THE RECORDINGS

We know labour as something which constantly calls us to toil. Sometimes we may find it to be compelling, but often we experience it as overly-consuming, a burden and a disruption. In this regard, it is said that labour causes 'fragmentation' – it divides or splits us from selves; from the things we love and do by choice.

But equally labour is a love: it is intimate and particular in its pull on us; it is sensual in the way it brings us into proximity with things, places or other people in tactile, sensory ways; it makes us and trains our bodies to move in ways which serve its end, be they elegant, poised, studied, awkward or brutish.

The recordings below are but fragments of demonstrators performing their 'labour'; but fragments can be very revealing of these extra layers to labour which we too often forget…

 

Circuit Bending - Shaun Crook                Playing Dead - Vita Oldershaw

 

 

Meccano - Chris Warrell                    Wood Engraving - Peter S. Smith

 

 

 

Bicycle Wheel Building - Nik Hamilton      Hula-Hoop Making - Tracey Chin

  

 Waxwork Sculpture - Eleanor Crook          Letter Carving - Thomas Appleton

 

Basketmaking - Dawn Ohlshaw             Contortion - Pixie Le Knot & Ooh La Lowrie

 Typewriter Art - Keira Rathbone            Book Binding - Kate Rochester

Tatting - Oksana Nikolenko                      Watch Repair - Paul Constable

Spoon Carving - Barn Carder                 SFX Make Up - Cat Forsyth 

 Taxidermy - Julie Freeman