More than three decades since Braco Dimitrijevic took the first photograph in his The Casual Passer-by series, he has returned to the city to make an image of a contemporary London woman, The Casual Passer-by: 11.23pm Chelsea, May 2005. To coincide with the current exhibition, Open Systems: Rethinking Art c1970, at Tate Modern, which features a 1972 work from the series, Sadler’s Wells has commissioned the latest piece which will can be seen on London buses and on the Underground.
Until 4 September, Londoner dwellers and visitors will be asked to spot Dimitrijevic’s artwork on London buses, and take shots of it on a mobile phone or digital camera. The images, all of which will be displayed on The Casual Passer-by website (www.casualpasserby.com), will then be entered in a draw and the lucky winner, to be announced on 10 September, will get Tate Membership, which includes free entry to Tate exhibitions, and two tickets to every production at Sadler’s Wells for a year.
The most recent The Casual Passer-by has been made possible by a special collaboration between Tate Modern, Sadler’s Wells, Viacom Outdoor and Platform for Art.
Braco Dimitrijevic took the first in The Casual Passer-by series in 1971 and has added to it over the last thirty years. Using anonymous people met by chance and photographed in the street, he displays their faces in major world-wide cities on advertising media such as billboards, banners and public transport. Instead of politicians, actors or models, viewers see the features of unknown people. The witty play on chance, the whim of history and the celebration of one person over another raises intriguing questions about fame and anonymity.
Braco Dimitrijevic is a pioneer in the field of conceptual art in public space. He lives and works in Paris.
Open Systems: Rethinking Art c1970, which includes works by Braco Dimitrijevic alongside thirty conceptual artists from Britain, Central and Eastern Europe, South America and the United States, is on display on Level 4 at Tate Modern until 18 September. Admission £7, concessions £5.50. Secure booking at www.tate.org.uk or call 0207 887 8888. The original The Casual Passer-By: 11.23pm Chelsea, May 2005 is currently on display at Sadler’s Wells.
For details of how to enter the competition, please visit www.tate.org.uk/casualpasserby.