Peter Liversidge
Encyclopedia
Peter Liversidge is a British contemporary artist notable for his diverse artistic practice and use of proposals.
and film and photography at Montana State University-Bozeman. He moved to London in 1996 where he now lives with his wife and two children.
typewriter, Liversidge has created proposals for exhibitions that range from the simple to the impossible. He experiments with what he describes as the "notion of creativity", often realised as objects, performances, or happenings over the course of an exhibition. Liversidge says of his proposals that: ".. it's important that some of the proposals are actually realized, but no more so that the others that remain only as text on a piece of A4 paper. In a sense they are all possible and the bookwork that collates the proposals allows the reader to curate their own show, and because of its size and scale the bookwork allows an individual to interact with each of the proposals on their own terms, one to one."
He draws inspiration not just from artists such as On Kawara
, Fischli and Weiss and Keith Arnatt
, but also from artists such as Joseph Cornell
and the Reverend Howard Finster, as well as inveterate tinkerers like his own grandfathers. Liversidge is driven by the generative notion of creativity and the idea that art is most successful when it exists slightly outside of formalist notions of fine art. The physical objects Liversidge produces often include banal, everyday materials that are repurposed or co-opted for his use. His work, as seen in a lot of his proposals, requires the presence of the viewer and their interpretation of the proposals to complete the aesthetic experience.
Liversidge has worked with, and exhibited at, numerous institutions, such as Tate Liverpool
in 2008, the Centre d'Art Santa Mònica
, Barcelona in 2008, Bloomberg SPACE, London in 2009 and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
in 2010. He has also developed projects for the Europalia
Festival in 2007, Art Basel
, Miami, in 2009 and Edinburgh's Sculpture Park, Jupiter Artland, also in 2009.
While Liversidge's work is in numerous public and private collections, his performances, such as Gin Stand and Plum Bread present the viewers with a unique piece of work to take away with them.. Another aspect of Liversidge's work is sending various objects through the post. "For Peter Liversidge the postal service is also a collaborator in the work. The attached post labels and alterations are like contributions to the piece."
He has also created video projections for the bands Wires Under Tension
and Balmorhea
.
Personal
Peter Liversidge studied art at the University of PlymouthUniversity of Plymouth
Plymouth University is the largest university in the South West of England, with over 30,000 students and is 9th largest in the United Kingdom by total number of students . It has almost 3,000 staff...
and film and photography at Montana State University-Bozeman. He moved to London in 1996 where he now lives with his wife and two children.
Work
Over the course of 10 years, using an OlivettiOlivetti
Olivetti S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of computers, printers and other business machines.- Founding :The company was founded as a typewriter manufacturer in 1908 in Ivrea, near Turin, by Camillo Olivetti. The firm was mainly developed by his son Adriano Olivetti...
typewriter, Liversidge has created proposals for exhibitions that range from the simple to the impossible. He experiments with what he describes as the "notion of creativity", often realised as objects, performances, or happenings over the course of an exhibition. Liversidge says of his proposals that: ".. it's important that some of the proposals are actually realized, but no more so that the others that remain only as text on a piece of A4 paper. In a sense they are all possible and the bookwork that collates the proposals allows the reader to curate their own show, and because of its size and scale the bookwork allows an individual to interact with each of the proposals on their own terms, one to one."
He draws inspiration not just from artists such as On Kawara
On Kawara
is a Japanese conceptual artist living in New York City since 1965. He has shown in many solo and group exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale in 1976.-Early life:After graduating from Kariya High School in 1951, Kawara moved to Tokyo...
, Fischli and Weiss and Keith Arnatt
Keith Arnatt
Keith Arnatt was a British conceptual artist and photographer. In 2004, he was exposed at Rencontres d'Arles festival . In 2007 a retrospective of his work was held at The Photographers' Gallery, London....
, but also from artists such as Joseph Cornell
Joseph Cornell
Joseph Cornell was an American artist and sculptor, one of the pioneers and most celebrated exponents of assemblage...
and the Reverend Howard Finster, as well as inveterate tinkerers like his own grandfathers. Liversidge is driven by the generative notion of creativity and the idea that art is most successful when it exists slightly outside of formalist notions of fine art. The physical objects Liversidge produces often include banal, everyday materials that are repurposed or co-opted for his use. His work, as seen in a lot of his proposals, requires the presence of the viewer and their interpretation of the proposals to complete the aesthetic experience.
