Dublin 21 June 2009 Site Malborough St. 1Hour Father's Day video Michelle Browne.
Video documented hour long performance on Marlborough Street off the main shopping area where other dealings were occurring. Home to betting offices, Pubs, and working mans club, blue hoarding earmarked the crumbling of what once was old Dublin along the bus terminus street....an end of the line for some.
Invited audience were asked to be discreet in their presence as was our documenter. Our aim to blend in, to be among, to experience in our mental and physical capacity what it is to be male in our occupation of this street scape.
We are in the "ladies" in the basement of Wynne's Hotel, transforming ourselves, making last minute adjustments. As other customers enter and then quickly back out we are surprised at the reaction. Some reappear and ask about our action and are positive in their recognition of what we are doing. One complains to management of our hijacking of the Ladies.
We walk from the corner of Abbey street, hanging about, leaning on street furniture, posts and bins or against walls as we had witnessed in previous days. Armed with a line and chalk we are making our mark around the architecture, on hoarding, striking lines, occupying spaces as our fathers trades are referenced.
Buses are spilling out their occupants at the termini as rumbling engines come to a stop. The bookies are open as we place our slip under the grid. The high wall mounted TV screens are the focus of the other punters. Our random pick brings us a win again.
Between the blue hoarding and the small side street car park we cross and one of us is brushing shoulders with drug dealings as deals are measured out in the open on an early Sunday afternoon.
The invisibility of our presence strikes us.
We reach Talbot Street and the afternoon shoppers are arriving as we witness, merge and conclude our piece with a walk behind Clerys walking past the ‘Busman’s Club’.
