‘First Past The Post’ (2012)

This participatory installation highlighted the amount of important questions we are continuously faced with and examined how informed we are when we make these decisions. The audience was presented with an ambiguous choice of voting ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ within the confines of a replica polling station. This interactive artwork explored the process and logic of decision-making and highlighted our power to affect choices without necessarily understanding the questions that we are presented with. Set in the former Probation Offices at 1-3 Ock Street, Abingdon (Oxfordshire), the work referenced a recent Police and Crime Commissioner Vote, which saw a turnout of just 13.3%, with a further 3.3% of those ballot papers rejected as spoilt. This work now seems more pertinent knowing that the controversial referendum over ‘Brexit’ followed 4 years later.

The ballots deposited by visitors were officially counted upon breaking the seal of the ballot box at the close of the exhibition at 4pm on Sunday 2 December 2012. Results were then published and available to view at 1-3 Ock Street.

‘Out of Office’ was curated by Hannah Wilmshurst and supported by Kemp & Kemp and Abingdon Chamber of Commerce.

Exhibiting Artists: Jack Addis, Michael Blow, Imogen Coulter, Loredana Faraon, Tom Johnson, Will Kendrick, Madescapes, Tom Maryniak, Holly McLean, Lucy Phillips, Joshua Pye, Kleiner Shames, Trevor H Smith, Tommy Watkins, Hannah Wilmshurst and Lewk Wilmshurst.