[JEANSELLEM VIEWER] — TONY COSTA + JAN COSTA WORDS, ACTIONS & SITUATIONS 04-06.02.1975 — Categories: docs, letters, visual, press — Keywords: Galerie S:t Petri, Jean Sellem, archive — Category: docs — The English couple Jan and Tony Costa are coming to Galerie S:t Petri in Lund to perform two theatre/sculpture pieces outdoors on Stortorget, entitled “The One Hour Circle Piece” and “Lineout”.Both are members of the artists’ group “Words, Actions and Situations”, who believe that there is in fact no real distinction between theatre and sculpture, and that the most ordinary “words, actions and situations” are often the most extraordinary. The members use themselves both as performers and as objects to be observed – just as one observes a painting or a sculpture.“The One Hour Circle Piece” is based on the ambiguity of time, with the circle used as the stage. The piece lasts exactly one hour and is performed several times a day.“Lineout” is based partly on deliberate choice and partly on pure chance. Each partial presentation contains thirteen performers, each with four possible lineout configurations. Each lineout involves two participants, a length of coloured rope and a player. The length and direction of each lineout are determined by a random method. The result of each performance becomes a separate sculpture.Various aspects of “Words, Actions and Situations” have been presented in theatres, galleries, streets and parks in England, Holland and Belgium. For the first time, the Swedish public now has the opportunity to become acquainted with this theatre/sculpture group.On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 4–6 February 1975, Jan and Tony Costa will perform at Stortorget from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. They will also be at Galerie S:t Petri every day from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. — — — Category: letters — — — Category: letters — 21st June 1974.Dear Sir or Madam,I'm writing to you in the hope that you might be interested in the possibility of “Words, Actions and Situations” performing at the Galleri S:T Petri.Words, Actions and Situations are a variable group of artists. We can work inside a gallery or a theatre or outside in the streets. We have performed in many places in this country and have also worked in Holland and Belgium. We shall be working in Amsterdam in The Melkweg and the Vondelpark during July 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th.We can present a piece inside a gallery called “The Conversation Piece”. This has been performed before at The Oval House Theatre Club in London. This is a piece of performable sculpture and involves three performers. It can be presented in a large room as a continuous sculpture performance during the daytime or alternatively as a “Theatre Show” with lights and a static audience in the evening.We charge £30 per show plus expenses but fees can be negotiated.Please write and let me know if you are interested in my proposals and also if perhaps you know of any other galleries in Sweden that might also be interested.I look forward to hearing from you.With Best Wishes,Tony Costa. — — — Category: letters — Saturday 29th June 1974Dear Jean,Thank you very much for your letter and interest. Keith, Marie and myself are still very interested in coming over to Lund despite financial difficulties. We can try to raise the fares over from the British Council.We are very flexible in the presentation of our work and can work in the gallery all day if required for either one or several days. We would prefer to work for at least three days and can work outside in the streets of the city.Providing we can raise money from the British Council then we certainly can work between September 1974 and February 1975. Sometime in January or February would be best I think.If you could let me know definitely that we can work at the Gallery in January or February then I can attempt to raise the fares over to Lund. Thank you very much for your offer of accommodation.It is always a great pity that galleries and theatres, throughout the world, that are willing to experiment and present many different aspects of “Art” are always the last places to receive reasonable grants to help them do so.I will finish now. I do hope that we can arrange something and I look forward to hearing from you.With Best Wishes,Tony Costa — — — Category: letters — July 9, 1974Dear Tony,Thank you for the quick answer showing your interest to come to Lund.I understand very well your financial difficulties, but my situation is perhaps even worse.Providing you get money from the British Council, the manifestation can take place three days sometimes in February 1975. The exact date will be given you later.I would appreciate receiving 10 photos black-and-white for trying to print in the press, a complete written presentation of