The Task, 2010

Chris Shepherd - Toronto, Canada

Performance Art

The Task is a performance in which the artist moves and neatly stacks approximately 15 tons of concrete blocks from one location to another and back again. After 12 hours the performance venue will look as it did at the start: as if nothing has happened despite the challenging physical work that has taken place. During the heavy lifting the artist will take the odd 15-minute pause and a half-hour break at midnight. This longer break will mark the halfway point; where all the concrete blocks will have been moved from one location to the other. The work might then appear to be finished, but in reality it’s only about to start its process of placing all the blocks back to their original place.
 
The physical and mental challenges entailed by this activity allude to the tediousness of everyday routines, but also to their potential to be meditative, enjoyable, and rewarding.

Chris Shepherd studied art history and film at various universities. In the 80s he moved to Toronto and explored the city with a camera, solidifying his interest in the movements and places of day-to-day urban life.

Suitable for all ages