Martin O’Brien: An Ambulance to the Future
In this humorous and haunting performance mixing video, live performance action and parables, Death pays a man for sex. The price is immortality.
An Ambulance to the Future (The Second Chance) paints the picture of life lived over and over again; a life that doesn’t need water or oxygen; a life without the promise of an endpoint. It is a meditation on endings and new beginnings.
With his usual intensity and humour, this work continues Martin O’Brien’s explorations of the politics of death by asking what the idea of immortality can help us understand about being mortal.
Martin O’Brien is an artist and zombie, working across performance, writing and video art. He has cystic fibrosis, and all of his work and writing draws upon this experience, often exploring death and dying, what it means to be born with a life-shortening disease, and the philosophical implications of living longer than expected.
His work has been featured on BBC radio and Sky Arts television. He is currently senior lecturer in Live Art at Queen Mary University of London.
An Ambulance to the Future (The Second Chance) was commissioned by Whitechapel Gallery and supported with public funds by Arts Council England.
Credits
Martin O’Brien: lead artist
FUTURE RITUAL: producer
Baiba Sprance & Marco Beradi: videography
Ash McNaughton: performer (live)
Ali Campbell, Ash McNaughton, Carolyn Naish, Ewan Hindes, Pianka M, Regina Jay & Shabnam Shabazi: performers (film)
Need to know
Times & tickets
Dates, times and prices
Dates & times
06 Sep 2024, 8.30pm
Run time
1 hour (approx)
All timings are approximate and subject to change
Standard entry
from £10.00*
* Excludes £3.50 booking fee.
Book as early as you can to ensure the best choice of tickets. Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
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Access
Access events
This event is British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).
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For your visit
This event is held at the Purcell Room Southbank Centre
The Purcell Room is located in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, which is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
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The Purcell Room is an auditorium located within our Queen Elizabeth Hall.
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