The 'Not the End of Us' Publication
The Launch Event
To counteract contemporary art practice, where the individuality of the artist prevails, the name "Alter Us" was selected in favour of collectivism over individualism. Founded in London in November 2018, with no entry requirements, the collective became a social experiment within which the power dynamics and number of artists naturally fluctuated.
Alter Us met monthly to fulfil its aims and plan events, with digital conferences replacing physical meetings during lockdowns. The collective organised talks, panel discussions, exhibitions, performances, and film screenings. This publication is the final project and acts as a record of all that was achieved together.
'Interlude' | Copyright © Christopher Pearson 2021
'Night-Delirium' | Copyright © Christopher Pearson 2022
It was conceptualised as a publication with no 'end', with one half styled as the 'last sunset' and the other the 'new sunrise'. Each artist contributed one image and one text to each section.
The comical title, 'Not the End of Us', is a play on the collective's name, and the fact that despite this publication being the last official Alter Us project, it is not really the end of the artists' relationships with one another, it is merely a 'long goodbye'.
My contributions took the form of two prints taken from an etched and engraved zinc plate with carborundum, each accompanied by a poem, entitled 'Interlude' and 'Night-Delirium' respectively.