the meaning of the manifestation (also for the press), and if possible a documentation of yourselves and your activities. This material can be sent to me in the beginning of December 1974. You can also, if you like, print a simple card, poster or stencil to inform persons interested in your actions.I hope that everything will be arranged in the best way.Looking forward to your answer.With best wishes to you, Keith and MarieJean Sellem — — — Category: letters — 16th November 1974.Dear Jean,Sorry that I have been so long in writing but I have just recently heard from The British Council that I will receive financial aid to work in Lund. Unfortunately I have not received enough money for three performers therefore instead of Keith and Marie James-Leahy coming to work with me my wife Jan will be coming instead. You said before that the work period would be about three days in February and that we could stay with you—is this still alright?I have enclosed some details of Words, Actions and Situations and also some photographs of our work. If the weather permits then perhaps it may be possible for us to work outside in the streets of Lund as well as inside the gallery? We would like to present two “Theatre/Sculpture” performances if possible. Both of these performances do not require a static (fixed) audience but can be viewed by a constantly changing and moving audience. These performances are called “The One Hour Circle Piece” and “Lineout”.I would be very grateful if in any publicity you would mention that the performances are supported by The British Council. Also could you let me know exact dates as soon as possible.I look forward to meeting you in February. Until then,best wishes,Tony Costa. — — — Category: letters — 14th December 1974Dear Jean,I would be very grateful if you would confirm the dates for our trip to Lund as I must make other arrangements for work in February and need to work around the Sweden dates.I look forward to hearing from you.Best wishes,Tony Costa — — — Category: letters — December 26, 1974Dear Tony,The date for your performance is 4–6 February 1975.You are welcome to stay at my place. I am looking forward to seeing you here!I have an archive of experimental and conceptual art. If you could bring any kind of material with you (photos, texts, pamphlets and the like), I would certainly appreciate it very much.Have a nice trip and once again welcome to Sweden.Best wishes — — — Category: letters — 31st Dec. 1974Dear Jean,Did you receive the information that I sent? What are the dates we are working in Lund in February? Please let me know as soon as possible as I have work in London to arrange around the Lund dates.Tony Costa. — — — Category: letters — Dear Jean,Received your letter — thanks for the dates. We’ll be arriving in Lund in the afternoon, Monday 3rd Feb. We’ll make our way to Galerie S:t Petri. See you then.Best wishes,Tony Costa — — — Category: docs — Lund Police District (and Employment Unit)PERMITpursuant to the general and local public-order regulations and the Act on Public GatheringsDate: 30 January 1975No. A 519-325/75Applicant:Galerie S:t PetriJean SellemS:t Petri Kyrkogata 5222 21 LundFollowing the application submitted, the applicant is hereby granted permission subject to the regulations and conditions specified in this document and any attached appendix.Nature of the event / public gathering:Exhibition of a living sculpture, consisting of one man and one woman.Time:2–4 February 1975, 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.Place:Stortorget, Lund.Municipality:Municipality of Lund.Responsible organiser:The applicant, tel. 046/14 78 00.Special conditions:The organiser is required to comply strictly with any instructions that may be issued by the police officer on duty.Fee: 20 SEK. — — — Category: letters — 19th February 1975.Dear Jean and Marie,Please find enclosed Demarco Exhibition catalogue which I am sure will interest you both. We very much enjoyed our visit to Sweden and meeting you both and your friends.I would be very grateful if you could send me some negatives of our work in Sweden as I've promised photographs to The British Council. I met the Head of their Fine Art Dept. last week. He came to a show that I did at The Royal College of Art. I've sent him copies of newspaper write-ups and also information about your Gallery. (See copy of letter.)I did a performance (unofficially) in The Tate Gallery on the 14th which was incredible and probably the best piece of work that I've ever done. The strange thing is that nobody thought it strange for a blindman to be looking at paintings!At the moment I am working very hard and seem to be getting lots of bookings. I will forward information when possible of shows, exhibits etc. Also I will forward written details of "The One Hour Circle Piece" and "Lineout" for you within the next three weeks.I