(Photographs by Gary Cook, from live performance for April Fools, Harris Museum & Art Gallery, Preston, UK, 2017)

A Repetitive Task, Performance, 2015

A Repetitive Task​ is a nonsensical performance about the repetitive action of doing something over and over, again and again. In this instance I will be performing the actions of folding clothes, practicing the high visual standards of retail folding techniques. Each performance will begin on the hour and will last for 5-10 minutes.

I will perform choreographed moves without the aid of clothes, practicing the act of folding, along with an instructional audio of folds/moves, providing a guide to ‘essentially’ achieving the best clothing standards in the retail fashion industry.

I can only imagine that I'm holding a pair of jeans, t-shirt or hoodie; acting out and re-acting a set of illogical moves to an unnecessary means.

As with all repetitive tasks there is no means to an end, it is relentless as once a cycle is completed, the next task is to repeat the cycle you have just done.

The idea for A Repetitive Task originates with a life long employment history in the retail sector, often spending the majority of a 9-hour shift refolding the products. From denim, to t-shirts, to jumpers to hoodies, each item to its specific visual standard, ensuring the width and height of each fold is correct, not too thin, fat, high or low, only 7 in a pile of denim and only 4 in a pile of hoodies; a brief insight into the monotonous but meticulous task of a retail sales associate.