anthea moys

In May 2018 I was invited back for a second artist in residency project at Astrid Noaks Atelier. In 2017, prior to this residency, I was tasked with activating the space and highlighting its cultural value. For the past previous 5 years the cultural space with several artists' studios: Rådmandsgade 34 in Copenhagen was threatened by development on either side of the cultural space. During my initial research, I made friends with the builders during their lunch break next door and eventually collaborated with them in the delivery of beer via crane, a token of peace, for the opening performance. Upon my return to the space, a year later, for this 3-week residency, the space was still under threat: we were not sure if we were going to say hello or goodbye to this cultural space, so we created the Hello/Goodbye Party. I collaborated with the resident artists Rasmus Bauner, Mie Lund Hansen, Anne Clement, and Anna Weirum in the creation of the party.

 

As an artist, I brought with me hundreds of gold leaf sheets from Johannesburg – the city of gold. The dream was, with the help of everyone attending the event, to cover the old cultural house in gold; to turn old into gold, and see this space as a cultural treasure. I also worked closely with the street artist ZUSA in recovering the old ZUSA in gold leaf. Finally, I commissioned opera singer Signe Jeppesen to sing ‘Time To Say Goodbye’ on scaffolding as the sun was setting. Later in the evening, everyone gathered in one of the artist's recording studios and we all sang together, as an impromptu choir, the Beatles’ ‘Hello Goodbye’.