shall be working in Germany in May and also in Belgium at The New Reform Gallery in Aalst.Please don't forget negatives—I will return them within one week of receiving them as I have a small darkroom set-up and can copy them.I look forward to hearing from you.Best Wishes,Tony Costa. — — — Category: letters — Dear Mr Acton,Please find enclosed “write-ups” from our trip to Sweden from 4th–6th February. I will forward photographs as soon as I receive negatives from Jean Sellem.I believe that our work in Sweden was very successful. There is almost no tradition of “Performance Art” in that country and many people who saw us work were interested enough to stop and enquire what we were doing.The Gallery St:Petri is quite small but its lack of space is compensated by the fact that people passing the Gallery can easily see what is going on inside through the large windows without actually setting foot in the Gallery.The Gallery St:Petri is the only really experimental gallery in the whole of Sweden although a new Museum of Modern Art will soon be opening in Malmo.The Gallery is run by Jean Sellem and Marie Sjoberg. They receive no financial aid in any form and Jean works in the Gallery all day while Marie, a student at the University, does various part-time jobs to finance the running of the Gallery. They are both extremely interested in all forms of experimental art and Jean Sellem has contacts with many artists all over the world. He is building a very impressive Art Archive of experimental artists’ work.The Gallery St:Petri was set up three or four years ago and apparently received much criticism for the exhibitions that it presented. It is, I think, slowly becoming accepted as an ambitious Gallery and the new Museum in Malmo are planning to exhibit work first exhibited by Jean Sellem several years before. Also the Press are very sympathetic towards the Gallery partly because it is not a commercial enterprise and partly because they believe that the Gallery is very ambitious in what it presents.We gave thirteen separate performances both inside and outside the Gallery St:Petri during our three days in Lund and I would like to thank The British Council for making the trip possible. We enjoyed the visit very much and believe that it was very productive not only for ourselves but also for the people that saw our work in Sweden.Yours faithfully,Tony Costa — — — Category: letters — February 19, 1975Dear Jan and Tony,I hope everything went alright with your trip to England. We enjoyed very much having you here.The films are now developed. I have not yet made any copies myself but I think they seem quite nice.Good luck in the future! Please send the negatives back as soon as the copies are made.With the best wishes to both of you from Marie and me,Jean — — — Category: letters — 8th March 1975.Dear Jean and Marie,Please find enclosed the negatives that you sent me, I've returned them as soon as I could.I hope everything is going well for you both. I shall be out of England again in May working in Aalst, Belgium, Gross-Gerau, West Germany and Amsterdam, Holland. We are doing two days at The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam which is very good as it is an amazing place and I have been trying to get on there for over 6 months now.I have a working partner called Janet Goddard. I have so many bookings now that it is impossible for me to work with Jan on a permanent basis because of the children.I am exhibiting and performing at The Midland Group Gallery next week and will send you some information from there. I also hope to be doing a performance inside a prison in Leeds but that is not arranged at this moment.Best Wishes and Love,Tony Costa. — — — Category: docs — — — Category: letters — Dear Jean and Marie,Hope all is going well in Lund.I am very very busy at the moment doing my Art. Thanks for information you send which is most interesting.I have enclosed a press write-up from Liverpool which I think is good. I did a radio broadcast last week on my art which was very amusing! Regards to Leif (please show him the enclosed press review when you see him).Love,Tony (and Jan) — The Liverpool Echo, Friday, April 11, 1975[Caption]How’s that for a likeness? Spectators outside the window applaud Adrian Henri’s birthday picture, drawn blindfold with the aid of telepathy. From the left are Tony Costa, the artist, Adrian Henri, the model, and Janet Goddard, the medium.I’M NOT TOO KEEN ABOUT THIS ARTBy Joe RileyIt’s called telepathic art.And, yesterday, it provided an unusual 43rd birthday present for Liverpool poet, author and painter Adrian Henri.It also gave crowds looking through the window at the Academy Gallery, in Renshaw Street, Liverpool, plenty to talk about.While attractive Janet Goddard, a fine arts student at Leeds Polytechnic, ran her hands over Adrian’s head and face, blindfolded performance artist Tony Costa came up with a felt-pen image based on the telepathic messages he received from Janet. The picture took less than five minutes to complete.And Adrian’s verdict?