(above) Soap City, 2010
This Sydney-based art collective have made use of the gallery space throughout various projects by turning it into a workshop, a kitchen, and even a nail parlor. They recently held an 'exhibition' at First Draft called Soap City, where they used the space as a work shop in which to produce soap for the public. On each bar of soap was a map directing its beholder to a make shift roof top shower somewhere nearby, taking the viewer outside of the institution and to a secret place in which to cleanse themselves.
These guys seem to be interested in using the city's surrounding resources, and are totally breaking down barriers between art and life. Through their DIY mentality, Bababa bring the art making process into the gallery, and diminish the exclusive image that art galleries commonly possess. Instead of witnessing a finished product, the viewer is a part of the process and is encouraged to take part. Their practice is fun, lighthearted, communal and rough around the edges- challenging conventional perceptions surrounding art and its institutional factor.
Check out their website for more information and past projects:
http://www.bababainternational.com/
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