Old friend from high school (also by coincidence a mutual friend of Freakley‘s).
He is to blame for first introducing me to the term “relational aesthetics” in 2007 whilst telling me about his PhD project, which involves mounting events at which he hands out loaves of self-baked bread in exchange for whatever participants think they’re worth, documenting the exchange, then exhibiting the documentation and the objects received.
From recent FB event blurb:
“Bring whatever you think a loaf of bread is worth down to the SmithDick venue in the bus interchange and swap it. It’s up to you – a toaster or tea cup, an old TV or maybe even a piece of art. We won’t question your sense of value; if you say it’s worth BREAD then it is worth BREAD.
Besides the joy of BREAD why is this happening? Why is this art, not a bakery? Robert makes artworks that encourage the viewer to think about the value of their time, stuff and money. He likes baking bread and has found a way to use his passion as part of his art making and PhD project at the ANU School of Art.
This artwork is part of his research in to how participants (people who like BREAD) value objects and participation. You may be documented and chatted to when you come down for your BREAD.”
Canberra Times article about above event. Piece by Robert about the project.