“Very good. That’s how I’ll probably feel to-morrow morning.”Tony also did a picture of me.“I think it’s very good, particularly the hair and chin,” he said, after the blindfold was removed. (I wasn’t quite so enthusiastic.)“The only clue I get is whether the subject is male or female,” said Tony. “The rest comes through the medium. What goes on paper is the telepathic messages I receive from that source.”Tony tells me that he receives an Arts Council bursary of £18 a week for his work. His group — Words, Actions and Situations — also received £60 from the Academy out of a £350 grant for performance arts from Merseyside Arts Association.More than 20 people have had their pictures done by the telepathic process at the Academy this week, in full view of inquisitive, perplexed and, often, amused passers-by.Displayed in the window of the Academy are various telepathic portraits — including Margaret Thatcher and Donny Osmond. They were done from pictures chosen by Janet, but unknown to Tony.“We also work out in the streets and in theatres,” said Tony. “One of our most successful activities is performance sculpture, using ourselves as objects. We’ve done a number of these in Liverpool.”Tony admits that there is a strong comedy element in some of the group’s work, but says that the main purpose is quite serious.“We want to make people aware of things they normally take for granted, both verbally and visually,” he said.Next month, the group will visit Belgium, Germany and Holland with their work. — — — Category: letters — — — Category: letters — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — 1. White area + white figure. 1971.2. Figures. Leeds Polytechnic Exhibition Hall. 1971.3. Electronic Computing. Leeds. 1971.4. Chair Play (In Performance). Leeds University Arts Festival. 1972.5. The Conversation Piece. (In Performance). The Midland Group Gallery, Nottingham. 1973.6. Making A Map. (In Performance). Brighton. 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)7. Just Passing By. (In Performance). Brighton. 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)8. Just Passing By. (In Performance). Leeds University. 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)9. Just Passing By. (In Performance). Leeds University. 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)10. Walkabout. Bristol. (In Performance). 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)11. Walkabout. (In Performance). Bath. 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)12. Walkabout. (In Performance). Bath. 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)13. One And One Make Three. (In Performance). London. 1973. (With Jeff Nuttall and B. Seals.)14. One And One Make Three. (In Performance). London. 1973. (With Jeff Nuttall and B. Seals.)15. Nuclear Man. (In Performance). Hammersmith Mini-Festival. London. 1974. (With Jan Costa.)16. Nuclear Man. (In Performance). Hammersmith Mini-Festival. London. 1974. (With Jan Costa.)17. In Memory Of Martha. (In Performance). The Oval House Theatre Club. London. 1974.18. The Conversation Piece with Keith & Marie James-Leahy. (In Performance). The Oval House Theatre Club. London. 1974.19. Performance in The Vondelpark, Amsterdam, Holland. 1974.20. The Ascent Of The City Of York. (In Performance). York. 1974. (With Jeff Nuttall, Rose McGuire and Bryan Seals.) Performance stopped by Police.21. The Ascent Of The City Of Harrogate. (In Performance). Harrogate. 1974. (With Jeff Nuttall, Rose McGuire and Bryan Seals.)22. The Ascent Of The City Of Harrogate. (In Performance). Harrogate. 1974. (With Jeff Nuttall, Rose McGuire and Bryan Seals.)23. Performance in The Victoria Shopping Centre, Nottingham. 1974. (Project with students Trent Polytechnic.)24. Performance in The Victoria Shopping Centre, Nottingham. 1974. (Project with students from Trent Polytechnic.)25. The One Hour Circle Piece. (In Performance). Lund, Sweden. 1975. (With Jan Costa.)26. Lineout. (In Performance). Lund, Sweden. 1975. (With Jan Costa.)27. Lineout. (In Performance). Lund, Sweden. 1975. (With Jan Costa.)28. An Attempt To Capture The Illusion Of Reality. (In Performance). Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)29. An Attempt To Capture The Illusion Of Reality. (In Performance). Trent. 1975.30. An Attempt To Capture The Illusion Of Reality. (In Performance). Trent. 1975.31. An Attempt To Capture The Illusion Of Reality. (In Performance). Trent. 1975.32. Miss Marsham leaves home to take Blind Bernard to look at the pictures in the Tate Gallery, London. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)33. Performance with Keith and Marie James-Leahy, Hammersmith Pier. London. 