Deutsche Bank After School Club

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• published: 12 Nov 2015
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Performance in the Deutsche bank lobby at their main office in London. The piece was inspired by some events I oversaw whilst working at Frieze Art Fair this year, it was during the preview day and not open to the public. I was invigilating a installation that consisted of a large tent containing a soundscape and visuals. People where welcome to go in and do as they wished. In the late afternoon a mother and her child visited, she must have been no older than 10 and was still wearing school uniform. The little girl proceeded to have a lovely time in the installation rolling/crawling around, smiling and generally having fun. No doubt pleased to have had something different to do after school. Five minutes after the girl and her mother had entered, a group of businessmen came up to me led by a friend/colleague who due to his particular lanyard I can only presume was part of Deutsche bank. I opened the door at their request so they could look inside at the piece. Peering round they came across the little girl who carefree and actively enjoying herself had caused her school skirt to ride up and reveal her pants. Removing their heads they turned to each other with smiles, one of the group exclaimed 'phwaaaaaaaa!' in an exited and explicit tone and they all laughed as they eyed each other up in a crude provocative manner. As Deutsche bank is the main sponsor of Frieze art fair I decided to take this act back to them. To highlight not only the unacceptable nature of such jokes and remarks, but also how these are the people funding the seemingly inspirational or beautiful art world. Action 10/11/15: I shaved off all my body hair apart from on my head and eyebrows, a gesture to the pre pubescent nature of the girl. Then put on a short red checked school skirt, children’s pants, white frilly socks and school shoes. In this outfit I walked inside Deutsche bank's offices on London Wall, a place famed for its large contemporary art collection. Once inside I preceded to roll around on their lobby floor, did handstands and roly polys, lied and looked at the ceiling and generally played and had fun, whilst simultaneously exposing my pants. Every time someone tried to leave the building I would act in a sexually provocative manner towards them. I have framed the hair I shaved off my body with a note saying ‘Art department’ on Deutsche bank headed paper. It was written down for me by the secretary when I went in to scout out the offices. To commemorate the performance the frame will be sent back to the Deutsche bank office so they can hang it on the wall with all their other art. The performance went on till security called the police, soon after this i left the building. Two members of the Deutsche bank security where then instructed to follow us as we walked home, we decided to split up and meet later on. http://www.adonaghy.com/