Push and Pull Redfern: Lucas Ihlein, Nick Keys and Astrid L'Orange, 2009.


A re-enactment (or "re-doing") of Allan Kaprow's early happening/environment, Push and Pull - A Furniture Comedy for Hans Hoffman (1963) - this time in the inner-Sydney suburb of Redfern .

Push and Pull Redfern took place at Locksmith Project Space, Redfern.

The original motivation for this project was to create a framework to find out what Kaprow's work would be like in actual experience.

The Allan Kaprow Foundation provided his original instructions (or "score") to follow.

In order to make a contribution to the historical record, Push and Pull Redfern was extensively documented - perhaps more thoroughly than any other version before or since. Documentation strategies consisted of detailed blogging for each day of the project, and the production of a timelapse film. These materials were sent to the Allan Kaprow foundation for their archives.

Push and Pull Redfern was presented as part of There Goes the Neighbourhood, curated by Keg de Souza and Zanny Begg.

Many thanks to Bec Dean from Performance Space for supporting this project.


More info about Push and Pull Redfern

Push and Pull Redfern project blog.

Timelapse film of Push and Pull Redfern.

"Inhabiting Allan Kaprow's Push and Pull" (2007): Lucas Ihlein on his experience of Push and Pull: A Furniture Comedy for Hans Hoffman, which was recreated in New York by Creative Time as part of Performa Festival. A timelapse film from that iteration is here.

Lucas Ihlein's "Inhabiting Allan Kaprow's Push and Pull" was reprinted in Locksmith Project #1, published by Locksmith Project Space, 2009.

Anneke Jaspers' "In-situ response to Push and Pull Redfern" was published in Locksmith Project #2, published by Locksmith Project Space, 2009.

Lizzie Muller, Lucas Ihlein, Nick Keys, Astrid, L'Orange, "Push and Pull", in The Live Art Almanac Vol. 2. Edited by D. Brine, V. Gantner, L. Keidan, C. Mitchell, A. Mitchelson & P. Pecelli. London, New York, Sydney: Live Art Development Agency, 2011, 171-175.

Amelia Groom, "There Goes the Neighbourhood", in Runway Magazine, 2009. Download PDF of this article here.