Oliver Payne & Nick Relph

Co-produced by the Serpentine Gallery, London, and the Kunsthalle Zürich, this publication has been designed by Daniel Eatock Associates, in collaboration with the artists, Oliver Payne and Nick Relph. * * Accompanying Payne and Relph's exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery (which is the first survey of their work in a public gallery in Britain), the catalogue includes transcripts of Payne and Relph's films "Driftwood," "Gentlemen," and "Comma, Pregnant Pause," all 2004, which are published for the first time. * * In addition, Payne and Relph invited a number of authors to contribute texts on topics that have inspired them and their work. Matthias Connor writes about Scottish glam-rock band Iron Virgin; Tim Nash's piece explores the experience of riding a public bus in London; Oliver Payne offers his thoughts on insurance advertisements and the politics of graffiti; John Relph shares his experiences as an airline mechanic; and Ian Svenonius examines the political history of drinking. Matthew Higgs and Sarah McCrory conducted a non-traditional interview with Payne and Relph by coordinating 20 individuals' questions for the artists; these are presented along with their responses. The catalogue also includes essays on the artists' work by Scott Portnoy and Rochelle Steiner, Chief Curator, Serpentine Gallery. * * The publication is covered in the type of durable and stain-disguising fabric used on London Underground seats. An electronic chip causes the catalogue to ring like a mobile phone when it is opened.