Incognito is the embodiment of multiple identities originally constructed by Cosey Fanni Tutti to function within the glamour industry between 1973 and 1981. The industry comprised modelling agencies, soft-porn magazine publishers and their distributors, as well as a network of venues: studios, pubs and clubs across London.
This eponymous exhibition brings together film, vinyl music, costumes, performance documentation, press cuttings, and correspondence; many rare material items from Cosey’s personal archive never previously exhibited.
In 1977, prompted by a conversation with two girls while modelling for a magazine shoot, Cosey began researching her striptease act. She successfully auditioned as Scarlet, a pseudonym adopted for her stage act by which she was signed by entertainment agency GEMINI. Having designed and made her own costumes, selected the 7” vinyl records for her acts, she began work as a topless dancer across London, principally in its pubs.
Cosey simultaneously continued her modelling, dancing, art actions and work with Throbbing Gristle. The points of correspondence and divergence which these worlds offered was something which Cosey was privately exploring. Her body was the primary material of her art actions, modelling and dancing – the convergence of which is presented in the 18 part photo-work Life Forms.
Woman’s Roll comprises a 30 part black and white photo-sequence documenting Cosey’s first autonomous action at the Air Gallery in 1976. In this serialised self-portrayal she is liberated from the dictats and protocols of the glamour industry. These solo performances were contemporaneous to and synergistic with sonic performances and recordings by Throbbing
Gristle which had emerged from COUM Transmissions at their exhibition Prostitution at the ICA the same year.
In 1979 Cosey asked fellow artist and Throbbing Gristle member Sleazy (aka Peter Christopherson) to photographically document her complete wardrobe of striptease costumes. The shoot took place at Hipgnosis, a studio where Sleazy worked as a graphic designer, based in London’s Denmark Street, renowned for designing album covers for luminaries of mainstream rock – Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, UFO and T Rex, to name but a few.
Harmonic COUMaction, a mutating autobiographical collage of Cosey’s life in Hull, was made to be projected as part of a commissioned live performance for Hull City of Culture, 2017. Cosey composed the soundtrack live on stage at the Fruit venue, Hull.
Behind each costume, record, magazine image and art action, is a story, a memorable incident, a person, a conversation. It all began in Hull.
Image: Cosey Fanni Tutti, Cabinet Gallery, London
