"mennell's work smears the personal and political across their body. The Thames performance is the finale of a project called (para)site, made in response to revelations of sewage discharge in our waterways and a reaction to the way benefit claimants are labelled a drain on society. OK, mennell thought, I'm going to be the parasite."
"Growing up by the chalk pits of Thurrock, Essex, and making their way into London's live art scene for its hotspot of queer iniquity and filth, they were always drawn by the Thames. It's what called to mennell in their darkest moments; where they walked when they were getting sober; and where they return for their art."
"Live art is not just people getting naked because they want to. In confrontation, mennell acknowledges, but it's also about finding a moment of connection. As artist-in-residence at queer performance and discussion season Rat Park, mennell drenched themself in a gloopy, lube-like thickening agent to explore pollution and shame, and gathered the audiences' spit in their hand as a meditation on community."
Performance artist zack mennell creates provocative live art that merges personal and political commentary. Their project (para)site responded to sewage discharge in waterways and stigma against benefit claimants by literally embodying pollution through a costume made of 24 adult nappies, wading into the Thames until contracting Weil's disease. Growing up near Essex chalk pits and drawn to London's queer live art scene, mennell uses the Thames as a recurring site for artistic exploration. Their work includes performances involving visceral materials like lubricant and audience participation through gathering spit. Rather than merely unsettling viewers, mennell seeks confrontation that creates moments of genuine connection and community engagement.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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