1975.34. Telepathic Art. (In Performance). The Liverpool Academy of Arts. 1975. (With J. Goddard.)35. In Search Of The Impossible Dream. (In Performance). The Midland Group Gallery, Nottingham. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)36. In Search Of The Impossible Dream. (In Performance). The Midland Group Gallery, Nottingham. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)37. Artist's Walk Project. (In Performance). Edale. 1975. (With Stephen Costa.)38. Artist's Walk Project. (In Performance). Edale. 1975. (With Stephen Costa.)39. Artist's Walk Project. (In Performance). Sherwood Forrest. 1975. (With Stephen Costa.)40. Performance in Initiative G.G., Gross-Gerau, West Germany. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)41. Performance in Initiative G.G., Gross-Gerau, West Germany. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)42. Performance in Initiative G.G., Gross-Gerau, West Germany. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)43. Performance in Initiative G.G., Gross-Gerau, West Germany. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)(Numbers on the back of photographs.) — — — Category: visual — <p>1. White area + white figure. 1971.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>2. Figures. Leeds Polytechnic Exhibition Hall. 1971.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>3. Electronic Compiling. Leeds. 1971.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>4. Chair Play (In Performance) Leeds University Arts Festival. 1972.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>5. The Conversation Piece. (In Performance.) The Midland Group Gallery, Nottingham. 1973.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>6. Making A Map. (In Performance.) Brighton. 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>7. Just Passing By. (In Performance.) Brighton. 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>8. Just Passing By. (In Performance.) Leeds University. 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>9. Just Passing By. (In Performance.) Leeds University. 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>10. Walkabout. Bristol (In Performance.) 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>11. Walkabout. (In Performance.) Bath. 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>12. Walkabout. (In Performance.) Bath. 1973. (With Bryan Seals.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>13. One And One Make Three. (In Performance.) London. 1973. (With Jeff Nuttall and B. Seals.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>14. One And One Make Three. (In Performance.) London. 1973. (With Jeff Nuttall and Bryan Seals.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>15. Nuclear Man. (In Performance.) Hammersmith Mini-Festival, London. 1974. (With Jan Costa.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>16. Nuclear Man. (In Performance.) Hammersmith Mini-Festival, London. 1974. (With Jan Costa.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>17. In Memory Of Martha. (In Performance.) The Oval House Theatre Club. London. 1974.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>18. The Conversation Piece with Keith &amp; Marie James-Leahy. (In Performance.) The Oval House Theatre Club. London 1974.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>19. Performance in The Vondelpark, Amsterdam, Holland. 1974.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>20. The Ascent Of The City Of York. (In Performance.) York. 1974. (With Jeff Nuttall, Rose MaGuire and Bryan Seals.) Performance stopped by Police.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>21. The Ascent Of The City Of Harrogate. (In Performance.) Harrogate. 1974. (With Jeff Nuttall, Rose MaGuire and Bryan Seals.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>22. The Ascent Of The City Of Harrogate. (In Performance.) Harrogate. 1974. (With Jeff Nuttall, Rose MaGuire and Bryan Seals.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>23. Performance in The Victoria Shopping Centre, Nottingham. 1974. (Project with students Trent Polytechnic.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>24. Performance in The Victoria Shopping Centre, Nottingham. 1974. (Project with students from Trent Polytechnic.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>25. The One Hour Circle Piece. (In Performance.) Lund, Sweden. 1975. (With Jan Costa.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>26. Lineout. (In Performance.) Lund, Sweden. 1975. (With Jan Costa.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>27. Lineout. (In Performance.) Lund, Sweden. 1975. (With Jan Costa.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>28. An Attempt To Capture The Illusion Of Reality. (In Performance.) Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>29. An Attempt To Capture The Illusion Of Reality. (In Performance.) Trent. 