P. Staff

P. Staff

P. Staff is an English-born artist who works in Los Angeles and London, studied at Goldsmiths College, London (2009) and was part of the Associate Artist Programme at LUX, London (2011). Staff is in the collections of Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; LUMA Arles; Museum of Modern Art, New York; and Julia Stoschek Foundation, Düsseldorf.

Weedkiller, 2017

A video work that focuses on the intersection of gender, illness and contamination. Inspired by the artist-writer Catherine Lord´s memoir The Summer of Her Baldness (2004), an account of her experience of cancer. At the centre of the video is a monologue, adapted from Lord’s book, in which an actress reflects upon the devastating effects of chemotherapy. In the latter part of the video, the artist Jamie Crew delivers a lip-synched performance of a version of To Be in Love (1999) by Masters at Work. Each performer in Weed Killer is trans. By examining cancer and trans experience, Staff explores how biomedical technologies have fundamentally transformed the social construction of our bodies.

Image: P. Staff, Weed Killer, 2017, film still from HD single channel film. Courtesy the artist and TATE.

Gallery: Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick St Lower, Galway
Dates: 4-19 November, Mon-Sat 10-5pm, Sun 12-6pm
Tickets: Free

Access: On the first floor of Galway Art Centre, which can only be accessed through two flights of stairs. There is a single accessible parking space on Dominick Street located across the road from Galway Arts Centre outside Rouge Café. The time film is captioned. Seating is provided.