Premiere of "27" by the Australian Art Quartet - Butt Naked Salon

3/8/2016

There is nothing as exhilarating as a world premiere.

Or so I thought.

Try it naked.

"27" just had its public premiere at Yellow House with the Australian Art Quartet. Although I wrote it in 2012, it still hadn't had a public performance. It is an autobiographical work that I wrote about me at that age, and it depicts deep concentrated stress with light at the end of the tunnel. I mean, I was working part time at the Tom Bass Sculpture Studio whilst doing a masters, being a composer and running the Aurora festival and Chronology Arts ensemble... or something like that.

Working with the Australian Art Quartet has been a delight. Daniel, Kelly, Alina and James have their idiosyncrasies, as with every quartet, and together they make quite a team. The performance of "27" during the dress (or in my case, undress) rehearsal was exceptional. In front of the live audience tonight, it was equally as good.

I say undress because part of the concept of the concert "Butt Naked Salon" was that I pose as a nude life model for artist Wendy Sharpe as she paints murals of me during the event. 4 images, 4 poses, I'd say 2 of 15 mins, then a 17 min and a 22 min pose. She is an incredible artist and it is such a privilege to work with her. Our visual art creating was juxtaposed by Clementine Robertson's static installation where she gets slowly covered by drips of beetroot juice..... all to the sounds of myself, Shostakovich and Ravel.

I'm posing for Wendy whilst she creates murals and the quartet perform "27"

So I was stark naked when 27 was being premiered tonight, posing in a power-pose for Wendy to paint (I was facing the audience, so Wendy was painting my back). My heart was racing... understandably.

I had to break my power-pose to do a proper bow at the end of my work. I quickly got back into it as Wendy hadn't finished her work yet. In all I did 4 poses for her during the night. The music changed the mood I was in and I could feel subtle muscle adjustments on my face as I reacted to the music.

Being the muse whilst also being the creator and being scrutinsed at such a level both aurally, creatively, intellectually, physically and no doubt sexually - I've never had such an exhilarating feeling in my life . I love expressing, and this was raw expression, indeed, absolute truth of self, identity, honesty... love. 

I am writing the Australian Art Quartet another work... but I need commissioning money and this is always a conundrum - every new work is hard to fund raise for...

Wendy and I after the second night...