Artist Instructions

Yoko Ono

(2013)

Circulate a picture of your smile to say, "Hello. How you doing?"

Please take a picture of your smile and upload it using the button below.

Yoko Ono

Erwin Wurm

Untitled (1995)

Content

Put on a pullover—but don’t stick arms or head through the normal openings—squat down and pull the end of the pullover down over your knees and feet.

In this position, endure for 20 seconds.

Please ask a friend or stranger to take a video and / or photographs of your experience and upload them using the buttons below.

Erwin Wurm

Shilpa Gupta

(2012)

LOOK STRAIGHT
DON’T SEE

Kindly fill below

Where do you live currently

Shilpa Gupta

Tacita Dean

Finding a four leaf clover on a sunny day (2002)

Wait for a sunny day
Look for a field full of clovers
Make sure there are no sheep or cows grazing in the field
Walk slowly into the field
Keep your eyes absolutely focussed on the clovers
Try not to tread on them
See the clover with the four leaves
Pick it
Press it in a book

Please photograph your experience and upload it using
the button below.

Tacita Dean

Michael Smith

How to Curate your own Group Exhibition (2002)

On a piece of paper, write the names of three famous artists

Add your name to the list

Make up a title and write a press release

Send the press release to three other artists and instruct them to add their names to the list of the artists

Tell everyone you know in person and on-line about your upcoming group exhibition

Please type your press release in to the box below.

Michael Smith

RAQS Media Collective

DO IT YOURSELF (for children) (2011)*

Imagine and invent five titles of books that
you would like all children to read and enjoy.
Remember, these books don’t exist.
No one has written them, yet.
By making up names for them, you are
helping them appear in the world.

Why should children alone enjoy the
pleasures of make believe books?
Now make up five book titles for friends who
are grownups.

*Previously unpublished, originally submitted for the UNESCO Children’s do it organized by MuMo | Musée Mobile.

Please enter your book titles in the boxes below.

RAQS Media Collective

Trisha Donnelly

Instruction (2002)

Find a Russian.

Ask them to please read this to you.

(Without questions and with feeling. Loud if they don't mind.)

Content

If possible please take a video of your experience
and upload it using the button below.

Trisha Donnelly

Sophia Al Maria

(2012)

Locate a television with a generous selection of satellite offerings.
Utilize the fibonacci sequence of numbers to select channels in order
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987 and so on.
Alternatively use a fibonacci calculator.
Take a photo with a digital device of each channel in passing.
When you have exhausted your satellite channel options as prescribed
by the golden ratio – collate the data in the reverse
order you have
collected it and compile into a mosaic.
The resulting image is a simplistic representation of one edge of the
multifaceted media matrix.
Marvel at the stunning mediocrity of our manmade wonder.

Please take your pictures in landscape format. Once you have taken your
full set of pictures please upload them using the button below.
Your mosaic will then be created for you.

Sophia Al Maria

Konstantin Grcic

Paramount: Architecture for Toy Poodle (2012)

Architecture for Toy Poodle

For full details of this instruction please download the PDF
using the button below.

Download details as PDF

Please photograph your structure, complete with canine
inhabitant and upload using the button below.

Konstantin Grcic

Hans-Peter Feldmann

Homework (or Do It Yourself) (1996)

Look for a photo of a person who seems likeable or attractive. It's important that you can assume this person is dead. You don't need proof, your assumption is enough.

The photograph might be found in a variety of places: magazines, flea-markets, a family photo album. In any case, you must take great care in the search, which will continue until your intuition tells you that you've found the right photo. However, it is important that the person you choose is a complete stranger.

You take this photo and choose a frame according to your taste, as with any home decoration. This can be a wall frame or a standing frame, or possibly a case that you carry around.

Having brought this photo into your daily life, and now looking at it frequently, you should, as often as you like, think about who this person might have been, about what his or her life may have been like, about the cause of his or her death. You should find out how close you can get to this person, and at what point you would give him or her a name...

Please take a picture of the framed photograph and upload it
using the button below.

Hans-Peter Feldmann

Lucy R. Lippard

(2012)

Do something that is: visually striking, socially radical, conceptually and contextually sensitive, sustainable, in the public domain (outside of art venues), and hurts no living thing – something that will change the world. Good luck!