Liversidge has worked with, and exhibited at, numerous institutions, such as Tate Liverpool
Tate Liverpool
Tate Liverpool is an art gallery and museum in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, and part of Tate, along with Tate St Ives, Cornwall, Tate Britain, London, and Tate Modern, London. The museum was an initiative of the Merseyside Development Corporation...
in 2008, the Centre d'Art Santa Mònica
Centre d'Art Santa Mònica
Centre d'Art Santa Mònica, sometimes shortened as CASM, is a public museum of contemporary art in Barcelona opened in 1988. It's located in the Raval side of Rambla de Santa Mònica . It has no permanent collection but it hosts a number of travelling expositions of contemporary Spanish and...
, Barcelona in 2008, Bloomberg SPACE, London in 2009 and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh, holds the national collection of modern art. When opened in 1960, the collection was held in Inverleith House, at the Royal Botanic Gardens...
in 2010. He has also developed projects for the Europalia
Europalia
Europalia is a major international arts festival held every two years to celebrate one invited country’s cultural heritage. Europalia was established in Brussels in 1969, and from the beginning Europalia was designed to be a multidisciplinary cultural festival....
Festival in 2007, Art Basel
Art Basel
Art Basel is an international contemporary art fair held each June in Basel, Switzerland. Similar to the Venice Biennale, it has been called "the Olympics of the art world". Art Basel features nearly 300 leading galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa...
, Miami, in 2009 and Edinburgh's Sculpture Park, Jupiter Artland, also in 2009.
While Liversidge's work is in numerous public and private collections, his performances, such as Gin Stand and Plum Bread present the viewers with a unique piece of work to take away with them.. Another aspect of Liversidge's work is sending various objects through the post. "For Peter Liversidge the postal service is also a collaborator in the work. The attached post labels and alterations are like contributions to the piece."
He has also created video projections for the bands Wires Under Tension
Wires Under Tension
-History:Wires Under Tension was founded by Christopher Tignor, a classically trained violinist, and drummer Theo Metz. Tignor is also a member of the band Slow Six and has done software design for Google...
and Balmorhea
Balmorhea
Balmorhea can refer to:* Balmorhea, Texas, a town in the United States* Balmorhea Lake, near Balmorhea, Texas* Balmorhea...
.
Selected Exhibitions
- Sean Kelly Gallery (New York, USA) "Where We Begin" (2011)
- The Harewood Museum of Art (Taos, USA) "Nod Nod Wink Wink" (2011)
- Ingleby Gallery (Edinburgh, UK) "THE THRILL OF IT ALL" (2010)
- Bloomberg SPACE (London, UK) "COMMA 07" (2009)
- Centre d'Art Santa Monica (Barcelona, Spain) "Proposals for Barcelona" (2008)
- Ingleby Gallery (Edinburgh, UK) "Peter Liversidge & Fischli + Weiss" (2008)
- Tate Liverpool (Liverpool, UK) "The Fifth Floor: Ideas Taking Place" (2008)
Selected Published Proposals
- Proposals for Huntley, 2011. (ISBN 9781907115066)
- Proposals for the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 2010. (ISBN 9780955348990)
- Proposals for Town Hall Hotels & Apartments, 2010. (ISBN 9780956562104)
- Ingleby Proposals, 2010. (ISBN 9780955348976)
- Bloomberg Proposals, 2009. (ISBN 9780955348952)
- Jupiter Proposals, 2009. (ISBN 9780955348945)
- Proposals for Liverpool, 2008. (ISBN 9781846312052)
- Fair Proposals, 2007. (ISBN 9780955348914)
- Festival Proposals, 2006. (ISBN 9780955348907)
Selected Public Collections
- British Council Collection, London
- British Library, London
- Czech Museum of Fine Art, Prague
- Eres Stiftung, Germany
- Government Art Collection, London
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
- Tate Gallery Archive, London
- The Bremham Collection, London
- Towner Gallery, Eastbourne
- Unilever, London
- Victoria and Albert Museum, London
- Grundy Art Gallery Collection