The journey from Alalia to Marvin
I RECENTLY caught up with Marvin Gaye Chetwynd in Touchstones, at the live performance and film of Dogsy Ma Bone.
She was born Alalia Chetwynd, London, in 1973, became Spartacus Chetwynd in 2006, was nominated for the Turner Prize in 2012 and exhibited in the Saatchi Gallery, Migros Museum in Zürich and the Tate.
This internationallyrenowned artist recently became Marvin Gaye Chetwynd.
Dogsy Ma Bone is a song with dance review and film performed by young people.
It references Edwardian music hall, Weimar cabaret, Hollywood musicals and contemporary R ‘n’ B.
I asked Marvin Gaye Chetwind how Dogsy Ma Bone came about.
She said: “I was invited by the Liverpool Biennial to join them.
“For the commission you have to manage a live event and a product.
“Although I am known to have quite a bravado as an artist, I am not scared of doing more functional and applied commissions.
“My work is being bought by museums and one of the conditions is that the performer enjoys it and can bring things to it, not be reverential about it.”
She explained that the references to a range of musical eras were because she wanted the audience to be engaged as in a puzzle with lots of different references and ‘getting their minds buzzing.’
The stunning costumes and hand-made props were all designed and made by her, working with 78 young people.
She said: “I used a pattern book from the V&A. I scaled them up at first onto bin bags to see if they worked, I was then really excited by the fabrics.
“I am very happy how the colours worked, especially here with that stained-glass window, it seemed to really draw them out. They are slightly garish, in a Saturdaynight-out Scouse way.”
I was keen to know why ‘Marvin Gaye’ Chetwynd.
She told me: “I really love him, I am a fan and have watched lots of documentaries about him. I like his journey from Motown to the more intense What’s Going On.
“I am attracted to him as a free spirit. All that hardness from being on tour, not managing his personal life and ending up being murdered by his dad.
“It is easy for your life to go astray, I could be a slave to my work.
“I am very good at making these strange, bizarre, informal events, but you have got to maintain your own health and personal life.’