Please take video or photographs of your action and upload them using the buttons below.

Lucy R. Lippard

Casey E.B. Reas

YES NO
Layers of original and appropriated instructions.
Stratum 1
Make a grid or find a grid. Do one thing or another thing inside each unit.
Stratum 1.1
Draw a uniform grid of 200 x 200 squares within 1 square meter. Open a telephone directory and read the numbers in order. For each square, starting in the upper-left corner, fill with blue paint if the number is even, fill with red paint if the number is odd.
Stratum 1.2
Draw a grid of 40 x 25 units. Find a coin and define one side as A and the other as B. For each square, starting in the upper-left corner, flip the coin. If it lands with side A up, draw a line from the lower left to the upper right. If side B lands up, draw a line from the upper left to the lower right.
Stratum 1.2.1
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
Stratum 1.2.2
size(3200, 2000);
background(255);
for (int y = 0; y < height; y += 80) {
  for (int x = 0; x < width; x += 80) {
    if (random(1) > 0.5) {
      line(x, y, x+80, y+80);
    } else {
      line(x, y+80, x+80, y);
    }
  }
}

Please upload images of the result using the button below.

Casey E.B. Reas

Amalia Pica

Throw A Party (2012)

A party of any kind.

A party of any size.

Make sure you provide your guests with:

-Fine entertainment
-Drinks
-Good music
-Paper confetti

When the party is over; sweep all of the confetti to one side of the space, evenly distributing confetti along the entire length of the wall where it meets the floor.

Please take video and photographs of your experience and upload them using the buttons below.

Amalia Pica

RAQS Media Collective

The Robin Hood of Wisdom (2012)

GO to your nearest
 public library
What does the knowledge
taste like? The
 unsalted white of an
egg.
It asks for the garnish
of betrayal.

PREPARE yourself.
Before setting off.
Select a passage from a
book that is dear to
You.
Write, or paint it. With
elegance, flair and
affection on a quality
piece of paper.

The question remains:
how to share
that fullness of hunger
that foreboding
that foresight.

SELECT a book, at
random, from the library’s shelves.
(Make sure that it is
about something
completely unrelated
to the contents of the
passage you have
selected)
You may chose
to write or print a
passage from a story
in the Arabian Nights
(Mardrus & Mathers)
and the book in your
 hand could be A
 Treatise on Heat (Saha
 & Srivastava). Or vice
versa.

INSERT the paper
bearing your selected
passage, between the
pages of this book.

REPLACE the book in
its place on the shelf,
carefully.

REPEAT the procedure
as often as possible.

INFECT knowledge
with wisdom.

Please take multiple photographs of your interventions and upload them using the button below.

RAQS Media Collective

Cory Arcangel

(2012)

Photoshop CS: 11 by 8.5 inches, 300 DPI, RGB, square pixels, default gradient “Russell’s Rainbow” (turn transparency off), mousedown y=1100 x=550, mouseup y=2100 x=1450.

Please save your image as a JPEG less than 1MB in size and upload it using the button below.

Cory Arcangel

Július Koller

Instruction (1996)

Cut out question marks from various newspaper or magazine texts. Then, during your walks in a city, stick them onto public poster texts wherever you will consider it to be important.

Please photograph your interventions and then upload them using the button below.

Július Koller

Suzanne Lacy

(2012)

Content

Please take video / photographs of your statements of solidarity and upload them using the buttons below.

Suzanne Lacy

Hannah Weinberger

Untitled (2012)

These words should appear in any variable form, inside or outside of the space. They can be spoken, used as a performative interaction, used as a script, included in the press release or floorplan, be printed on walls or on paper, sung out loud, included in another piece, spoken out loud, function as subtitles, etc.

