Manchester International Festival presents do it 20 13, marking the 20th anniversary of curator Hans Ulrich Obrist’s continually evolving instructional art project. It opens Friday 5 July until 22 September.
Art as an evolving, living set of instructions
do it began life in 1993 following a conversation between curator Hans Ulrich Obrist and DACS artists Christian Boltanski and Bertrand Lavier.
It explores the notion that art can be made, re-made and reinterpreted by different people from a written set of instructions, just as music is written as and interpreted from a score.
In its initial conception, Ulrich invited 12 artists to write instructions to be enacted, and translated them into 9 languages and distributed in a book.
Fast forward 20 years and do it has become a living, growing phenomenon. It has travelled to over 50 locations worldwide and the instructions have been performed and enacted by many different communities, and the repertoire expanded.
do it 20 13
do it 20 13 opens at Manchester Art Gallery on Friday 5 July until 22 September, as part of Manchester International Festival, marking the project’s 20th anniversary.
It presents the largest set of instructional works to date, including 70 brand new artists’ instructions alongside the original commissioned pieces.
The show is divided into four rooms, one of which - The Active Room – is presented by DACS sculptor Richard Wentworth and will feature new instructions by artists including Ai Weiwei and Peter Saville, to be interpreted by the public.
The Homage Room will present living artists’ reactions to earlier instructions by older generations of artists. Featured DACS artists include Tracey Emin’s response to Louise Bourgeois’ instructions and Sarah Lucas’ interpretation of Franz West’s.
Richard Wentworth explains the concept : “do it is every passing thought that you have about something you might do which you don’t do. In the hands of artists it’s extremely provocative.” Find out more about do it 20 13 in his interview above.
Entry to do it 20 13 is free.
More information about the exhibition and its accompanying performance programme can be found on Manchester International Festival’s website.
Are you an artist whose work has featured in UK books, magazines or on TV? You might be able to claim Payback royalties from 1 August.
Image: Fischli/Weiss, 'Moon over Takasaki', 1998. Courtesy of the artists.