Riverside Studios, 2023

Pipe Dreams was a part of the event Barbara Incidentally to celebrate the life of Barbara Steveni, the founder of Artist Placement Group. I had met Barbara in the 70’s but developed a more in depth relationship in the 80’s with her during the setting up of a Bow Gamelan Ensemble performance, Offshore Rig, at Lots Ait, an island on the Thames. We had invited the poet/percussionist Z’EV to collaborate and we camped on the island for several weeks. Barbara hung out with us and formed a relationship with Z’EV. I met up with Barbara many times over the ensuing years, often on the Thames foreshore. For the event, I made a costume made of clay pipes, which I had beachcombed from the banks of the Thames. I animated these clay pipes with different kinds of bodily movements, their tinkling sounds duetting with a film of Z’EV playing Chinese gongs. I sang of the smoke that had once exited these pipes as pipe smokers dreamed, chatted, planned and shared visions.