WESTERN FRONT – Performance by Geoffrey Hendricks

Description:

While in residence at Western Front, American Fluxus artist Geoff Hendricks presented a solo performance composed of a sequence of actions. Over the course of an hour, Hendricks pushed around loose rocks, poured water through a colander, trimmed his hair and beard, climbed a ladder, and pinned various textiles to a clothesline strung across the stage. Two assistants sat at the foot of the stage, drawing handfuls of sand from paper bags and spreading it across the floor.

As the performance progressed, Hendricks integrated foraged plants and flowers into both the environment and his costume, tucking twigs and blossoms into scraps of white fabric tied around his knees, feet, and head. By the end, he wore large bouquets on his feet like botanical snowshoes.

In the final gestures of the performance, Hendricks decorated a wooden chair, tying foraged twigs to its edges to create the illusion it was sprouting new growth. He then sawed the chair in half, marking the work’s conclusion.

Sponsored by the Simon Fraser University School of Communication.

Video documentation is available upon request.

Seen in black and white, Geoff Hendricks sits in a linen shirt, long beard and glasses, in a chair, above a pile of rocks, reading a book. To his left stand two ladders with developing photographs. The foreground is crossed horizontally by wire, imitating a fence.

Seen in black and white, Geoff Hendricks wears glasses, long hair and a beard, and a linen shirt with paintbrushes jutting out from their jeans. They push a pile of rocks on their hands and knees. Behind them, containers and two ladders can be seen.

Seen in black and white, Geoff Hendricks pulls up a long tube above their head. They sport glasses, a linen shirt, jeans, shoulder-length hair and a beard. To their right stand two ladders with developing photographs stuck to each step. In front of them sit two planks, music sheets on a stand and a trash can. Two wires constrain the sight, crossing horizontally, replicating a fence.

Seen in black and white, Geoff Hendricks stands, pouring liquid from a ladle into a sieve, allowing it to pour through into a trash can. They sport a collared shirt and jeans, their back covered in moss-like material, shoulder-length hair and beard. The foreground is interrupted by two clothing lines, a single white towel hanging in front of Hendricks.

Seen in black and white, Geoff Hendricks leans over a music sheet on a stand, with a pipe, wearing a collared shirt, pants, glasses, shoulder-length hair, and a beard. Behind them stand two ladders with developing photographs attached at each step, containers and a trash can. The foreground is interrupted by two clothing lines crossing horizontally and a single white towel hanging to the left of Hendricks.

Seen in black and white, Geoff Hendricks pours a bucket of hair over themself, wearing a collared shirt, pants, shoulder-length hair and a long beard. Behind them stands an open grand piano with music sheets. In the foreground are outlined audience member heads, and two clothing lines obstruct the view of Hendricks.

Seen in black and white, Geoff Hendricks sits at the top of two ladders standing next to each other. On both ladders are posted a developing photograph at each step. Hendricks wears a collared shirt, pants, and a white ribbon wrapped around their head down to their feet. The foreground interrupts the view with two clothing lines crossing horizontally, with a single white towel hanging in the centre.

Seen in black and white, Geoff Hendricks balances on a chair with their back to the audience and legs bent into the air. On their legs are wrapped tree branches extending into the air. Next to Hendricks on the left stands a ladder with developing photographs stuck onto each step. The foreground obstructs the view with two clothing lines crossing horizontally and a music sheet stand below it.

Seen in black and white, Geoff Hendricks attaches long branches onto a chair whilst sporting a collared shirt, pants, a white ribbon strapped across their head, glasses, shoulder-length hair and beard. Their legs are strapped with more branches, and behind them stands a grand piano. The foreground interrupts the view with two clothing lines crossing horizontally.

Seen in black and white, Geoff Hendricks attaches long branches to a chair in front of it. Sticks scatter the ground, and to the right stands a ladder with photographs attached at each step. The foreground obstructs the view with two clothing lines crossing horizontally.

Seen in black and white, a spotlight illuminates Geoff Hendricks, who is covered in blooming branches, vines and sticks, with only their head wrapped in white ribbon protruding from the bouquet. They sport glasses and a beard. In the foreground stands a music sheet stand, and two clothing lines cross in the centre.

Related Events

1987

Lecture by Geoffrey Hendricks

Captions:

Geoffrey Hendricks at Western Front, Mar 18, 1987.
Geoffrey Hendricks at Western Front, Mar 18, 1987.
Geoffrey Hendricks at Western Front, Mar 18, 1987.
Geoffrey Hendricks at Western Front, Mar 18, 1987.
Geoffrey Hendricks at Western Front, Mar 18, 1987.
Geoffrey Hendricks at Western Front, Mar 18, 1987.
Geoffrey Hendricks at Western Front, Mar 18, 1987.
Geoffrey Hendricks at Western Front, Mar 18, 1987.
Geoffrey Hendricks at Western Front, Mar 18, 1987.
Geoffrey Hendricks at Western Front, Mar 18, 1987.
Geoffrey Hendricks at Western Front, Mar 18, 1987.

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Western Front is a non-profit artist-run centre in Vancouver.

We acknowledge the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations as traditional owners of the land upon which Western Front stands.