I’m Still Feeling It, plasticine, cling wrap, dimensions variable, 2020

Overlapping Magisteria: The 2020 Macfarlane Commissions - group show

Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Naarm/so called Melbourne

A close up of a little flesh pink plasticine ball that is held in hanging folded cling wrap. The cling wrap has subtle crinkles and it is in front of a white wall.
The same little flesh pink plasticine ball shown a bit further away. It is held, suspended, in folded cling wrap. The cling wrap is rectangular.
Sam Petersen (me) is behind the same rectangular piece of cling wrap, suspended from above, holding the little flesh pink plasticine ball. I am looking directly at the ball which is at my eye level and gesturing towards it with an open hand. I am wea
A detail of same cling wrap photographed from the ceiling where it is suspended. It is a single piece of cling wrap folded back on itself, hanging from the shining bit of ceiling. When the cling wrap touched the ceiling, the 2 sides separated and stu
A whole install shot of the same performance installation. It is a single piece of cling wrap folded back on itself, hanging from the shining bit of ceiling with a single little marble-sized ball of pink plasticine wrapped up in it, weighing down the
A whole install shot of the same performance installation at the end of its duration. It is a single piece of cling wrap folded back on itself, that has fallen to the ground. The cling wrap forms a squiggly line on the floor. The walls are straight
A close up of the same cling wrap and flesh pink plasticine ball fallen to the ground. The floor is grey aggregate concrete.
A close up of the same cling wrap fallen to the grey floor in a squiggle formation. The walls are white with plasticine and cling wrap pushed into the skirting board.
A room shot of gallery three. The walls are white and the floor is grey. There is flesh pink plasticine and glad wrap pushed into the skirting board. Through the door way is another white walled gallery space.
A detail of the flesh pink plasticine and cling wrap pushed into the skirting board. The cling wrap protrudes from the top and bottom of the plasticine. There are lots of fingerprints in the plasticine and it bulges out like a tummy.
Room shot from the foyer looking into the gallery spaces. There is a rusty metal wall with inch wide channels running from ceiling to floor. Each channel has cling wrap running down and there is pink plasticine wedged in between. Through the doorways
A detail shot of flesh pink plasticine and cling wrap wedged between the channels in the rusty metal wall. There are very visible finger prints in the plasticine.

Photo documentation by Andrew Curtis.

I'm Still Feeling It performance

 

Audio Description of Sam’s works in Overlapping Magisteria

 

I'm Still Feeling It Rant

 

ACCA Art Kitchen

Speech Transcript

A speech Sam gave at ACCA 3rd of December 2020 at the Donor’s opening.

Today is Disability Day.

Most of my art work is about my disability.

I remember not too long ago when I was in housing that didn’t fit my needs and this librarian very excitedly showed me their Disability Day display.

I explained to the librarian why I looked like I wanted to throw up.

That day in the library I had to wait to use the toilet because there were people having sex. 

They probably didn’t have adequate housing either.

After the year we have had and still are having, I don’t know if I would’ve survived mentally if I hadn’t had proper housing. Many of us people with disabilities are still isolated because if they were to get Covid-19 they would just die instantly.

I have a pretty good immune system, but I have significant physical and social issues, i.e. ableism, that would make it very hard for me.

Long before covid went down, Lisa said Max would like to see you.

I thought yes!

Fuck! 

Finally!

Yep I have ego. It’s not out of artificially feeling I can do no wrong.

It’s from being torn down daily.

You have to make it show.

What a wonderful exhibition to be a part of.

I’m so excited about it. 

It has helped me get through this year knowing there is this pink light at the end of the tunnel.

And I couldn’t have better help. 

I have trauma about being let down because people are often letting me down.

Not here!

‘I’m Still Feeling It’ is all about sex.

 And O Earth do I love it 🥰 

It’s the perfect shade of pink.

And cling wrap everywhere, safe, yet suffocating.

I’m so glad to have this work realised.

I must finally add- it would not feel right for me to accept the privilege of being platformed at a space like ACCA without also using this opportunity to draw people's attention to issues of ongoing violent occupation on this land. The sacred Djab Wurrung birthing trees on Djab Wurrung country are still at risk of desecration.

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