WESTERN FRONT – Tom's Diary, An Art Convention

Description:

Tom’s Diary, An Art Convention was a performance by Tom Graff that unfolded in three parts: "We Should Take the Mona Lisa at Face Value," "You Have to Believe it to See it," and "The Surgical Masque." He was joined by a cast of fifteen, which included the Surgery Theatre Choir, a pianist, and a timpanist to present this sprawling performance based on his diaristic writings. Graff designed a series of sets throughout Western Front that each represented separate parts of the narrative. In total, 1,152 yards of cloth were used in the scenography.

Outside of the three performances, the public was invited to view the sets as installations at select times from May 29 to Jun 12.

Tom’s Diary, An Art Convention was presented as part of the New Musica series.

Seen in black and white, in the Grand Luxe Hall, a performer stands in a pale laboratory coat, tie, collared shirt and trousers, frantically waving a large Canadian flag, and a send help sign. He stands in a shelter made of wooden planks, to the left stands a television box and behind him sits a crowd of people with open music notes.

Seen in black and white, in the Grand Luxe Hall, a performer in a pale laboratory coat, tie, collared shirt and trousers, frantically waves a Canadian flag and holds a send help sign. They stand below a cover, attached to a house foundation made of wooden planks. Beside them to the left sits a television box, and behind them are people sitting with open music notes.

Seen in black and white, a performer in a white laboratory coat jabs a dead turkey on a table with a stick. To the right stands a performer dressed in a 20th century nurse uniform holding musical notes to the performer. In the background, a set of curtains covers closed blinds, and a television box sits on the right.

Seen in black and white, in the Grand Luxe Hall, a performer in a pale trench coat ties a rope around their waist, while another person stands behind them, setting mechanical angel wings across their back. In front of them, a set of musical notes stands facing them on a stand, and behind them lie empty chairs.

Seen in black and white, a performer sits reading musical notes on a stage where a choir sing seated. The stage is made of a wooden shelter covering them, and in front of them stands a picket fence.

Seen in black and white, two performers hover over a dead turkey lying on a table. Behind them, on a stage, a choir stares at them. The performer on the left is dressed in a pale laboratory coat, and the one on the right is in an early 20th-century nurse uniform.

Seen in black and white, two performers, one dressed in a laboratory coat, tie, collared shirt and pants, and the other in a 20th-century nurse uniform, stand on a stage, with a choir singing behind them. The laboratory coat performer speaks to the audience, while the nurse has their back turned, with their face to the crowd.

Seen in black and white, a performer in a laboratory coat stands with their arms raised in a conductor's stance, while a choir sings behind them. Next to the performer, a person holding a fan sits and glares at the audience.

Seen in black and white, a crowd of people wearing surgical masks stand behind two sets of blinds, with only an opening in the centre line. In front of the blinds, two performers crouch facing them. A picket fence and outlines of the audience cover the foreground.

Seen in black and white, in the Grand Luxe Hall, stands a stage encompassed by a barren shelter construction, within sit chairs and a stand with musical notes. In front of it stands a picket fence with an entrance at its centre, where a crowd of performers in laboratory coats walk out with bouquets in hand.

Seen in black and white, two performers sit at a desk with musical notes, a champagne flute and a pen. The performer on the right waves a decorated fan and wears a cape; to the left, a performer holds their hand to their opposite shoulder, smiling.

Seen in black and white, a performer stands by a desk, fiddling with an instrument, while another performer sits across, leaning musical notes to their head. Two television boxes stand on opposite ends of the room, blinds with curtains cover the background, and in the foreground stands a picket fence.

Captions:

Tom Graff, Tom's Diary, An Art Convention, photo documentation, May 28, 1982.
Tom Graff, Tom's Diary, An Art Convention, photo documentation, May 28, 1982.
Tom Graff, Tom's Diary, An Art Convention, photo documentation, May 28, 1982.
Tom Graff, Tom's Diary, An Art Convention, photo documentation, May 28, 1982.
Tom Graff, Tom's Diary, An Art Convention, photo documentation, May 28, 1982.
Tom Graff, Tom's Diary, An Art Convention, photo documentation, May 28, 1982.
Tom Graff, Tom's Diary, An Art Convention, photo documentation, May 28, 1982.
Tom Graff, Tom's Diary, An Art Convention, photo documentation, May 28, 1982.
Tom Graff, Tom's Diary, An Art Convention, photo documentation, May 28, 1982.
Tom Graff, Tom's Diary, An Art Convention, photo documentation, May 28, 1982.
Tom Graff, Tom's Diary, An Art Convention, photo documentation, May 28, 1982.
Tom Graff, Tom's Diary, An Art Convention, photo documentation, May 28, 1982.

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.