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It’s a little late in the day but I’m finally posting my blog about the wonderful Space Made Live event last weekend. Curated by cutting edge design agency Small Media Large, Space Made Live was an incredible mash-up of talents, featuring installations, audio visual work, paintings, drawings, sculpture and live acts.

I took my masks on the road to Glasgow to have some fun with visitors to the event. During the day I was installed in my exhibition space, mostly sat, masked up, in a suitcase, pouncing on people for words and thoughts. A few brave people interacted with me during the day, although quite a few more got a bit freaked out and scooted off before we really got anywhere.

I tried a number of approaches to interact with people. With a lovely little John Bull Printing set I asked visitors to give me words, the first words that popped into their heads. Taking a word from each person I formed a story. Not many people agreed to do this with masks on, but no matter. They did at least get involved.

My masks were hanging from hooks on all four walls. Visitors were invited to try on whatever they wanted. Of course the one group of children that came in had no fear, they went straight up to the suitcase of masks and proceeded to try them all on. With the exception of one girl. Who cried. A lot. Must work on an escape route out of the crying child situation.

&copy Thomas Makridis, www.pictureglasgow.com

In the evening there was a live event launch so the atmosphere was much more suited to people getting stuck in with the interactions. By now I had removed the mask and clambered out of my suitcase – I wanted the visitors to wear the masks and interact with each other.

Tactically placing two chairs opposite each other, a mask on each seat, is a clear instruction without having to speak. People get it – they take the mask and sit down. Under the chairs they find cards with simple questions stamped on them… “Where are you from?”, “Why are you here?”. The aim is to answer the questions in any way you want. There’s just one rule – do not tell the truth.

Some folk got really into it. It’s wonderful when they riff off each other and lead each other down a path of no return into a world of make believe. All in all it worked out very well indeed. It’s always different at every show. Sometimes you have to leave people alone with the masks, sometimes you have to boss them about a bit.

What follows is some photos of my favourite work at Space Made Live. Hazel Donaldson created a magic realism piece with butterflies escaping from an entomologists collection, Carla Easton created a cunning interactive piece that forced you to dance to watch the attache AV display, Lucie Potter came up with a research heavy sound piece that related to the history of the building (an old banking repository) and Littlewhitehead had the centrepiece with a psycho bed sit scene full of clues and secrets.

Huge thanks to Small Media Large for curating this event and looking after me so well. Also to Glasgow Podcart who covered the event and blogged about me, and Thomas Makridis who took some ace photos of not only me but the whole event. You are all lovely.