Interruptions Anne Tallentire 1993 Performance 4 hours Installation;<br /> metal container (510x68cm), salt, fax machine,<br /> electric fire, water, 2 chairs, metal sheet (123x45cm) work-seth/tallentire

Collaboration as work-seth/tallentire

Having met at the Slade School of Fine Art (1986-1988), Seth and Tallentire worked alongside one another and shared similar concerns with history, colonialism and questions of identity within the context of contemporary fine art practice. Their first collaborative work was made when they were invited by Stuart Brisley to exhibit work at the Showroom Gallery in London. Whilst it was not explicitly suggested in the invitation, they decided to approach the exhibition collaboratively with Interruptions.

Images of stones overlaid with text, such as dwelling, whereness, etc., were transmitted periodically from a fax machine placed on a plinth at one end of a shallow metal tray 4 meters long 1 meter wide filled with water. The faxes were then retrieved from the water, laid on salt (1 ton of which had been imported into the gallery to cover the floor of entire back space) and eventually dried in front of a small electric fire turning the paper black. At intervals the dried sheets of paper were taken into the front space of the gallery washed and finally pasted on a wall close to a seated audience. The actions, prompted by the insistent arrival of each faxed image, were performed for the duration of five hours. Over this time the air became dry with salt.

Installation photographs by Lanis Levy