AN EVENING WITH BEN JUDD

BEN JUDD | Concerning the Difference Between the Delights of Pleasure and True Happiness

As part of the major site-specific exhibition, Swedenborg House: Fourteen Interventions, we welcome the artist Ben Judd to stage a performance in Swedenborg Hall.

Ben Judd’s artwork attempts to perform a system of belief—whilst also portraying the ambiguities and uncertainties inherent in the process of believing. His performance on the 3rd March will integrate maxims from Swedenborg’s work with ritualistic behaviour, improvisation and song. The audience will be far from disassociated from the performers; spectators should also experience the complexities of ritual and belief, immersed in a specifically constructed atmosphere in Swedenborg Hall.

In work such as I Shall Heal You (2009) and The Truth Shall Set You Free (2005), Ben Judd joins a group in their ritualistic activities. He tries to maintain a liminal presence—always interested in the constant transition between belief and disbelief, association and disassociation. These groups usually represent a subculture, self-determined in their alienation from mainstream society. Ben has worked with ‘witches’, ‘mediums’, scientologists, trainspotters and Morris dancers, in his exploration of outsider status and the transformative potential of ritual. He has shown his work, which includes video and performance, all over the world. His acclaimed solo shows have been in London, Cologne, Nuremberg and most recently in Amsterdam and Columbia, where he held a residency in Cali and worked with a self-proclaimed witch. More information on Ben Judd can be found on his website here.

Admission is free but capacity is limited. If you would like to attend please contact nora@swedenborg.org.uk or phone +44 (0) 207 405 7986.

THIS EVENT IS NOW OVER. Watch an extract from the performance here.