choochoo zing lalala poof flutter yikes fisst bump fwoosh gasp swish swoosh jingle screech slap thud choo fizzz thump bloop clap splash grunt spray bash sprinkle squirt drip drizzle whiff whoosh ratatat whisper bam tinkle bang clang whine clank clap clatter clink ding giggle growl gurgle mumble chortle murmur bawl belch chatter blurt arf baa bark bray buzz cheep chirp cluck baa babble whisper pingpong shock shudder gong shuffle shush sigh sizzle clap sizzle slam smooth snap snick sniff whip snip clank dance growl clap pop clash beep clatter haha spark pooop bah bam humph bang wham whee bang whimper slash whine whip gurgle whirr aaa whirl grunt whisper gargle gasp giggle bawl gloop dong grind groan whoosh bash whop beep whizz blubber woof pitterpatter plok plop plunk chomp pong drum pop clang blag blang crash loop creak blare blast bleat aaah bloop blurt thump blurted thump burp crumple buzz blurting boing grrr creake grumble crack gulp swag thump gurgle hum gush hack tick hah bonk hiccup hiss hmm bark flick bash chattercchirp bawl hurrah blare cock-a-doodle-doo cuckoo hiss vroomvroom hubba meow swish moo neigh oink purr quack ribbit tweet warble abrakadabra throb achoo ahem slurp smack argh bawl beep belch whoop screech bing blab blabbed rip cock-a-doodle-doo hum cough screech crackle boohoo crisp croak slurp smack crunch slap slash yank slop slurp crunch sizzle cuckoo ding dingdong doink rustle drum roar echo eek fizz flash roar flop rumble peeyew flush gallop splatter wrrrr squelch squish nonono static rustle stomp puff swat bonk sweep whisper switch ring swoop moan swoosh throb poop thud zipper whizz thunder clank thunk thwap tick regurgitate tictoc clang ting tiptoe blare tong chug tremble pitter tsktsk tug twang jangle jingle yelp jollop kaboom saw kerplunk wuah klank knock laugh meow mew toink miew aaaaw moo clatter munch clop clout num cluck bump buzz clang belch clank popp tweet vroom whip click waaa waahhh wahh wallop bang warble whack hoonk whallop wheeze murmur neigh oink oooooh ooze ouch ow patter peep baaaam phew ping splash splat whistle whiz snort sob whizz whoa boink low bong bonk boo gurgle eew boom bowwow brush bubble bump roar belch shoosh rrrinngg clunk rustle ahaha scream clatter screech whisper shatter whirr sheesh mumble shine drip drop shiver blab carambah caw chitchat clack whoop click clink hohoho holler honk hubbub buzz toot-toot huh flutter hush icky itch pow quack quiver ratchet rattle crack ribbit yap yell yip zap zigzag zip zoom zzz

Please create a video of your performance and upload them using the buttons below.

Hannah Weinberger

Adrián Villar Rojas

A Readymade in the Triassic (2012)

I have a silly gift for you: all the access codes to my e-mail, Fotolog, Flickr, Myspace, and countless other accounts begin with your name. Maybe that password that begins with the word Malena will be saved in files and folders and directories that will travel to lord knows which corner of the galaxy and our planet. Within thousands of years, when humanity stops existing, your name, as a meaningless word, will be floating in space, your name that I wrote to myself and that I now give to you.

Let’s write love letters in our passwords. I assure you, they are time capsules.

Please enter your love letter passwords in the text box below. N.B. No personal data is held by any party associated with this project.

Adrián Villar Rojas

Agnes Varda

Recipe for chard stems gratin

Chard, also called blette, bette, poirée, jotte or joute, is in the chenopod family of leaves and stalks that can be cooked as a vegetable. Red, fleshy stalks of rhubarb leaves. White, stringy stalks of chard.

GRATIN FOR 4 TO 5 PEOPLE. You will need 2 bundles of chard, smaller is better.

1 SEPARATE THE WHITE STEMS FROM THE GREEN LEAVES. (The bin with the green lid is the container for non-recyclable household waste. The bin with the white lid is the container for jars and bottles without caps or lids.)

2 CUT EACH STEM INTO RECTANGLES, DON’T FORGET TO REMOVE THE FILAMENTS.

3 COOK SEPARATELY IN BOILING SALT WATER. THE LEAVES FOR 5 MINUTES, THE STEMS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. (15 Minutes is a film by John Herzfeld. Robert de Niro plays a cop with a cigar. Box office in France in 2001: 296,241 viewers.)

