The Casual Arrangements of Joan Perkins, 2007
Whippit, Dartington Village Hall


Worked for a little while under the alias of Joan Perkins, a name selected from a found list.

This live piece comprised of a series of actions using objects found in situ in the kitchen of the village hall. Actions were devised in the afternoon leading up to the performance including hiding pearls in the kettle for pouring onto the W.I. noticeboard on the kitchen table. It took a while for the pearls to be poured magically from the kettle and made a nice surprise. Pearls made a lovely rattling noise with the final few having to be whirled around the kettle, like the dregs of the tea; the lid held tightly until the last pearl poured.

The pearls had been collected from necklaces bought from jumble sales attended on the previous few weeks; necklaces being cut up and salvaged for the faux pearl beads.

The vases you can see in the photo over there -> on top of the cabinet were part of the performance. They were found that afternoon in the cupboard and arranged at height using the village hall ladder.

The event was part of a series of work in progress nights organised by our MA group at Dartington College of Arts, 2006-2008

image (left) video still: Bill Leslie