Josie Perry and I made the video ‘Making Friends’ while living together during the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020. With an attitude of sublime stupidity, it was conceived as a spin-off to the prequel of our first comic book, ‘Plasma Spring,’ and its narrative elements and cast of food-themed musical tribute artists later solidified into the plot of the second comic, ‘PLASMA FREEZE: Making Friends.’ While making the video and the second comic, we were thinking about natures of impersonation, fandom, and posthumous duets. The video was made at home with borrowed equipment, zero budget, the generosity of contributing friends, and an intention to entertain our community during the lockdown. The installation at "Material Context" centres on this project – including a wheel prop from the video, two related light-boxes – and a series of drawings relating to comic that followed which included a group of Tudor-fashioned poodles, who were loosely inspired by the work of artist collective; General Idea. Musical contributors include:DAVE SHAW as Whipney Houston in ‘I Will Always Love Choux’, CALYPSO HETHERINGTON as Elvis Parsley in ‘Leaf be Tender’, BARNABY WYNTER as Shank Shinatra in ‘Fry Me with a Spoon’, PETTER D. PERSSON as Stew Reed in ‘I’m Waiting for my Ham’, DAPHNE SIMONS as John Lemon in ‘Imagine (No Potatoes)’, LI-MING HU as Jimi Hentwix in ‘Turkey Glaze’, JOSIE PERRY as Patsy Brine in ‘Craving’, SOL & ANGEL as David Doughie in ‘Life on Mars Bar?’, PETTER D. PERSSON, JAMIE KANE, DAPHNE SIMONS AND JOSIE PERRY as the Nuclear Puppies in ‘Mommy Please Can I Go to the Lake With my Surf Friends?’

Daphne Simons

PLASMA FREEZE: Making Friends (show)