Natascha Stellmach performing at documenta(13), Kassel, 2012
Agent Provocateurs were traditionally ‘secret agents’ employed to lure suspects into committing an act with evidence. In this context and within the realm of social practice and performance art, the visitor is transformed by Stellmach into an agent provocateur for a night – to encourage a discourse, with statements that critique the role of the artist and contemporary art in society.
These brash and humerous text-based pen tattoos not only encourage an accessible dialogue around art and body-image, but are also a direct reflection of our vulnerability and humanity. The tattoos become both a fashion accessory – with Stellmach tattooing to complement “the evening’s antics and outfit” – as well as a positive transformation of the author’s initial, often highly-charged sentiment. In keeping with many of Stellmach’s ephemeral works, these naively scribed, yet bold words are ‘exhibited’ on the skin of participants, to end up in the sheets, the shower or a selfie.
For the first edition of Agent Provocateur, which was also performed at documenta(13) in 2012, people of all ages queued to have their own temporary text-based tattoo, which lasted between one to three days.
Ben wears an Imperfect anagram of ‘Fuck Art Let’s Dance’, 2016, Kosmetiksalon Babette, Berlin
AGENT PROVOCATEUR (2)
Natascha Stellmach’s 2016 incarnation of her ongoing body of work, is a performance in which she pens more ‘word plays’ onto bodies, this time working in an anagrammatic manner with the iconic 1980s phrase by the literary subversive, Lawrence Ferlinghetti: ‘Fuck Art Let’s Dance’.
AGENT PROVOCATEUR (1)
Informed by the controversy around her major project with the ashes of Kurt Cobain, (COMPLETE BURNING AWAY) the “tattooed” statements critique the merits, ethics and parameters of the artist and contemporary art in society. Visitors were invited to choose one of the countless responses to Stellmach’s project, but only from a pool of responses which debated “art”. This was then written onto their skin by the artist.
More information on the performances in: Berlin | Melbourne | Kassel | Miami
Danny wears Juxtapoz, San Francisco, 2011, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Beat wears tokik, Hungary 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Annica & Simon wear Wiseblood, Lisbon, 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Hannah wears Varookamcsalt, Southern USA, 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Matthew wears NCA, Portugal, 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Ian wears Unregistered User, Seattle, 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Nigel wears wankerette, Sydney, 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60 cm
Shane wears Svenska Larm, Stockholm, Sweden, 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Jutta wears meritamun, Germany, 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Susan wears tiewee, Murder Valley, USA, 2011, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Donna wears Matthew Laidlow, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Vas wears GOply, USA, 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Marlene wears Uncle Eccoli, USA, 2011, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Kika wears tom b, USA, 2011, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Michael wears Lloydy, England, 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Maria wears mutika, Hungary, 2011, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Suzie wears Rodrigo, Columbia, 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Nirvana wears Flipjuhh, Limburg, The Netherlands, 2011, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
The Artist wears GibsonGeek93, USA, 2012, fine art print, 40 x 60cm
Kaan wears Alex Miller, UK, fine art print, 40 x 60cm, 2012
Ana wears Walker Morrow, Duncan, BC, Canada, 2012, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Nui wears Nick, Norway, 2012, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Chris wears Heart-A-Tact, Orlando, FL, USA, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Patricia wears Pele Mele, Greece, 2012, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
David wears mowgli, Slovenia, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Alyssa wears Jeffrey Greenblatt, New York City, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Juliane wears Johnc_22, Atlanta, GA, USA, 2012, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Oli wears Rodrigo, Columbia, 2012, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Judy wears Pele-mele, Greece, 2012, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Martina wears kevinm4435, 2012, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Ilona + Margret wear GOPly, USA, 2012, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Joanne wears Vestus, Germany, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Cynthia wears Gibsongeek93, USA, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Arne wears Alan Posener, Berlin, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Andrew wears Nick, Norway, 2012, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Maria wears The Walrus, Iceland, 2012, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Christian wears Olivier Friedrich, Germany, 2012, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Camilla wears Varookamcsalt, Southern USA, 2012, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Holly wears tokik, Hungary, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Sheri wears tokik, Hungary, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Estela wears The Walrus, Iceland, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Oriana wears meritamun, Germany, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Ylinka wears clavin99, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Narim wears mynameisjeremy, USA, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Sabrina wears mnhockey99, USA, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Olivia wears Batman10120, Hertford, UK, 2011, fine art print, 60 x 40 cm
Stellmach pen tattooing in Berlin 2011
Stellmach at dOCUMENTA(13), Kassel, 2012
Stellmach at Anna Pappas Gallery, Melbourne 2012
Stellmach at Pulse Miami 2011
Stellmach at Pulse Miami 2011
Agent Provocateur, Wagner+Partner, Berlin, 2012
Installation view, Agent Provocateur, Anna Pappas Gallery Melbourne, 2012
Agent Provocateur, Anna Pappas Gallery, Melbourne 2012, photo by Tristan Davies
Agent Provocateur, Wagner+Partner, Berlin, 2012
SELECTED PRESS
Studio, SBS Australia | Natascha Stellmach – 3 min video by The Apiary
Thankyou for your amazing presence at PULSE Miami! Everyone had a Stellmach tattoo at the end of the art fair. Staff, patrons, exhibitors, everyone! What a beautiful community action you brought to us! Cornell Dewitt, Director PULSE Miami | New York
NATASCHA STELLMACH 