Tralee artist to make exhibition of herself

SOME artists boast of their body of work but few use their body to make an exhibition of themselves.

That’s what makes performance artist Sandra Vita Ann Minchin so unique. For the next few months she is having a copy of a famous Dutch masterpiece tattooed on her back.

She then plans to have the whole canvas — skin and all — auctioned to the highest and “most suitable” bidder.

However, the buyer will have to wait until after her death to hang up the epidermis canvas.

The project is part of her residency with Siamsa Tire in Tralee, and already it is causing excitement.

“We have only just started this and I am amazed at the level of interest,” Sandra says.

The project, Art Lives Longer than Life, will see her have the 17th-century painting, Vase of Flowers by Jan Van Davidz de Heem, tattooed on her back, which will take 120 hours to complete.

Sandra, from Galway, says her work is intended to subvert the way we look at art.

The first of a number of tattoo sessions open to invited guests takes place at Siamsa Tire on July 29, and the “unveiling” will take place next year.

She says: “The level of support and encouragement from the gallery, members of the community and staff has been fantastic, and it has been very forward thinking of them to take on such a project.”

* For more details go to siamsatire.com.