question then end up speaking in unison with the female voice. The use of repetition.
There is also a contradiction in that they recommend the platform for ‘queer artists’ that made this work, or talk possible. Seemingly popping themselves in that community of practice, then later saying they don’t want be labelled this way.
Screenshot still from https://busprojects.org.au/library/departed-acts-archie-barry, 19.49 min
Is it the artist speaking when the off-camera narrative come in? I guess so. Is it something they agree with or disagree with? Is it parodying? What IS the work? Or is this the work?
It’s interesting. I just have so many questions and a bit confused. But maybe that’s the point of this performance? I don’t know.
So I did look for their work. It’s a little bit clearer. But not much. Actually I get the artworks. The performances I'm still not clear on.
Tatsache (excerpt), 2019, single channel video loop, 11:07min
https://archiebarry.com/fistimuff/