Sartuzi’s performance came to its quiet, but significant, culmination after more than a year of logistical rehearsals, where the artist made several visits to the museum, studied the building’s architectural plans, and produced multiple copies of the English Civil War era coin.
The piece bridges Sartuzi’s conceptual approach of installation work with his interest in theater and repetitive movements. Through his work, the idea of cathartic habits are questioned, revealing their inherent similarity to mechanical movements.
“Sleight of Hand” formed a part of Sartuzi’s MFA presentation at Goldsmiths and was presented on a two-channel video installation alongside two falsified coins and an accompanying text. The performed “theft” questions the operative intentions within large institutions and proceeds to highlight the fallible and delicate presentation of history.