Patrick S. Ford & Nina, Yiu Lai Lei (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam): No holiday, District 7, Saigon 
- duration: 30 min
- watch: 30th March 2019 at 10 am UTC
In this performance, entitled ‘No Holiday’,Ford continues his practice of deconstructing everyday life for paradigms that can be isolated and examined within a durational event that attempts to retrace an action or an activity observed in life, exploring and reconfiguring observed movements he calls ‘found actions’. For many working people the highlight of the year is the annual summer holiday. During this short, intense period people remove themselves from their habitual surroundings and immerse themselves enthusiastically into what is often unfamiliar geographical and/or cultural territory. ‘No holiday’deals with the journey to and from this holiday adventure, reversing the usual paradigm by focusing on the journey rather than the destination and eliminating the relief felt upon arrival at the intended holiday location. Ford will take his suitcase, map and selfie stick everywhere with him as he explores the choreography of the holiday experience in unfamiliar surroundings. In the ‘No holiday, District 7, Saigon’ edition of this ongoing performance piece I shall walk around the Crescent Lake in a suburb of Saigon and into the nearby park.
BIO: Patrick S. Ford is currently living and working in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. His art education began at Leeds Arts University (UK) – receiving a ‘Merit’, at Northumbria University (UK) – receiving a BA (Hons) Fine Art degree, and at RMIT (Aus.) – receiving an MFA degree. He has exhibited his work in solo and group shows in Europe and Asia beginning in 1981 and since then has participated in over 100 exhibitions and art projects. His work is held in several public collections in Europe and Asia and in numerous private collections. Originally trained as a sculptor, Patrick has also worked as a printmaker and is currently pursuing projects involving the development of an approach to drawing methodology and performance, especially that related to Walking Art. His practice often seeks to take art-making out into the environment to encourage observation, reflection and response, and just as often focuses on the border between disciplines. Some of Patrick’s most recent projects have involved collaboration with other artists, usually internationally, which has encouraged the exploration of alternative working methods through the use of Skype, social media, the employment of specific apps etc. These lines of investigation are feeding directly back into his practice, forming a kind of virtuous circle of working methods. ARTIST’S WEBSITE / ARTIST’S WEBSITE