2010 Challenge

One project, 12 challenges, 12 months

Throughout the course of 2010 challenges were submitted to be undertaken and used as a starting point for the production of art work. It aimed to test artistic practice by undertaking tasks that were in some way alien, and challenges that didn't allow for easy options and had a high chance of struggle, fatigue and failure. Although the challenges were invited to be open, many of those submitted were personal to the challengers, and relevant to the individual.

Throughout the course of the project the emphasis began to shift. Instead of selecting the most challenging each month, the challenges began to be selected with the quality of art work in mind. The project was an exploration into the collaborative act of an artistic practice, and the exploration was an opportunity to discover, take part, learn, take risks, fail and excel. The project concluded in 2011.

January Challenge

18 points out of 576
3.125% successful.
1.125/36

Guests in attendance:
Steven Ingman
Next door neighbours
James E Smith
The Lady Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Jeanine Packer

'Invite local celebrities, national celebrities, local government, local clubs and societies, local press, important people and less so, to come to your studio and have you explain what it is that you do / are doing. It will take all of your cunning and tactical skills to get people to actually come, and you can rate the exercise based on who you manage to get (ie. the mayor = 10 points, head of the local hells angels = 4 points).'

Challenged by Alexander Stevenson

February Challenge

(A work of two parts)
Audio and printed rules for an installation

'I challenge you not to think about art for a whole year.'

Challenged by Paul Matosic

March Challenge

(A piece of three parts)

'Sorry'
Balloon launch, with thanks to Nottingham Castle
20 apologies

'Apology to the Ambrose Sisters'
A bouquet of Hydrangea’s

'Apology to Jeni'
18 Cadburys Cream Eggs

'To list and act appropriately towards all the people to whom you owe apologies.

I am not challenging you to write letters to every single person you owe apologies to, in some cases this may be inappropriate, and re-approaching someone you have hurt in the past, may be upsetting for them again. I trust you to have a degree of discretion about who you choose to apologise to. I would like you to think of and write down, everyone you may have upset, hurt, wronged, stolen from, angered or done other activity that could warrant an apology, however great or small, and to write these down, along with dates, names, activities etc, that can be remembered, in a fashion as to which you see appropriate. These needn't be exhibited in their entirety, again, discretion would be a necessity. Some form of public statement should be acknowledged for every wrong-doing/occasion; the published details of the wrongdoings are at your discretion. The apologies must not state that they have come from a challenge, or that I have told you to do this. The apologies you do make, if any, must be genuine and honest.

This might be quite a horrible thing to have to do. So I will add one additional condition: that you can stop thinking about this if you start to feel uncomfortably anxious or guilty. While it might be interesting to work through times like these, I think it is important that you have the option to stop when you need it.'

Challenged by Tom Duggan

April Challenge

Challenges sent to eight competitors, which made four teams. The teams were made of one previous challenger and one person who had not engaged with the project so far. All competitors received packs that contained instructions, a disposable camera, postage information, and their team colour. Upon completing the challenge the competitors were given communication information for their team mates.

Salmon Pink Team: Challenge: Just do it! Tom Duggan; Retuned challenge on time, 31.07.10 Nick Simpson; Returned challenge, late Tom Duggan Nick Simpson Orange Team: Challenge: Live off a food and drink budget of £1 per day for two weeks. This can be a combined budget of £7 per week. Anneka French; Returned challenge, late Steven Bradley; Failed challenge Anneka French Anneka French Blue Team: Challenge: Say yes to every opportunity, invitation or question that requires a decision for 31 consecutive days. To be started in June 2010. Andrew Bracey; Returned challenge, late Tom Godfrey; Returned challenge, late Andrew Bracey Tom Godfrey Yellow Team: Challenge: Beat a world record. Jodie Hawkes; Returned challenge, partially on time Tom Cretney; Failed challenge Jodie Hawkes 'World Record I’ll be trying to beat will be the oldest message in a bottle which spent 92 years 229 days at sea. If all of this works out as I hope, our names will be added to the Guinness Book of World Records on 22nd March 2103. I’m hoping someone, somewhere in the world, 92 years 230 days away will complete the final part of our world record attempt.' - Jodie Hawkes

'Make a whole load of challenges for other people to complete, and send you their responses as evidence.'

Challenged by Jodie Hawkes

May Challenge

One sunny Saturday in July a tourist walks towards Nottingham Contemporary, as the man stands out side reading his map a lady picks up her camera. The man has short brown hair, and a stripy t-shirt. The man moves over to a table and chair where he begins to read his map and study his papers, still looking confused he begins to walk up the road. The lady begins to follow him. Slowly ambling the man’s maps rustle in the light breeze, he crosses from one side of the road to another. At one point he looks to be heading into a museum before crossing back over the road and walking into a pub. The lady waits.

Quickly the tourist re-appears in the street, the map is turned around, he heads further down the road. The tourist reaches a church, he pauses. The lady not far behind pretends to photograph the church. The man begins to walk beside the church he crosses into a shop and reappears. The lady still pretends to photograph the church. The man begins to walk out of site. The lady quickly walks through the church yard, she takes a blurred photograph. The man continues down the road, the scenery has changed its more run down and the man begins to look more confused, he stops in front of a van to look at his map. He is clearly looking for somewhere. The man begins to walk quicker. The lady begins to walk quicker. The man turns left at a chip shop, back onto a main street. The lady quickly takes a photograph as he turns the corner. The man sees her in the chip shop window reflection.

