Context:

This work was funded by Arts Council England. It was performed five times, in London (twice); Montreal; Bristol; and Leeds, the version documented here was the first iteration. It was performed at Toynbee Studios, London. The work develops directly on from Taste of Flesh/Bite Me I’m Yours. It utilises some of the same actions to make illness visible, such as breath restriction and medical techniques. The performance develops some of the endurance-based actions from the previous work and makes more use of BDSM as performance techniques. The work begins to consolidate the zombie as allegory for illness through DIY approaches to zombie costuming. Sheree Rose appears as a performer in this work, and her collaboration becomes more significant in The Viewing.

 

Imperatives:  

• To experiment with ways of making illness and dying visible through performance. 
• To investigate the zombie as an allegory for the experience of chronic illness. 

 

Critical Reflections and Dissemination:  

• O’Brien, Martin and David MacDiarmid (eds). (2018) Survival of the Sickest: The Art of Martin O'Brien, London: Live Art Development Agency. 

Research Findings:

• “Zombie Time” opens up ways of discussing the sick body which allow spectators to experience the ambiguity of living on without recovery.