‘Not a decorator…’ is a run of performances that occurs in Gallery 1 over two weeks. The performances transform domestic/DIY/gardening materials, such as kitchen towel, greaseproof paper, bin liners and bird seed into magical crafted vents. ‘Not a Decorator…’, builds on her practice that spans two decades.
The performance offers an inventive form of performance that suits the ‘white cube’ gallery setting, as an alternative to the theatre space, which allows different audiences to view performance. ‘Not a decorator…’ was first exhibited and performed at SIA Gallery (Sheffield) in 2017, before touring the piece to Castlefield Gallery in 2017.
Watts’s performances involve the artist experimenting with the designed qualities of the items manipulating them into magical events. Her gestures unlock the beauty and the spectacular in what are otherwise everyday domestic items – items that are laden by the meanings embedded into them. Revealing the sublime in the everyday by employing repetition and routine as her methodology Watts performances reveal alternative uses for these loaded materials – and in turn destroy the function or the ‘job’ they’re associated with.