Paradise row

Collaborative installation project between Dawood (artist), Tughela Gino (architect), Chris Hammond (curator), which played on the relationship between artists and real estate values, as a function of urbanism. Dawood acquired a terraced house in London’s East End, redesigned and renovated it as a collaborative installation, then, in a

final play on the nature of commodity, allowed viewings only by appointment with a local estate agent. Building on Dawood’s

use of artifice, the hoax and the act of cultural translation, the house became a large conundrum. The architectural construct, in

itself already a conundrum through the collaboration between artist and architect, was taken to the next logical point by

reframing the artist’s work via an outside agent: for example, around the kitchen and worktops a series of monitors documented

Dawood’s performance works; a sound piece floated out of the basement; and a photographic installation complete with wires

and pulleys filled the main studio. The house became a process-based commentary on the nature of economy, real estate and

art as commodity-fetish.

A catalogue, instigated and developed by Dawood, framed as texts the dialogues between the various collaborators, including a

conversation between architect and estate agent (at opposite ends of the collaborative chain). The catalogue included essays

by Chris Hammond and Lisa Le Feuvre and was published through MOT (see

http://www.motinternational.org/images/paradise_row_A5.pdf

Dawood initiated the project, brought architect, curator and estate agent together, and raised all the funding. Hammond oversaw

production of the catalogue. Gino designed and project managed the house renovations.

Reviews appeared in Time Out (Sarah Kent), Independent on Sunday Review (feature article by Chloe Grimshaw), Interior

Design magazine New York (feature article for special issue relating to contemporary art, architecture and design), Independent

on Sunday ABC supplement, plus television coverage. Project funders included ACE (£4500); Decibel (£4500); Universities of

Westminster and Leeds Metropolitan (£1750 total).