7 November 2009 – 21 February 2010
Tuesday – Sunday 11am – 5pm
Launch: Friday 6 November, from 7pm with performances by The Ken Ardley Playboys, The Apathy Band, Leigh Clarke, Boycott Coca-Cola Experience, The Fucks and Resonance Radio Orchestra
Residency: 22 February 2009 – 21 February 2010
Listen to Bob & Roberta read Let’s do something or ‘we must do something’.
Since February 2009, Bob & Roberta Smith have been making the most of the spacious Beaconsfield premises, using them as a prolific site of production for one whole year. As the final months of this epic project approach, Bob & Roberta Smith will mark the end of their time at Beaconsfield with an extensive exhibition in all three gallery spaces, showcasing the mass output achieved during their time in residence.
On 6 November 2009, Beaconsfield will invite the public to view a culmination of Bob and Roberta Smith’s work with a maximalist display in their retro Arch space. The display will highlight the themes that unite the diverse output of this British maverick, with an array of recent works made for a plethora of contexts – from international museums to public commissions. The largest work, ‘This Artist is Deeply Dangerous’ (commissioned by Beaconsfield) will take pride of place in the lofty Upper Space where it was painted. This 11 meter long work is the most complex painting Bob and Roberta Smith have made to date and takes inspiration from, Steve Bierley’s (Tennis Correspondent of the Guardian) remarkable article on the artist Louise Bourgeois. An exclusive, limited edition etching made for Factory Outlet will be available for sale.
Bob says:
“The work could be called ‘One Song to the Tune of another’ – let me explain – in the manner of the popular Radio 4 programme ‘I’m sorry I haven’t a clue’, last summer, the Guardian sent its Art’s writers to review sports events and its sports writers to review Art events. Among the results was this amazingly frank analysis of the differences between art and sport by tennis correspondent Steve Bierley. Oddly one visitor to Beaconsfield last week was Jeremy Hardy who once sang Teenage Kicks to the tune of Jerusalem during an edition of ‘I’m sorry I haven’t a clue’.”
Bob and Roberta Smith believe the activity of art is the important thing. Art is not simply about objects or Artists. “There should be no Artists just people making Art.”
Click here to download Bob and Roberta Smith’s essay Let’s do something or ‘we must do something’
This is the first in the Beaconsfield series Phase, which turns the spotlight on mid-career artists with whom the organisation has had a significant past relationship. Beaconsfield offers a space for artists and audiences to experience high quality (‘beacon’), challenging, new art works in a wide range (‘field’) of contemporary visual art media through commissions, group exhibitions, performances, publications and events.
Beaconsfield Commissions 2009