Maps, Territories and Lotusland

Last week I took part in the final night of the Lotusland residency at Changing Spaces, following the kind invitation of Jo Brook.

Lotusland is an open studio residency devised by artists Philip Cornett and Paul Kindersley. Billed as "a space to nurture a utopian yearning of a queerness that is not yet here", Lotusland channels the aesthetics of Jack Smith into a series of vibrant and subversive works across a variety of media.  

The performance evening involved installations and video screenings from the artists, plus performances by Richard Dodwell, Jamie Ashman, Tom Tyldesley & Eve Avdoulos.



Bad Timing installed Self-Assembly, their mobile 'possible space' that functions as a venue-within-a-venue whenever and wherever it manifests. Projected inside Self-Assembly on this occasion was my video about William Burroughs, Territories (2015). 

Territories was designed as an installation piece to tie in with the themes of the evening. I was ably assisted in the making of the video by Evie Salmon who provided the brilliant narration. On the night, the programme notes used the following outline: 

Combining images and field recordings from New York, London and Paris, Territories moves through some of the many places William Burroughs lived during his long career. Of particular interest are the sites which carried a magickal significance for for him. Although somewhat nomadic, Burroughs was able to situate himself very specifically into each space he encountered. Sometimes this involved the performance of 'operations' in a given area. These exercises and Burroughs's life of travel may help us question what is meant by 'home'.

Scroll down for a series of images from the show. 

Still from Territories (2015) 

Self-Assembly installed. 

Self-Assembly inhabited.