| Big Sister | Amy Cham's interactive installation is at the Chinese Arts Centre until Friday 8th October 2004. |
Amy Cham has, for past few weeks, been living at the Chinese Arts Centre in Manchester as resident artist. Liverpool-born Amy has been studying in Manchester and has just complete her MA in Art. Earlier this year she attended the open auditions in Manchester for Channel Four's Big Brother and had to take part in a mock Diary Room.
 | | Artist Amy Cham |
"That experience stuck in my mind as a possible installation idea," says Amy, "I wanted to create a work that would use the gallery space in a way that hasn't been used before." Amy has created a totally interactive piece that invites a member of the public into the Diary Room to talk to Big Sister, while visitors in the Cafe can see what's going on - without hearing what is said. "All my previous installations have been about exploring the boundaries between art, the audience and how the audience can contribute to the art work itself," says Amy. | "I wanted to create a work that would use the gallery space in a way that hasn't been used before." | | Artist Amy Cham |
So what's it like to be in the Diary Room? Well after the initial excitement of hearing my name being called, I entered the Diary Room not really knowing what to expect. Peeking through a hole in the black curtain, I could make out the camera lens. I was just beginning to think how quiet and relaxed I felt, when I found myself saying, "Hello Big Sister". "Hello Richard". It wasn't Amy. It was soft, almost seductive voice. "How are you today?" "I'm alright". And I was. I felt really relaxed. Big Sister asked me if it was anything like I'd expected. To be honest I didn't know what I had expected, but in those few moments of intimate, anonymous chat, I felt relaxed enough to share my thoughts with this total stranger. And not once did I think that tea supping visitors in the cafe could be watching me.
 | | Chinese Art Centre cafe |
It's the first time I've been a part of an interactive exhibition like this. And I enjoyed it more than I though I would have done. So, thinking on, I must have had some preconception of what to expect. The experience has given me an insight into what the likes of Kitten and Cameron and Shell and the other BB contestants felt like. It's also got me going over in my head what I said to Big Sister. I wonder what She made of me. | 
