| Project title: | HEIST |
| Location: | Dainton Self Storage, Paignton, Devon, UK |
| Date(s): | 8 – 21 July 2024 |
Artist Statement
Stuart is an interdisciplinary artist with an esoteric practice spanning painting, sculpture, installation, photography, film and performance.
His work explores the intricate relationships between place, movement, and occupation within a self-storage site on the outskirts of Paignton, Devon, U.K.
Immersed in a secure environment marked by both commercial and domestic transience, he continually examines what it means to perform in a space dominated by the imposing presence of shipping containers each holding hidden memories and emotions behind securely fastened doors.
Stuart views his work as a retreat from a society he finds increasingly difficult to relate to—a system of trickery that venerates the ‘golden calf’ of identity, constantly reshaping its definition to suit the whims of political power. His practice is deeply rooted in the landscape of language production, observed from his own hired shipping container now utilised as a studio space which could be deemed as an unconventional art residency. Seeking to form a collaborative and interdependent relationship between objects, their functions, their owners, and the contractual agreements of the site’s management.
Contextual Statement
Research Question : Can a shipping container be utilised to disrupt the functionality of a commercial space through a series of performative interventions and live streams online at a self storage site ?
The project was conducted outside my rented shipping container at the Dainton Self Storage site in Paignton, Devon. Through a series of performative interventions and live social media streams, I sought to explore the functionality of the space, aiming to challenge other site user’s perceptions of the locality as they went about their daily routines.
My approach involved collecting discarded objects from site users, either directly or indirectly, and creatively utilising these objects to distract or obstruct site users access to their containers. These interventions were intended to be temporary and experimental, designed to provoke reactions without causing significant interference. I also wanted to incorporate humour, not only because I enjoy it, but also because I observed during previous visits that humour is a language and behaviour workers adopt as they perform their daily tasks of collection and delivery. ‘Goofing off’ along with jokes and japes, often accompanied by the drifting sounds of local radio broadcasts, seemingly serves as a temporary relief for site users, whose activities contrast with the site’s inherent liminality. My aim was to capture this experience through photography and film.
I was intrigued by the possibility of applying philosopher Gilles Deleuze’s theory of counter-narrating established capitalistic systems of communication and control as both a critique of manual labour and a response to the function of the storage site. My research drew on artists such as Maurizio Cattelan, Alan Kaprow’s rules for “happenings”, John Baldessari’s concept of “post-studio practice” and David Danton’s performance “Les Moutons”. My intent was to explore these artist’s forms of public interventions from a humorous standpoint, rather than directly engaging with their specific concepts per se.
Gaining the acceptance of Dainton Site Management was crucial, as their support created a bond of trust around an artistic intervention that might be perceived as untrustworthy, particularly when contrasted with the business’s commercial aims. Site users were considered potential collaborators, encouraged to participate in my performative interventions if they wished. Falmouth University’s GDPR policy would be clearly communicated to all participants to avoid any conflicts of interest.
As a contingency plan, if site management withdrew their support due to complaints, I intended to continue streaming my activities from within my container using mobile phones and social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, allowing me to engage with online viewers and document their responses.
‘Through performance I suddenly found my place in the world’ – S. Taylor.
The critical moments within the project, heightened by the temporary nature of my daily interventions, were the interventions themselves—my immediate experiences of them, the dialogues they sparked, and the spontaneous collaborations that arose when I encountered other site users as intended. I documented these encounters using multiple camera phones and body cams whenever possible, though technical difficulties and lack of preparation caused me to miss several opportunities. The weather also played a role; however, I turned this to my advantage by, for example, installing tarpaulins and plastic sheets on windy days to create wind-powered obstacles in the loading/unloading areas near mine and others containers. I even incorporated materials like seagull feathers or gaffer tape, which were carried by the wind, into my work space. This fluid approach allowed me to thoroughly explore the space and materiality of my immediate surroundings. Additionally, I performed unrehearsed actions in close proximity to other site users as they went about their routines, which sparked positive curiosity. I also leveraged my contingency plan by live streaming some performances, including site users, with their permission. As the project progressed, my confidence in making real-time decisions regarding materials, methods, and collaborations in public spaces grew stronger.
Despite having no prior experience in performance, my documentation strategies and prior studies of the site were invaluable, guiding me throughout the project as tangible reference points. This gave me the confidence to adjust my methods based on reviewing video recordings.
Upon completing the project, I now recognise that my practice can be collaborative, involving non-traditional art organisations or individuals in the public or private sectors, something I would not have considered before. Consequently, I see my practice evolving in the field of performance art and activism, drawn by the sense of freedom and the challenge of the moment that performance offers. Moreover, my interventions have opened up possibilities for developing skills in film and drama, using my body as art to be observed, and considering how best to document these actions. Finally, my research question, which emerged from Falmouth University’s PhD research module “Circuit Breaking – Counter Narration in Situated Contemporary Image Practice,” aligns with my goal to apply for a part-time doctoral study next year.
A special thanks to Dainton Self Storage, Paignton for their permission and Sam Willis Carpet Fitters, Paignton for their collaboration.
Documentation