1975.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>30. An Attempt To Capture The Illusion Of Reality. (In Performance.) Trent. 1975.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>31. An Attempt To Capture The Illusion Of Reality. (In Performance.) Trent. 1975.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>32. Miss Marsham leaves home to take Blind Bernard to look at the pictures in the Tate Gallery, London. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>33. Performance with Keith and Marie James-Leahy. Hammersmith Pier, London. 1975.</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>34. Telepathic Art. (In Performance.) The Liverpool Academy of Arts. 1975. (With J. Goddard.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>35. In Search Of The Impossible Dream. (In Performance.) The Midland Group Gallery, Nottingham. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>36. In Search Of The Impossible Dream. (In Performance.) The Midland Group Gallery, Nottingham. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>37. Artist's Walk Project. (In Performance.) Edale. 1975. (With Stephen Costa.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>38. Artist's Walk Project. (In Performance.) Edale. 1975. (With Stephen Costa.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p>39. Artist's Walk Project. (In Performance.) Sherwood Forrest. 1975. (With Stephen Costa.)</p> — — — Category: visual — <p><em style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">40. Performance in Initiative G.G., Gross-Gerau, West Germany. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)</em></p> — — — Category: visual — <p><em style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">41. Performance in Initiative G.G., Gross-Gerau, West Germany. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)</em></p> — — — Category: visual — <p><em style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">42. Performance in Initiative G.G., Gross-Gerau, West Germany. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)</em></p> — — — Category: visual — <p>43. Performance in Initiative G.G., Gross-Gerau, West Germany. 1975. (With Janet Goddard.)</p> — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: letters — 28th May 1975.Dear Martin,Thank you very much for your letter dated 26th May and also for the letter confirming the booking (from the Director — 20th May).I will be arriving in Rotterdam on Monday the 9th and will come straight to the Arts Foundation. I understand that I am not working on a platform or stage but only among the audience moving around the festival. This is completely alright with me and I agree to work only on this level. — — — Category: letters — — — Category: letters — — — Category: letters — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — “Words, Actions and Situations” are a variable group of Performance Artists. I am the only permanent member of the group and I receive a bursary from the Arts Council of Great Britain for my work.I was an art student in Leicester and Leeds for four years altogether and have a B.A. Degree. While I was a student I formed a group called “Everyday Occurrences” and presented Theatre Shows, based on my scripts, in several places in this country. At one time nine people were involved with this group.I formed Words, Actions and Situations in 1973 and first received a bursary from the Arts Council in July, 1974. Since then many people have performed with Words, Actions and Situations.I have always been interested in working along what I call the “narrow line of normality”. What really interests me most are those “words, actions and situations” that fall slightly off this “line of normality” and transform what is thought of as “ordinary” into what is considered “extraordinary”. The smaller the distance that I have to travel from my “line of normality” then the happier I am.I am fascinated by mundane, everyday occurrences and enjoy changing and juxtaposing them with the intention of showing how interesting and amusing they can be. I am fascinated by the WONDER of things around me and I want other people to become more aware of the things around them that they ignore and take for granted. Through my personal freedom, my obsessions, my fantasies and my interests I would like other people to experience and share their own. I see the Artist in today’s society as being The Modern Day Saint! I HATE the way our Society is “progressing”. I HATE the totally functional architecture that we are being subjected to! I HATE the slow relentless stereotyping that is taking place in our environment and on ourselves! Our individuality is being suppressed. I believe that each individual is unique and as such has something unique to offer. I believe that it is the creators who will eventually inherit the