On the main street the man walks upwards heading in a parallel to the way he previously came. The man turns left again. He walks near the tram lines and makes another left. The lady takes another photograph. As she takes the photograph the man looks directly at her. She follows him down an alley way toward the street they have already walked down. The man stops, checks the map and turns around, he knows it’s not the right direction. They walk past each other as he turns around, the lady does not make eye contact. The lady walks a little further and stops to look at a menu on the wall, she watches him turn right at the end of the alleyway retracing his steps. The lady walks quickly back the way she came, following the man to the main street. The man walks towards a bin, rests his map on top of it and looks at the lady. She walks past him back down the street. She pauses and turns back to face the man. He has gone. The lady walks back up the street, she traces all the path ways, but there is no sign of the man.

The lady sees an old woman in a striped jumper, she walks slowly behind her. The old woman is pushing a Zimmer frame. The lady walks past the old woman and stops further down the street. The lady sees the old woman peering into a shop window selling wedding cakes, she stoops lower, and lower, looking in further, she shields her gaze from the sun. The lady takes photographs in the busy street as people pass by.

The old woman finishes peering in the window and crosses the road, she narrowly escapes a collision with a dustbin cart and heads down the road. The lady follows at a distance behind. The old woman merges into the busy street, she turns into Marks and Spencer. The lady takes a photograph as she enters the shop. The old woman heads to the clothes section and begins looking at orange trousers in the sale. The lady looks at some of the rails at a distance. The old woman is still looking at the trousers. The lady looks at the clock. The old woman moves to the jumper section. The lady moves to another isle. The old woman moves back to the orange trousers. The lady moves to another isle. Over the course of an hour the old woman moves back and forth between the same four isles, returning to the same pair of orange trousers. The lady looks at a shelf as a distraction. The old woman walks away. The lady looks at the orange trouser isle, the old woman has gone, she walks around the clothes isles quickly, she heads over to the changing room, and back to the clothes isle, the old woman has gone.

'I challenge you to re-make a piece of work in true Hollywood style. Namely Sophie Calle's Suite Venitienne of 1979 which is now 31. You should follow someone you do not know at all or only vaguely (you can adopt a disguise if you require) for as long as it takes before you are rumbled, you must go everywhere that they go in this time.Along the way you should take images discretely. These should be exhibited somewhere printed in black and white. I accept no ethical responsibility should anything sinister arise from you doing this.'

Challenged by Andrew Bracey

June Challenge

'Test your physical and mental agility to the limit by appearing on a television quiz show or game show.'

Challenged by Anneka French

'12 percent of water used in the home is for personal washing and showers'

July Challenge

‘I challenge you to make or do something that isn’t challenging.’

Challenged by Michael Bowdidge

August Challenge

'Shirt for King Henry III of France and Poland'

The original lyrics from the popular Simon and Garfunkel song Scarborough Fair say ‘Tell her to make me a cambric shirt… without no seams nor needlework.’ The lyrics are said to come form an old Scottish ballad where a young man sets his lover a series of impossible tasks. The key words in the song lyrics are seams; a line or junction sewing two pieces of material together, needlework; work that is performed with a needle, and cambric; a material that originates in France during the English Elizabethan period, it is heavily woven.

During the English Elizabethan period Henry the III of France and Poland was on the throne in France from 1574. He came to the throne later than many Kings after the death of his brother. He shares the reign of France and Poland as his brother the then King of France propositioned Poland that his brother be the new King shortly after the present one passed away, who’s sister had yet to marry. Henry and Poland had a turbulent relationship and the people of the country are suggested to have been surprised by the amount of concern their new King had over his appearance, and questioned whether all French men were the same. Upon being crowned King of France Henry’s royal colours were orange, green and tan.

The shirt is made from cambric in the style of an English Elizabethan day shirt. The shirt has no seams or needlework, it is held together by fastening edges with a series of ribbons, orange denotes the areas where stitching would have been necessary, and green the areas of decoration.  

'Sew me a cambric shirt, without any seam or needlework.'

Challenged by Rob Van Beek

'Red Kite'
Film (23.5 mins)

Hélène Dutrieu the Girl Hawk. Hélène became the first winner of the Coupe Femina for a non-stop flight of 2 hours and 35 minutes. In tribute to this feat a Hawk Kite was launched in Colwick Park overlooking Nottingham Race Course, where pilot Paul De Lesseps crashed in 1910.

The Hawk Kite coated in a thick layer of red feathers attempted several flights, with limited success; the occasional cartwheel sent the Hawk several meters into the sky. The film documents a 23.5 minuet action in celebration of Hélène’s achievements on 21st December 1910.

Red Kite was made in collaboration with film makers Sam Mercer, who filmed and edited the footage.

'Please could you celebrate Hélène Dutrieu's achievements as an aviator.

