Points of Contact

Along with works by Lye and Oiticica, Points of Contact reassembles for the first time the works of Jim Allen’s seminal 1969 Small Worlds exhibition and features a re-staging of one of Allen’s most emblematic works: the 1974 three-part performance Contact.

The three part performance Contact by New Zealand artist Jim Allen hasn’t been shown since it was first performed in 1974 at the Auckland City Art Gallery.

It will be reconstructed for the opening of Points of Contact: Jim Allen, Len Lye, Hélio Oiticica, an exhibition that traces the connections between the three artists.

Contact is a work in three parts, or ‘performance situations’, titled Computer Dance, Parangole Capes and Body Articulation / Imprint and performed in that order.

Although each part can exist in its own right the event only fully works if their performance is seen in sequence.

Each part takes about one hour to perform by six performers wearing a minimum of clothing and some donning masks and capes.

Connecting the parts are TV screens showing recordings from the last performance so spectators have a visual juxtaposition of live and completed events.

Govett-Brewster Art Gallery director Rhana Devenport says Jim Allen was one of the key figures of conceptual or post object art in New Zealand who made an important contribution to the history of this period through his sculptural, performative and pedagogical work.

“Contact is one of Allen’s most ambitious performative projects, and one that deserves to be seen by contemporary audiences,” Ms Devenport says.

The work only existed in the form of documentation, including video tapes and photographs housed at Elam School of Fine Arts and it was important to reconstruct and preserve it, she says.

Along with works by Lye and Oiticica, Points of Contact re-assembles for the first time the works of Allen’s Small Worlds 1969, Space Plane 1969 and The Water Pillow 1969.

The restaging of Contact will run through the exhibition opening on Saturday December 11 with part one: Computer Dance at 3.30pm and part two: Parangole Capes at 6.30pm and on Sunday December 12 with part 3: Body Articulation/Imprint at 11am.

The exhibition Points of Contact: Jim Allen, Len Lye, Helio Oiticica is curated by Tyler Cann and Mercedes Vicente and is on from December 11 to February 27.

To learn more about the works, join the curators with Wystan Curnow (critic and curator) and Tony Green (art historian) for a lively discussion of ideas surrounding the exhibition on Saturday December 11 at 2pm.

Also, on Sunday December 12 join the curators in conversation with Jim Allen from 12noon.

Image caption: Jim Allen Contact, part one “Computer Dance” 1974

Photo by Bryony Dalefield

Courtesy of the artist and Michael Lett