earth! — — — Category: docs — At the moment I am working performing my ideas. I call myself a Performance Artist. I hope that I do not let a particular way of working dictate my ideas. The only real freedom that I consider that I have is creative freedom. I search for what I consider to be the best way of expressing my ideas. I may use scripts or I may work in a more spontaneous way and if what I am doing demands learning dancing technique then I will become a dancer. I will do whatever is necessary to express what I believe in in what I consider to be the best possible way. I do not understand everything that I do and I do not wish to attempt to.Tony Costa.14th October, 1975. — — — THE ARTS COUNCIL OF GREAT BRITAINThe Arts Council is responsible for all artistic activities in Britain. It receives money from the British Government which it allocates to “the arts”, i.e. theatres, art galleries, art centres and touring companies. It also gives money in terms of grants and bursaries to individual artists, writers and performers.The Arts Council is divided up into various committees and panels. For example — Dance, Theatre, Painting, Sculpture and Performance Arts. Each committee is made up of experts in that particular field.The Performance Arts Committee deals, as its name suggests, with performance artists. It helps in terms of both financial support and information.The Secretary of the Performance Arts Committee is Richard Francis and the address of the Arts Council is — — 105 Piccadilly, London W1V 0AU.Telephone — London 629 9495.THE BRITISH COUNCILThey have representatives in many countries and the purpose of their Fine Art Dept. is to promote “British Culture” abroad. They give very useful information regarding possible venues in many countries and they sometimes provide financial assistance. This is discretionary and applicants submit details of the work that they wish to do.The British Council keeps information and files on many artists and venues. They are very helpful and the man to write to is — Mr. Acton, The Fine Art Dept., The British Council, 373 Euston Rd., London. — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: press — <p><span style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">SDS, 3.2.75</span></p> — Happening at StortorgetWords, Actions and Situations — that is, Words, Actions and Situations — is the name of an English artists’ group that will come to Lund on 4, 5 and 6 February to perform partly at Stortorget from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and partly at Galerie S:t Petri from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.The group says that it explores the area between theatre and sculpture.How this works, we will get to see in Lund, where the couple Tony and Jan Costa will perform two pieces, The One Hour Circle Piece and Lineout. The first piece lasts exactly one hour and is performed several times a day. Lineout is based on both deliberate choice and chance. With the help of a coloured rope, thirteen different lengths will be measured in different directions on thirteen occasions. The result of each performance is said to constitute a sculpture. — — — Category: press — Playing cards with living jokersAt Stortorget in Lund yesterday, cards were played with living jokers. The couple Jan and Tony Costa, from the artist group Words, Actions and Situations, provoked astonished spectators into laughter or indignant comments.Jan Costa blew a whistle, drew a playing card and called out the number of markings. Tony Costa then took a number of stiff steps, kicked the same number of times as the card had markings, and puffed at the same time. He then pulled out a coloured spool of thread a couple of metres and drew with chalk on the ground. This continued until the whole deck had been played through. A kind of patience game, perhaps. One of the spectators thought it was good. A couple of well-dressed ladies wondered who had let the performers out, but when they were told that it was supposed to be a work of art, they left.— Everyone is an artist and what we do is a living, infinite sculpture, Tony explained. The important thing is that people gather and have something to talk about, rather like at an accident.Today and tomorrow, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., the ritual continues. — — — Category: press — Theatre and sculpture in the middle of Stortorget!By MATS NIHLÉNLUND: A new art form, theatre-sculpture, has now been introduced in Scandinavia. It happened on Tuesday in the middle of Stortorget in Lund. The English couple Jan and Tony Costa performed two unusual pieces: “The One Hour Circle Piece” and “Lineout”. They began at eleven in the morning. After only fifteen minutes, the young couple was already surrounded by a crowd.Jan Costa was dressed in white and red trousers and wore a blue and green shirt. Using