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LuckyPDF presents live performances from the Frieze Art Fair

By Riah Pryor. From Frieze daily edition
Published online: 13 October 2011

Helen Benigson (Princess Belsize Dollar) performs with LuckyPDF for, “Live from Frieze Art Fair, This is LuckyPDF TV”, 2011

london. With more than 50 artists to work with and four live shows to produce for a television broadcast at Frieze, artist collective LuckyPDF, based in Peckham, south London, aims to create an “exciting lifestyle” experience. James Early, John Hill, Ollie Hogan and Yuri Pattison have commissioned works by other artists for the fair, including performances, videos and talks, which feature in their programme, Live from Frieze Art Fair, This is LuckyPDF TV, 2011 (P2).

Performances will happen live at the fair, and will be broadcast in the temporary space and transmitted online. “The art almost has two audiences; those at the fair and [those watching via] the camera,” Early says. The aim is for participating artists to retain their autonomy. “We are not producers or curators,” he says. “We are collaborators with other artists and so can be more critical of their ideas.”

Patterson describes the audience as a “prop” in the creation of the work, and LuckyPDF welcome the element of chance introduced by the fact that it takes place live. They say this also prevents artists from becoming “precious”.

The collective’s faith in chance, however, falters a little when discussing the work of participating artist Paul Simon Richards—a live performance due to take place today of two wrestlers quietly discussing their differences. “We hope they can work it out without getting physical,” they joke.

Other artists involved include Jimmy Merris, Cory Arcangel and Tobias Madison. The live broadcasts take place from 4pm to 5pm daily, and the artist Ben Vickers will create a record of the project, available on a limited edition of 100 USB devices (£250 each).