Her appearances at air shows earned her the nickname the "Girl Hawk". There was a minor scandal early in her aviation career when it was revealed to the press that she did not wear a corset while flying. In September 1910 Dutrieu flew non-stop from... Ostend to Bruges, Belgium. From 26 September to 1 October she flew, frequently carrying passengers, at the aviation week in Burton-upon-Trent, England. She was the first woman pilot to stay airborne for more than an hour and on 21 December 1910 she became the first winner of the Coupe Femina (Femina Cup) for a non-stop flight of 167km in 2 hours 35 minutes.'

Challenged by Julian Hughes

October Challenge

Victoria Beckham, Cheryl Cole, Paris Hilton, the fashion message is that long beautiful, flowing hair is ‘in’. Fashion is making a statement that many follow without knowing the consequences. Hair extensions are big business, and the best extensions are human.

Human hair is a global trade sold and bought for wigs and extensions which are increasingly popular in the Western hemisphere. Although this is a legitimate trade, a certain amount of illegal trading infiltrates the market. Increasingly in Russia and India hair is becoming a valuable commodity. Horror stories of gangs in Russia forcing young women to cut off their hair make minimal headlines in the media, and legitimate trading in Russia has questionable ethics, which relate to the very core of human genesis, creating a consumption crisis. How can a simple human asset become encased in an under reported human ethics debacle? Fashion is setting compromising standards.

The hair drive opens up the debate of sourcing ethical hair by opening up the trading process. Sourcing the hair from audience members and sending directly to the celebrities. Each strand of hair is cut, sealed and sent, arriving at the address a celebrity or their representative.

'Break a bad law that creates space for a better world.'

Challenged by James aka The Vacuum Cleaner

Photography Kelvin Atmadibrata

November Challenge

'Any Way You Can'
Performance as a part of STOFF at Kulturhuset, Stockholm

First Attempt: Action is Action: 15% Successful

Is it possible to bring together a group of people with out an agenda, a direction or intention? Is it possible to bring together strangers and onlookers? Can you make an audience for an audience with out an invitation?

Any Way You Can, was a social experiment performance, it observed the ways that crowds form and disperse, and the reasons people come together. The performance questioned why on mass people gather in one place, or stop to listen to others talking in the street. Through out history crowds have amassed, during times of political unrest in particular, may it be listening to Martin Luther King or rallying against the powers that be. Contemporary society is no different, but there is a new movement that comes together like a growing organism, the Flashmob.

Flashmobbing underpinned the initial performance utilising social media, festival publicity, and social interaction on the streets of Stockholm, it is described as ‘a sudden gathering of people into a crowd that do something unusual for a few minutes in unison and then disperse.’ The seemingly random action creates a scenario for onlookers where the usual rules of engagement change, the ordinary becomes bazaar. Why has this new craze swept across the world? Are people rallying against conformity and everyday life styles, do people want to explore a new way to express themselves on mass, is it the fashionable thing to do? What ever the reason, the standard crowd or mass gathering is now more than ever an unusual weapon both for social change and entertainment, supporting media pressure and developing media stunts.

What would happen if a performer attempted to instigate the creation of a crowd through what ever means possible. Is it possible to create a crowd for the sole purpose of creating a crowd, and if it was formed would the crowd take on a purpose of its own? Further more how would this crowd be created?

The performance aimed to address all of the above questions using intervention based methods of engagement. The performance was an experiment that inevitably began, changed and ended. Over the course of two days the performance saw the lone performer attempt to amass a crowd, with no set agenda, with many methods of persuasion, and a changing mentality which will morph as the performer fails, recounts and begins again. All the eggs were in one basket for 20.00hrs on the STOFF stage at the Kulturhuset Stockholm.

'Go to a crowded but unfamiliar street (ideally in a town away from where you live). Gather a crowd of twenty or more people around you, any way you can.'

Challenged by Martin Reed

Photography Tom Cretney

December Challenge

'Adapa, Guardian in the Year 9999'
Performance and installation at The Monks Gallery

In the year 9999, New Year is no longer a celebration, but has become once again a ritual undertaken not to bring in the New Year but to keep the world safe for another. The world has become engulfed in water, following years of speculation, limited landmass remains. The population of the world has been reduced to a fraction of what it was, and following the collapse of economic and technological structures civilisations returned to a more basic religious way of life, promoted from ancient tablets said to be from Babylonian times that tell of a mortal fisherman who despite being offered immortality remained amongst the world of men. This man is known as Adapa one of the Seven Sages, and is the protector of the world as it stands. Before the technological lights went out forever an Internet video and sound track was found, it promoted the same words as the tablets, and its words remained with the world.

Each passing of the moon is recognised as it was in times gone by, and as time changes from one year to the next the myth ritual of Adapa is played out. No longer recognising the Gregorian calendar, New Year has become in a state of flux, it is initiated when citizens most need it as the season change and light turns to dark. Elements of the old ways remain and are adapted in the Adapa ritual, a symbol of changing currents and future paths.

'Celebrate new year's eve as if it would be already Friday, December 31st of the year 9999. Invite people living already in the future.'

Challenged by Julian Klein