Artist Beatriz Olabarrieta presented a new durational performance and install that evolved over the course of the day. Dumb Bells consists of a set of five minimal plays that reference the first-ever book written entirely by the artificial intelligence software Racter, short for Raconteur, by William Chamberlain and Thomas Etter – a program generating English-language prose at random.
The existence of the programme was revealed in 1983 in the book The Policeman’s Beard Is Half Constructed, described as having been composed entirely by the software.
Throughout the day, the scripts, soundtracks, sculptural elements and performances were generated live, inviting the audience to be present during each minimal play’s construction.
Beatriz Olabarrieta (b. Bilbao, Spain) graduated from Wimbledon School of Art in 2004 and the Royal College of Art in 2007. She lives and works in London. Recent solo shows include: Cosmic Clap, MOT International, London (2015); Plot Bunny, Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland (2015); Diagonal Z Jeans, Parallel, Oaxaca, in collaboration with Museo Experimental El Eco, Mexico City, Mexico (2014) and Shifty-Show (A performance with five voice overs) Cell Project Space, London (2013). Recent group shows include All Over, Studio Leigh, London (2016) and The boys the girls and the political, Lisson Gallery, London (2015). In 2016, Olabarrieta completed the Platform residency at Site Gallery in Sheffield and has recently been awarded the Joanna Drew Travel Bursary towards a research trip to Japan.
Music by Harriet Pittard/Zoee and Beatriz Olabarrieta
Performers: Rob Crosse and Sophie Cundale
Saturdays Live explore ideas and practices connected to Serpentine Galleries exhibitions and projects through performances, interventions and participatory actions.
