The Apocralypse, 2012

-Hypothetical talks project published online.

Above: 'The Apocralypse Poster, 3rd version' Mirror, spray paint, acetate, ink, bespoke stickers. 2x42x29.7cm. Unique

I invited twenty two different artists, writers, curators and performers to come up with the basic promotional information for entirely invented events.


The full list of participants are El Vonne Brown, Theresa Bruno, Martin Clark, Ami Clarke, Sophie Hope, Alasdair Hopwood, Toby Huddlestone, The Hut Project, Bryony Kimmings, LOW PROFILE, Paul McDevitt, Jeremy Millar, Claire Nichols, Kim Noble, Matthew Noel-Tod, Maurice O'Connell, Sean Parfitt, Cesare Pietroiusti, Emma Smith, Gavin Wade, Jonathan P Watts and Bedwyr Williams.Each contribution was developed in isolation and vary from elaborate to enigmatic, satyrical to heartfelt. These listings were then published one by one every weekday throughout July on www.itlookedlikeatheatre.co.uk

(Above: Day one, Monday 2nd July 2012. The first event listed on the website.)

The project originated from an invitation from Lucie Akerman and Sam Playford Greenwell of 'It Looked Like A Theatre' to devise a project around the idea of artists talks. We became interested in how press releases and marketing information conjure up the nature of an event in your imagination, evaluating whether it is something you want to make time to go to.The contributors were asked to provide the description, title, date, time, location, entrance fee and accompanying image for their event. Knowing they would not have to deliver the event each of these details becomes something to play with, able to reflect some element of their idea.


Although all of the events listed in The Apocralypse are purposely hypothetical the project has been bookended with a number of real events;


The 1st version of the unique poster was displayed and discussed in the corridors of Spike Island, Bristol as part of their Open Studios weekend, 5-7th May 2012. The second version was presented at'An Introduction To The Apocralypse', a short speech and Q & A session, delivered at The Showroom, London on Saturday 2nd June as part of a Bookworks and Happy Hypocrite event to mark the end of Sarah Pierce's exhibition, 'The Artist Talks'.

(Above: 'An Introduction To The Apocralypse', The Showroom, London. Photos courtesy Sebastian Sharples and Book Works.)

A third event, a publc discussion, entitled 'A Look Back At The Apocralypse' took place at Limoncello, London on Wednesday August 1st 7-9pm as part of their Punctuation Programme, marking the completion of the publishing of all twenty two listings the day before, offering an invited audience the chance to establish what exactly happened.

(Above: 'A Lookback at The Apocralypse', Limoncello, London.)