A Dirty Library Hotline, a Dirty Movie, and yes, Dirty Karaoke

“Dirty Time is in residence at Studio 170 at the Goethe Institut from June 1-15.”

Artist Heather Kapplow (also an awesome arts reporter and Dig contributor), who is behind the project along with Walker Tufts explains: “The project is called Autolysis which is the name for the first stage of decomposition when a body is buried, and is based on the Greek words for ‘self’ and ‘splitting.’ The project, produced through a collaboration with Walker Tufts that we’re calling Dirty Time, uses our queer sensibilities to explore the visceral personal associations people have with dirt including its relationship to flora, food, filth, death, destruction (in the form of climate change,) and all of the historical knowledge and witness it holds.”

Furthermore, Tufts and Kapplow’s “work will include some participatory installed elements responding to the unique space of the Goethe-Institut’s Grand Salon, which we’ll develop slowly over the course of our residency.”

Their simple message to Dig readers : “Come join us for the following events” … 

Dirty Library Hotline

• • Ongoing (June 2022)

  • Bring or send us your dirt to 170 Beacon Street Boston MA 02116. Call us at 617-861-8898 and tell us about it on the telephone.

Dirty Hang

• • June 7 and June 10, 2022, 5:30 – 7:30 PM

  • 170 Beacon Street Boston MA 02116

  • Dirty Time is in residence at Goethe-Institut Boston through their “Studio 170” program in June 2022 and will be onsite working on our project Autolysis, and hanging out. Come by and hang out, ask questions, smell stuff etc. This is a casual time to get to know us and our work. BYOB, and if you’re able, also bring a ziploc baggie or jar of some soil from somewhere that’s important to you that you can share with us. If you are unable to make our dirty hangs, get in touch–we can also be available by appointment.

Dirty Movie

• • June 8, 6:30 PM

  • 170 Beacon Street Boston MA 02116

  • LESSONS OF DARKNESS Director: Werner Herzog, documentary, 55 min., 1992 Shortly before the end of the Second Gulf War, Iraqi troops set fire to the oil fields and terminals as they withdrew from Kuwait. Herzog and his cameraman attempted to capture the unfathomable, the apocalypse, on film.

Dirty Karaoke

• • June 15, 6:00 PM

  • 170 Beacon Street Boston MA 02116

  • Join us for a closing party for Autolysis! We’ll begin with an artists talk, where Dirty Time will host a free ranging conversation about our work and how Autolysis fits into it, perhaps with special guests. Then we’ll do a little dirty karaoke! Bring your favorite song about dirt, death or climate change and we’ll help each other keep our spirits up even though we know the end of the habitable world is nigh. Please bring a ziploc baggie or jar of some soil from somewhere that’s important to you that you can share with us for our ongoing collection.

dirtytime.us