Reindeer Werk (Tom Puckey & Dirk Larsen)Narcisse Tordoir

1977

Poster
Materials:

Collection: M HKA archives.

Design: Narcisse Tordoir

Reindeer Werk was a performance collective consisting of Thom Puckey (°1948, London) and Dirk Larsen (°1951, Copenhagen). The duo graduated from the Royal College of Art in London (1975) and were active under the name Reindeer Werk from 1972 to 1980. They became well known for their pure, untheatrical performances in which active participation from the public was standard fare. For Reindeer Werk, a work of art was no longer a representation of reality, but rather a new reality in which art and experience merged completely. The performances, which were named ‘Behaviour Workshops’ and later ‘Predictions’, called the dominant structures of society into doubt. In them, Reindeer Werk attempted to ensure that their own behaviour was entirely the result of inner impulses, unconditioned by external influences, not even those of Performance Art itself. Their radical non-conformity was aligned with the spirit of the punk movement.

The members of Today’s Place and Reindeer Werk kept in close contact, which led to several joint projects. In 1978, Reindeer Werk performed at Today’s Place, and the two groups also participated together in the Performance Workshop Arnhem. Furthermore, Reindeer Werk was also active in other places in Europe, North and South America and Australia, with solo presentations in De Appel in Amsterdam and CEAC in Toronto, as well as participating in Documenta 6 (Kassel, 1977) and Westkunst Köln.