PETER LIVERSIDGE
Proposals
At the outset of the project, artists were asked to submit proposals for
works they wished to exhibit in the Cab Gallery. When they began to receive
three to four typed proposals from Peter a day, it became obvious that
each proposal was a work in itself. These two were the first works to
be exhibited in Cab Gallery.
Photocopied text 1999
Untitled
These two photographs document an installation by Peter Liversidge. He
placed a real stuffed robin on the back seat of the taxi to gauge the
reaction of passengers. In the same way that a robin is very territorial
and dominates his surroundings, so the passenger feels protected and secure
within the environment of the taxi.
C-type photograph 2000
Artist's Book
A collation of all of the proposals, in book form (edition 20, 2000),
sent to Paul Stolper and Jason Brown for Cab Gallery. This sits on the
shelf of the passenger seat in the back of the taxi. This together with
blown-up proposals from the book were exhibited in Arcade which began
at The Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, and subsequently toured for a year to
various venues. Susie Hamilton was also featured in this show curated
by Debbie Kermode.
Limited edition book 1999
Banner
A plastic strip placed onto the front of the windscreen which reads 'Jason',
and 'Meter'. 'Banner' makes reference to the practice, typically by young
men, of putting both their name and their girlfriends onto the windscreen
as a show of loyalty.
Plastic vinyl 2000
Proposal No.2
A set of prison clothes to be placed onto the back seat of the taxi. These
are to be left on the seat, so that when a new passenger enters the taxi
they will assume that an escaped prisoner has only recently left jumped
out having changed clothes into 'civvies'.
Potato prints on clothes 2000
Proposal No.5
Wedding confetti is sprinkled into the passenger compartment of the taxi
by Jason prior to someone getting into the taxi. This, more often than
not, prompts a conversation between Jason and the passenger about a fictitious
wedding that has just taken place. Jason's preferred story is that whilst
driving past a church, he noticed that the wedding carriage had broken
down, so offered to whisk them off to Heathrow.
Confetti 2000
North Montana Plains
Based on a series of paintings of 'The North Montana Plains', this was
a three-dimensional recreation of one of his paintings; the installation
taking up the entire passenger section of the taxi. All of the windows
were blacked out, so that the only way of seeing the piece was through
a crack in the perspex passenger divider from the driver's seat. A soundtrack
of 'The Plains' accompanied the piece; with howling wolves and fercious
winds.
Wood, paint, glue 1999
Mind The Gap
Installed for the opening of Art 2000 (see The Independent Newspaper,
Press section). A proposal from the book, this piece re-creates the 'Mind
the Gap' warning seen on The London Underground.
Stencilled carpet 2000
absenta.com
A painting of the 'Absenta' absinthe bottle. absenta.com were the first
sponsors of The Cab Gallery, and supplied private views with free drink,
from the launch in Hoxton Square onwards. The painting is an example of
Peter's interest in advertising and sloganeering, and echoes his series
of paintings of advertisements taken from The National Geographic.
Vinyl 1999
Extract from SOUNDPIECE
(172k)
Taxi Driver
A cassette piece to be played by Jason during the working day if he wishes
or at private views. 'Taxi driver' is an edited version of the soundtrack
to the film of the same name.
Cassette tape 1999
Proposal No.23
" I propose to place a music entertainment system in the cab. The system
would have the entire Domino Records catalogue on CD, perhaps one of those
'100 CD' CD players. If the CD player is not possible then the music could
be on tape-cassette."
The piece began as one of many ideas for
projects set out in his 'Proposals for Cab Gallery', (see above for details
of the book). As proposals in the book, many will remain as abstract ideas.
Sometimes though, when Cab Gallery is invited to take part in an exhibition,
Peter has been able to realise an idea specifically for the private view.
In this case the piece was made for 'Record Collection', at VTO Gallery,
27th April, 2001.
Multi-Deck CD player and Speakers
on stands 2001
Proposal No.35
Stamped ping-pong balls 2000