Alevtina Kakhidze.  I Am Late for a Plane for Which I Cannot Be Late, 2008–2010. Performance. Up to one hour

Description

The performance I Am Late for a Plane for Which I Cannot Be Late was preceded by an invitation for Alevtina Kakhidze to take part in the exhibition Endless Sphere, curated by Austrian curator and then-Siemens representative Thomas Trummer. Kakhidze’s idea was to ask Ukrainian oligarchs Rinat Akhmetov or Viktor Pinchuk to make several drawings of the earth as seen from the windows of their private planes. As she noted, this was the only thing she could not draw herself (as an artist)—she didn’t have a plane of her own. Together with the curator of the upcoming exhibition, she wrote a letter to both businessmen’s institutions with the request. Despite the curator’s high hopes that the request would be granted, Kakhidze was certain it wouldn’t be. She decided instead to present printouts of the letters and other artifacts from the unrealized action at the exhibition. At the time, she had not received a reply from either organization.

Two years later, the artist received a call from the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation’s grant program i³ [idea – impulse – innovation], informing her that the institution wished to provide her with a plane so she could create drawings from its window herself. Kakhidze sewed a special suit printed with the name of the performance and took drawing materials with her to the airfield. The multi-stage journey from her village of Muzychi to Kyiv (a walk that turned into hitchhiking and then an electric train ride) became part of the performance itself, during which the artist repeatedly voiced her fear of being late—even though it was impossible to be late for a private flight. She brought a few journalists with her on board who wanted to document the drawing process. In the end, however, no artworks were made.

Below is the letter to Rinat Akhmetov written by Alevtina Kakhidze:

Dear Rinat Akhmetov,

I sincerely apologize if the request in this letter seems strange, unfeasible, or even inappropriate. I am an artist. When people ask me if I can draw a portrait, a still life, or the sea, I always say I can draw anything… The thing is, I’ve come up against something I can’t draw. I can’t draw the Earth as it would look from the window of my own plane. And that’s only because I don’t have a plane. I’ve made some drawings from the window of a commercial flight, but in my opinion, they aren’t the same as ones I would make from my own plane… That’s why I’d like to ask you to make some drawings during one of your private flights. Of course, if you have the time and if you’d be willing to do this for me. I am sure that whether or not you have any drawing skills is completely beside the point. If you were able to make these drawings, first of all, I’d simply like to see them—what would they look like?… I would be grateful for a response.

Sincerely,
Alevtina Kakhidze