God So Loves Decay

Abstract for an Alternative Presentation
My proposal is to restage my performance work, ‘God So Loves Decay’, commissioned by Sunridge Avenue Projects, first performed in Luton, UK, on May 7th, 2016. This took the collected lyrics of seminal UK punk band, UK Decay, and, working with musician Russ Crimewave, saw them ‘performed’ in Luton town centre in a form akin to a religious street preacher. A limited edition publication of the lyrics was produced and given to passing members of the public. This happened with the full knowledge and support of UK Decay. Authenticity of experience was key – there was no public indication this was an artwork, thereby allowing the words of UK Decay to be interpreted by this unassuming audience in a contemporary social, economic and political context. The act of re-presenting these words in this shifted way is an acknowledgement of their ongoing relevance, pulling them back out of the cultural archive and reinvigorating them in a time starkly reminiscent of that of their inception, but in a context that encourages an expanded dialogue. The logistics of presenting this at the conference would simply be mine and Russ’s presence there. I would be happy to decide on the exact parameters in negotiation with the organisers – it could happen in a traditional presentation slot, it could happen at a given time and space outside of this arena, or as a combination of the performance and a more traditional paper, to contextualize the content and intentions of the work.