Pervertigo: The Abysmal Fall of Medlar Lucan and Durian Gray

Fletcher, Jerome and Martin, Alex (2009) Pervertigo: The Abysmal Fall of Medlar Lucan and Durian Gray. In: Theatrum anatomicum. Kunsthaus Bregenz, Bregenz, Austria. ISBN 978-3-902289-10-0

Abstract / Summary

This text was a 'post-script' to an original performance I was invited to make with writer/performer Alex Martin at the Kunsthaus Bregenz, Austria in July 2007. The performance was part of the 10th Anniversary of the Kunsthaus Bregenz, Austria, and sat alongside other pieces by, among others, Herman Nitsch (Viennese Aktionist), Lucia Pulido (Singer), Gerald Mat (Director of the Kunsthalle Wien), Aleksander Moosbrugge (Composer) and a team of cooks from Ferran Adria's restaurant, El Bulli. The project entitled ‘Theatrum Anatomicum’ was produced and directed by Paul Renner, a former director of Nitsch’s Orgien Mysterien Theater. This group was at the forefront of the series of notorious performances which goes under the heading of Viennese Actionism., The performance space was a temporary structure which from the outside resembled a skull and on the inside was a replica of the anatomical theatre at Bologna. The week-long programme was a multimedia event encompassing performance, installation, projection, lectures and food., The book, Theatrum Anatomicum, was published by the Kunsthaus Bregenz and functioned as a catalogue of the works, plus additional material. The text, ‘Pervertigo’ was written after and in response to our performance which was a based on a live dissection. The book also contains the history of an ongoing project, The Hell Fire Touring Club, conceived of and realised by myself, Martin and Renner.The Bregenz performance was the latest instantiation of this project. This was based on a series of literary concept books on Decadence I have co-authored with Martin and published by Dedalus Press. The project has had manifestations at the Traveller’s Club London, the Kubin House Wernstein, the Fondazione Morra Naples, the Kunsthalle Wien and the Leo Koenig Gallery New York, as well as in Mannheim, Paris, the Barbican London and Shanghai.

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