Do you want to be a part of a public art performance by world-renowned artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset? If you are tall, well built, and can look professional but stern when necessary, then we want you!

The Liverpool Biennial 2012 artwork titled But I’m on the Guest List Too! is a large-scale, freestanding stainless-steel VIP door of the kind that you might find at the most exclusive nightclubs. However, with the door fixed ajar, the public will be unable to pass through.

Elmgreen & Dragset and Liverpool Biennial are looking to recruit a number of performers to act as bouncers to guard this door and control this imaginary VIP entrance during the ten weeks of Liverpool Biennial 2012.

The artwork will be located in Liverpool ONE, outside John Lewis, who are sponsoring the artwork and are Liverpool Biennial 2012’s Visitor Services Partner. It will launch on Saturday 8 September, one week prior to the opening of Liverpool Biennial 2012, as part of the London 2012 Festival, the spectacular 12-week nationwide celebration running from 21 June until 9 September 2012 bringing together leading artists from across the world with the very best from the UK.

As part of their sponsorship, John Lewis will be assisting the performers to appear as well trained security professionals. The John Lewis brand, built on trust and service, provides the backbone of Liverpool Biennial’s Visitor Services programme and the Biennial’s team of volunteers will also be trained by John Lewis Liverpool.

Visitors to Liverpool Biennial 2012 will benefit from the wealth of expertise that John Lewis possesses, ensuring a consistently strong and diverse Visitor Services programme as an integral part of the ten-week festival.

Performers will also meet artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, who are currently exhibiting the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, on Wednesday 29 August, 6.00pm at John Lewis Liverpool. The artists will discuss their vision of the artwork and the script.

Performances will take place on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 6pm between Saturday 8 September and Sunday 25 November.

Interested performers should contact Lucy Johnston on 0151 203 3584 or lucy@biennial.com for further information about the performances.


Photo: Dislocated Oriental, 2008. Courtesy of the Artists.