The Beach

Several hundred traditional beachballs printed on one panel with an English translation of the classic Situationist graffiti slogan, “Sous les pavés, la plage” which was sprayed on the walls of Paris during the workers revolt of May 68.  The phrase expresses the desire that beneath the city hardened by Capitalism, there lay the freedom of the beach, represented by the sand in which the cobble stones were placed, later to be liberated by protestors and used as weapons to defend against the brutality of the state.

Beneath this poetic phrase lay the anger but also the playfulness of revolt. Of fighting for those ideals and freedoms of the 60’s which have never quite played out.

The installation consisted of silent historical Pathé newsreel footage screened on the far wall, whilst visitors were encouraged to “play”, to go feral with the beachballs. Whilst most adults were content with chin stroking and drinking the wine on offer, too self-conscious to participate, the kids had a ball, so to speak, launching them every which way to the sound of laughter whilst the riots played out on the wall.

Having been involved in numerous affrays, protests, riots and illegal raves raided by the constabulary, it struck me that the adrenaline of protest, the laughter, dopamine, camaraderie, or transgression, was far closer to experiences of “play” than we perhaps care to admit.

Photography by Brian Tallman.