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'Open
to the Elements’,13th Sept 2003, Hampton Court , Herefordshire, with
anonymous performer
In the
‘Lost Legionnaire’ performance I subvert the image of a knight in white
armour, the archetypal hero, replacing cast metal protection for that of
lace, ribbon and silk. Indeed during time of battle, the more a suit of
armour was decorated the safer the wearer was, ornamentation indicating
stature and rank, therefore ensuring being captured as opposed to being
slaughtered. The legionnaire looks vulnerable and
delicate, unfit for battle but defiantly standing guard. This piece was
made especially for the castle where it was shown, which has it’s own
dysfunctional history of lost nobility and squandered riches. I find it
interesting that sites of heritage such as Hampton Court, which are
suppose to represent national stability and pride, quite often have
disconcerting secrets behind the elegant facades.
