LIVE PERFORMANCE
Since 2001, Canavan has been presenting performance art at events all over Europe. Relentlessly, they have sought to present uncompromising actions of visual poetry through varying degrees of body based trauma.
Please note that only selected works and images are are listed on this site, however there is documentation of performances and video works by Canavan available to view on their Vimeo profile here -> vimeo.com/bumboy
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Please note that only selected works and images are are listed on this site, however there is documentation of performances and video works by Canavan available to view on their Vimeo profile here -> vimeo.com/bumboy
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The Dead Pig of Our Democracy
Made in collaboration with Vex Vada, 'The Dead Pig of Our Democracy' is a violent exploration into the corruption, sullying and abuse of western democracy viewed through the lens of a D/s dynamic and BDSM practice(s)..
Presented at Chronic illness Sewage - an underground performance event in Holloway, North London.
Presented at Chronic illness Sewage - an underground performance event in Holloway, North London.
[TENDER]
'[TENDER]' was presented at 'Acephale', an event held in the BDSM Dungeon Lair of Mistress Syn Ariad, in Brussels. The event was a mix of live performance and experimental sound/noise.
[TENDER] was Canavans' first live performance in 5 years, due to a self imposed hiatus for recovery following a violent assault that left them bleeding and unconscious on the streets of Blackpool.
[TENDER] was Canavans' first live performance in 5 years, due to a self imposed hiatus for recovery following a violent assault that left them bleeding and unconscious on the streets of Blackpool.
TRANSMISSION
'TRANSMISSION' was presented as part of a live stream for the fetish event Klub Verboten. The piece was screened as part of their 'Videokabine' project, made in partnership with Uncensored Film Festival in March 2020.
ALL ROADS LEAD TO SHIT
'All Roads Lead To Shit' was presented at NIAMOS Manchester, in 2020 as part of the Emergency StopGap event curated by HaB Arts.
This 3o minute performance was titled after a quote by TV presenter Rylan which they gave when pressed on their views of the Brexit process. It was at this performance when Canavan unveiled a chest wound that read "BUMBOY", in reference to the homophobic slur that Boris Johnson penned in a Telegraph column in 1998 and has refused to apologise for.
This 3o minute performance was titled after a quote by TV presenter Rylan which they gave when pressed on their views of the Brexit process. It was at this performance when Canavan unveiled a chest wound that read "BUMBOY", in reference to the homophobic slur that Boris Johnson penned in a Telegraph column in 1998 and has refused to apologise for.
IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN
'In The Shadow Of The Sun' was presented twice at two alternate Torture Garden events (Edinburgh and London) and at Wasteland, Amsterdam, throughout 2018.
This performance was a continuation of themes explored in Urolagnia - specifically the treatment of political prisoners and drew reference from Abu Graib. This performance was a short, sharp shock designed to jolt audience members into the moment.
The latex cowl and hood were designed by Dayne Henderson and the cheek spear was created by Bakeneko Designs.
This performance was a continuation of themes explored in Urolagnia - specifically the treatment of political prisoners and drew reference from Abu Graib. This performance was a short, sharp shock designed to jolt audience members into the moment.
The latex cowl and hood were designed by Dayne Henderson and the cheek spear was created by Bakeneko Designs.
UROLAGNIA
'Urolagnia' was presented in Brussels as part of ACTUS V in 2017.
A performance that was a three part mediation on the artists attempted suicide, their fetish for watersports and the waterboarding of political prisoners for the purposes of interrogation. The performance saw members of the audience waterboard Canavan with black paint and concluded with a procession through the streets of Brussels in the middle of a football riot.
To watch the full recording of the performance, please click here.
A performance that was a three part mediation on the artists attempted suicide, their fetish for watersports and the waterboarding of political prisoners for the purposes of interrogation. The performance saw members of the audience waterboard Canavan with black paint and concluded with a procession through the streets of Brussels in the middle of a football riot.
To watch the full recording of the performance, please click here.
YES, IT'S FUCKING POLITICAL
'Yes, It's Fucking Political' was first performed at a Torture Garden event in London in 2010 and was resurrected for an event in 2017 curated by industrial music pioneers Test Dept, called 'Assembly of Disturbance' - prior to this final live presentation, Test Dept invited Canavan to stage the performance in an installation created by David Altweger for their music video 'Landlord'.
'Yes, it's Fucking Political' was performed for one hour. Canavan stood as a sculpture with the word 'DISSENT' cut into their chest, with their eyes blindfolded and mouth pierced shut. Their head was then covered in gold paint and honey, in reference to the seminal Joseph Beuys performance 'How To Explain Paintings To A Dead Hare'.
To watch the Test Dept music video 'Landlord' featuring Canavan, please click here.
'Yes, it's Fucking Political' was performed for one hour. Canavan stood as a sculpture with the word 'DISSENT' cut into their chest, with their eyes blindfolded and mouth pierced shut. Their head was then covered in gold paint and honey, in reference to the seminal Joseph Beuys performance 'How To Explain Paintings To A Dead Hare'.
To watch the Test Dept music video 'Landlord' featuring Canavan, please click here.
LABOUR ISN'T WORKING
'Labour Isn't Working' was commissioned by AV Festival in 2016.
The performance was presented in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear, as an homage to the Jarrow Crusade which saw two hundred men march to London from Jarrow, in order to petition the Prime Minister for work. Over the course of twenty two hours, Canavan carried individually two hundred concrete blocks from site a to site b, where they were then decimated with a 7lb sledgehammer.
The performance was presented in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear, as an homage to the Jarrow Crusade which saw two hundred men march to London from Jarrow, in order to petition the Prime Minister for work. Over the course of twenty two hours, Canavan carried individually two hundred concrete blocks from site a to site b, where they were then decimated with a 7lb sledgehammer.
DREDGE
'DREDGE' was presented twice and on both occasions as part of the SPILL Festival of Performance (in Ipswich 2014 and London, 2015).
This performance saw the artist crawl on their hands and knees, without protection, over the process of an hour and thirty minutes, with a hook through their tongue, dragging a floral garland in their wake.
To view an edit of the performance, combined with a brief interview with Canavan about this piece of work, please click here.
This performance saw the artist crawl on their hands and knees, without protection, over the process of an hour and thirty minutes, with a hook through their tongue, dragging a floral garland in their wake.
To view an edit of the performance, combined with a brief interview with Canavan about this piece of work, please click here.