spools of white, red, blue and green rope, he constructed an artwork. He simply unwound the threads in different directions.The direction and the colour were determined with the help of playing cards and a small weather vane! His wife, standing several metres away from him, blew a whistle, drew a playing card and announced the colour and the number. Jan Costa spun the vane and looked to see where the arrow pointed.He then unwound the thread. At times he merely performed mysterious movements.When all four spools had been completely unwound, the sculpture was finished and the couple began all over again.The piece was called “Lineout”. This is how it is described:— “Lineout” is based partly on conscious choice and partly on pure chance. Within each individual presentation there are thirteen actions, each with four possible lineouts. Each lineout involves two participants, a length of coloured rope and a player. The length and direction of each lineout are determined by a chance method. The result of each performance becomes a separate sculpture.As the couple continued their performance, more and more people gathered. Many seemed completely puzzled, but stayed nonetheless. Theatre-sculpture certainly attracted attention. And that was presumably the intention.Jan and Tony Costa belong to the artists’ group “Words, Actions and Situations”. The group maintains that there is really no genuine distinction between theatre and sculpture.The members use themselves both as actors and as objects to be looked at, just as one looks at a painting or a sculpture.PREMIEREThe group has existed for a couple of years and has performed in galleries, streets and parks in England, Holland and Belgium. They had never previously performed in Scandinavia.Unwinding threads was an important component of Jan Costa’s work.The couple are remaining in Lund today as well and will give new performances both at Stortorget and at Galerie S:t Petri, which brought the couple to Lund. — — — Category: press — SKÅNSKA DAGBLADET, Wednesday 5 February 1975LIVING SCULPTURESSPRINGTIME FOR NEW SQUARE ART?— What kind of clowning art is this — have they nothing else to do? Art? Now things really have gone too far.— It attracts at least some attention, which one cannot say about the Chillida sculpture that cost the municipality 400,000.A couple of the opinions among the crowd watching Tuesday’s theatre/sculpture pieces at Stortorget, performed by the English couple Jan and Tony Costa.Living sculptures — a man and a woman had been announced. If one waited, something strange eventually appeared in view. He — dressed in a kind of clown outfit — seemed to pull a brightly coloured gramophone with him while at the same time displaying a record and holding up a playing card, with someone for the spectator to interpret as an audible invitation.The pieces are called “The One Hour Circle Piece” and “Lineout”. Jan and Tony Costa belong to the artists’ group “Words, Actions and Situations”. They believe that there is in fact no real difference between theatre and sculpture and that the most ordinary “words, actions and situations” are rather the most extraordinary. The members use themselves both as actors and as objects to be observed — just as one looks at a painting or a sculpture.“The One Hour Circle Piece” is based on the ambiguity of time, with the circle used as a stage. The piece lasts exactly one hour and is performed several times a day between 11 and 14.Lineout is based partly on deliberate choice and partly on pure chance. Each partial presentation consists of thirteen performers — each with four possible lineout arrangements. Each lineout involves two participants, a length of coloured rope and one player. The length and direction of each lineout are determined by a random method. The result of each performance becomes a separate sculpture.Different aspects of “Words, Actions and Situations” have been shown in theatres, galleries, streets and parks in England, Holland and Belgium. It is the first time that they are in Sweden, and they are also exhibiting their well-selected and ambitious material at Galerie S:t Petri in Lund.[Caption, left]Birgitta Jörmland and Annika Johansson: It is difficult to say whether this is really art, perhaps. They should have distributed leaflets explaining the presentation so that one could perhaps have understood and appreciated it better.[Caption, centre]Lars Wamborg: It also seems rather amusing, that clown face and all. It attracts at least some people, which one cannot say about the Chillida sculpture that cost the municipality 400,000.[Caption, right]Elsa Hansson: What kind of clowning art is this — have they really nothing else useful to do? Art? Now things really have gone too far![Photo caption]Lineout. Length and direction determined by chance. The result: a separate sculpture. — — — Category: visual