Don't Art, Fashion, Music: Chicks on Speed

by Melissa Logan, Alex Murray-Leslie, Judith Winter (Introduction)

This highly innovative and original book documents the dynamic art group Chicks on Speed’s recent Objeckt Instruments project and 2010 exhibition at Dundee Contemporary Arts. Chicks on Speed (COS) are an ever-changing multidisciplinary art group who apply a punk-inspired DIY ethic to explore the boundaries of art, craft, fashion, and music. This latest endeavor is the result of collaborations between international artists, scientists, and designers, including Turner Prize–winner Douglas Gordon. These artistic dialogues, technical innovations, and craft experiments have produced fantastical creations, including a high-heeled shoe guitar worn by Lady Gaga, a cigar-box orchestra, and a theremin tapestry, all documented in lush color—from developmental inception to public display. The book includes an introduction by Judith Winter and a revealing conversation with Chicks on Speed about their art and process.

Genres: Art

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2010

Reviews

[Bryce Galloway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovingly individualised with a one-off drawing of a satellite and some clipped text. Bought from Chicks on Speed at their City Gallery Wellington show. They also performed at Happy while in town, and while performing destroyed the plinths the art school (I work for) had loaned them. The art school billed them for the destroyed plinths. So Chicks on Speed… “We don’t play guitars” but we’ll destroy your plinths.
The book has lots of yummy photographs of Chicks chaos. Collage chaos, performance chaos, installation chaos… And cigar box synths, electronic audio clothes, audio weaving, guitar stilettos… A brief essay and interview bridge the centre of the book. Accessible, perhaps too so, where are the new ideas? But then the Chicks might retort by pointing to the included excerpt from Nadine Jessen: ‘Contemporary art is just more colonialism, contemporary, to be more IN time than those primitive others.’

[Lesley Looper · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the art collected in this book isn't the style I'm drawn to, I can appreciate the boldness of the colors, textures, and subjects.