Marlene Haarig oder In meiner Badewanne bin Ich Kapitän! (Marlene Hairy or In My Bathtub I am the Captain), crawling and bathing performance, Vienna, 6 June 2005

The long-blond-haired creature sleeping on the pavement at the street-corner rendezvous outside the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts did not greet the more-or-less informed audience, but set off at surprising speed on all fours into the park. The assorted audience followed as the creature made its way through the greenery towards the Prater (Vienna’s permanent fun-fair), past Autodrome, Space Shot, Ghost Train and Casino Admiral, emerging on Austellungsstrasse (Exhibition Road) and crossing into the neighbourhood known as the Stuwerviertel, where Marlene Haring lives.

This diverse and slightly run-down area of Vienna’s ‘Second District’ is also one of the city’s red light districts. Such a large group of people, apparently strolling behind an unnameable animal and accompanied by various camera crews and photographers did not fail to make an exhibition of itself. The creature led the crowd into a vacant shop nicely equipped with a dilapidated Alpine landscape wallpaper, where they were greeted by another photographer who announced, ‘Group photo!’ and lined everyone up appropriately for the picture behind the trophy or mascot.

The by-now perplexed, harassed or delighted audience may or may not have registered a series of interventions along the way including posters by CHEEK, signs by Julia Wayne and a naked running man by Mahony. Although some were left behind apparently in confusion, the creature led about fifty people to Marlene’s flat where it entered the bathroom and closed the door, not before placing a notice reading, ‘Wer mit mir reden will, soll mit mir baden’ (If you want to talk with me, you have to bathe with me’).

Beer was served and art works shown including CHEEK’s Face by Cheek, Stefanie Seibold’s video Oh Bondage, Julia Wayne’s Gemütliches Traumservice (a sign the by-now art audience might have noticed advertising a ‘discreet’ service in a window on the way, reapplied by Julia in reverse on a large mirror) and Marlene Haring’s Weil jedes Haar anders ist! (Because Every Hair is Different). Some people got into the bath to talk to the hairy creature which brought them there. (Julia Wayne)

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Actions, interventions and works by: CHEEK, Marlene Haring, mahony, Stefanie Seibold, Julia Wayne

Thanks to: Antony Auerbach, Anna Jermolaewa, Elisabeth Haring, Natalie Bergmann, Balazs Korchmaros, Nino Stelzl, Felix Hackl, Jan Brenner, Britta Albegger, Martin Hackl, Dieter Haring, Valentin Zopp, Rosa Reitsamer, Julia Wieger, Markus Krottendorfer, Christian Mayer, Peter Kogler, Manfred Söllner, Barbara Däubl, Fr. Berger, Hr. Karinger