4 DRAIN. (The adjective is draining...)

5 PREPARE THE BÉCHAMEL SAUCE: MELT THE SALTED BUTTER (20 TO 30 G), ADD THE FLOUR, STIR IN AND MIX WITH MILK. PEPPER. (The Marquis de Béchemeil, maître d'hôtel of the Sun King Louis XIV, was famous for his gluttony. In his honour, a cook christened his name a variant of a creamy sauce. The “i” has since faded)

6 SPRINKLE A LITTLE GRATED SWISS CHEESE AND NUTMEG TO DUST. (“Bilbo slowed his pace and then when the dust settled, he disappeared.” Tolkien, Lord of The Rings.)

7 IN A BAKING DISH, PLACE THE CHARD, STEMS AND GREENS. MIX IN THE BÉCHAMEL SAUCE.

8 BAKE IN THE PREHEATED OVEN. (“It is black like an oven; the sky is dressed tonight like Scaramouche” Molière, Le Sicilien.) LET IT COOK AND BAKE, THERMOSTAT 6, 180 ° CELCIUS FOR 15 MINUTES... (Be present with the gratin, the big world. Gratin is the chosen party, distinguished, in a society or profession.)

9 INCLUDE A TRIVET TO PROTECT THE TABLECLOTH.

10 SERVE, EAT AND ENJOY... (“Enjoy, have fun, this is the time that is missing most' Anonymous.)

Content

Please take photographs of your dish and upload them using the button below.

Agnes Varda

Subodh Gupta

Fish Curry

INGREDIENTS:

Boneless sea bass - 750 gms

Cherry tomatoes - 200 gms

Mustard paste - 2-3 tablespoons

Red chilli powder - ½ teaspoon

Turmeric powder - ½ teaspoon

Coriander power - 2 tablespoon

Garlic paste - one teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Lemon juice - to taste

Olive oil - 3-4 large tablespoons

Fresh rocket and spinach leaves

HOW TO MAKE:

Heat olive oil in a round-bottomed pan. Add the garlic paste and fry lightly till the water dries, add coriander, and turmeric powder along with the diced/pasted cherry tomatoes. Now add red chilli powder. Cook till the tomatoes have caramelized well. Add the mustard paste and allow it to cook well. Add a little water, enough to allow the fish pieces to dip in the liquid. When the gravy begins to boil, add the fish pieces and salt to taste. Cook the fish only for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with fresh rocket and spinach leaves and serve with slivers of green chilli on top and a dash of lemon juice.

Serve with steamed rice.

Please take photographs of your dish and upload them using the button below.

Subodh Gupta

do it

Manchester International Festival and Manchester Art Gallery present do it 20 13, a groundbreaking exhibition that turns the notion of viewing into an active and performative encounter between artist and visitor.

do it 20 13 is a growing series of written artists’ instructions, each of which is interpreted anew every time it is enacted. These instructions range from the active and the absurd to the profound and the philosophical, some to be accomplished at the Gallery and others to be taken away and carried out at home. On this site you can upload your responses to selected instructions.

Conceived and curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist in conversation with Christian Boltanski and Bertrand Lavier, do it began life in 1993. This 20th-anniversary show brings together artists from the first do it experiments with subsequent generations of artists who have been commissioned to reinterpret earlier instructions from Ai Weiwei and Adrian Piper to Tracey Emin and Richard Wentworth.

Click here to download the full set of Artist Instructions as seen in the Do It 20 13 exhibition.

Commissioned and produced by Manchester International Festival and Manchester Art Gallery.

Developed in collaboration with Independent Curators International (ICI), New York.

Website created in Manchester by Modern-English Digital.

Manchester Art Gallery
Mosley Street
Manchester M2 3JL
Tel: 0161 235 8888
www.manchestergalleries.org

Free admission

Opening times
Friday 5 July 2 – 6pm
Saturday 6 – Sunday 21 July 10am – 6pm
Monday 22 July – Sunday 22 September 10am – 5pm
(Open till 9pm every Thursday)

Disclaimer

The views expressed on this site are those only of the artists included or of the participants, they do not represent the views or opinions of Manchester International Festival or Manchester Art Gallery.

If you chose to do so, carrying out any of the instructions on this website is entirely at your own risk and neither Manchester International Festival nor Manchester Art Gallery can be held responsible.

do it

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