Last Thursday myself and a small band of Inivators put on a glorious event for ‘Possible Damage’, our exhibition response to Rabih Mroue’s I, The Undersigned – The People are Demanding. We had created audio tours in response to the pieces in the Education Space, with an added surprise. At the end of the recording, people were selected to meet with an Iniva staff member, waiting with a message…
Possible Damage, the Inivators with Tania El Khoury, Rivington Place, Photo by Christa Holka
This was me, in a black uniform and a fake badge, smiling brightly and chatting inanely as I led them, either one by one or in small groups of ‘witnesses’, to the interrogation room. A lot of people came along on the night, so a bit of rushed reorganisation was required of us, but everyone who came into the interrogation room left looking anxious, bewildered and slightly shaken by the experience. Discretion was advised to all, but word spread within Iniva gallery, and so the atmosphere was tense, but buzzy and excited.
Possible Damage: In Progress II (interrogation room), the Inivators and Tania El Khoury, 2011
The event went so well, and after working within a group over several months, it was so exhilarating to see other people enjoying the exhibition, and reacting to our audio tour. All of us are full with such a strong sense of achievement, and I think what amazes me so much about the whole process is that it was a true collaboration between several talented individuals with such different ways of thinking, doing and being. And from that we have curated and produced a show that reflects all of us and that we are all proud of. For me, having never studied or practiced art in this way, it’s a perspective tilting experience that I won’t forget in a hurry.
Our last event within the space is a series of performance lectures on the 30th April. I have no idea what’s happening, which is all the more reason to come and see it.
Hip-hip hooray to all the Inivators who have taken part: Alexandra, Ella, Gita, Hailey, Hussain, Karli, Luke, Quincey, Raziya, Ruth, Ryan, Tara, Yemisi and Yolanda….
The Inivators with artist Tania El Khoury
Huge thanks to artist Tania El-Khoury for being amazing…
Finally, a heartfelt thanks to Education Curator Teresa Cisneros and Jess Harrington for all their hard work and long hours – there wouldn’t be an exhibition in the first place without you.
by Tara Brown, one of the Inivators