July 18, 2015

"In Sydney, the artist Lucas Davidson submerged himself beneath gravel."

"The crowd watched nervously to see how long he would last, and mulled why this was art."
When Davidson arrived at the gallery half an hour beforehand, he seemed calm but admitted he was a little edgy. “I got buried for the first time four weeks ago, and have done it six times to prepare for tonight. The first time, I was underprepared and had an anxiety attack. I needed to know I could get out of it.... I did 60 minutes, once, a few weeks ago... It was quite painful. The weight of the gravel on my arms made me lose circulation in my hands, and when I moved even slightly, the gravel shifted and locked me down. I said at the time I would not do it again. I am not sure if I will do 60 minutes tonight.”...

After 30 minutes the crowd has swelled to well over 100 people... People come up and take a quick look, then move on....

Samantha Ferris, 48, a gallery manager from nearby Surry Hills, knows the artist personally. “I was not anxious about the thought of the work, but going up to him, I do feel anxious now. I can see his eyes through the gravel. Maybe it’s the sense of whether he can communicate or not.”

As for the crowd’s tendency to almost forgetting he’s there, she is nonchalant. “That’s usual gallery behavior.”
What if you buried yourself alive — but could sit up and be unburied at any point — and nobody cared?

18 comments:

tim maguire said...

What if you buried yourself alive and couldn't sit up and be unburied, and nobody noticed? If I had to defend this as art, I would focus on Ferris' reaction to seeing his eyes through the gravel.

Paco Wové said...

I didn't realize somebody had written a sequel to A Hunger Artist. Only a matter of time, I suppose.

Bob Boyd said...

He's not buried. He's covered with a layer of gravel. If you can sit up and be unburied at any point, you're not buried.
When you go to bed are you buried by a blanket or covered?
The phrase "dumb as a box of rocks comes to mind."

Unknown said...

Chris Burden is rolling in his grave....

Michael said...

I can't decide if this guy's talent reminds me more of Raphael or Lucius Cranach the Elder.

Roger Sweeny said...

I'm waiting for bear baiting to be revived, and called art.

Original Mike said...

I was on the Sydney University campus last April. Beautiful place.

Ignorance is Bliss said...


Big fucking deal.


I've taken my children to the beach and been buried alive many, many times.



I guess if I was an actual artist I would have known to apply for and NEA grant first.

Gahrie said...

I'm waiting for bear baiting to be revived, and called art.

It happens in San Francisco during every gay pride parade.

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Marc in Eugene said...

"... Nunc se continet atque duas tantum res anxius optat, panem et circenses." The people that once did great things now content themselves, and anxiously wait for, only two things: bread, and the circus. New forms of bread, new forms of circus.

Hagar said...

Submerged beneath?

Hagar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
raf said...

What if you buried yourself alive — but could sit up and be unburied at any point — and nobody cared?

Well, I don't care; that's a start.

rhhardin said...

Demosthenes got his start with gravel.

Mob characters in movies to this day have gravel voices.

Sam L. said...

I....am Nobody, he who does not care.

Smilin' Jack said...

"In Sydney, the artist Lucas Davidson submerged himself beneath gravel...The crowd watched nervously to see how long he would last, and mulled why this was art."

I don't care what anyone says--living your whole life upside down just can't be good for the brain.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

What if? You'd be an artist, for all that matters.