David Foggo

Laughter Lines
at 25SG Sunday 1st August 2010

David Foggo - Laughter Lines, Photo: Arto Polus

Pre-event was well publicised thus ensuring a decent turn out. Post-event was fun and lively resulting in a merry, informal critique of sorts. The event needed minimal props and set-up, so staff at 25SG were not tested too much.

The performance itself was interesting for me for a number of reasons. Firstly, the performance/exhibition space itself is very visible – viewable from 3 places (2 windows – including one facing out onto the street – and a door) – so one felt very much on display.

David Foggo - Laughter Lines, photo: Arto Polus

Next was the somewhat repetitive and mundane nature of the piece (writing the word ‘ha’ for an hour). Doing this required a sense of focus and allowed me to drift into the zone, thus rendering gallery visitors to mere fleeting shadows and whispering/muffled voices. Although the work referenced the fundamentals of comic theory (contradiction etc) and also 1960s’ conceptual text art, it was perhaps into the realm of slapstick where the piece ended up. By this I mean one became less concerned with the word written and instead became aware of the physical pain and discomfort of writing that word – and indeed for the last quarter of the performance I was trying manfully to suppress a fart!

Finally, I really enjoyed the event and would be delighted to return for a longer residency in the future perhaps.

David Foggo

August 8th

David Foggo - Laughter Lines, photo: Arto Polus

David Foggo - Laughter Lines, photo: Arto Polus

David Foggo - Laughter Lines, photo: Arto Polus

David Foggo - Laughter Lines, Photo: Arto Polus

David Foggo - Laughter Lines, Photo: Arto Polus