Previous work
I’ve been making artworks since I left art school in 1972. Here’s a selection of work I’ve made since then.
Up until 1990 I made everything on my own, documented by Andrew Whittuck, a professional photographer. In 1990 I started touring Drawing on a Mothers Experience with Polona Baloh Brown, and subsequently collaborated closely with her until 2006. Some of the shows featured below are made in collaboration with others. In my experience it’s the best way to make work. Check for credits.
A Model Family Pilot
2008
Bobby Baker and her team created a temporary ‘Big Brother’ style building for one day, complete with one-way mirrors giving those outside the chance to spy on the occupants. Inside, Bobby and Siân Stevenson acted out a scenario consisting of two elderly sisters arguing in a National Trust gift shop in Northumbria. Throughout the day, ...
First F.E.A.T
2008
To celebrate the launch of the Bumper Package a special event was held at Toynbee Studios on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 March 2011. The finale each evening was a 1st F.E.A.T. with colourful ladle dancing, Bobby Baker and one dozen Queen Maryites. F. fundamental (essential or primary) E. ephemeral (lasting only for a short ...
Give Peas a Chance
2008
Give Peas a Chance! presents an inspiring posse of human campaigning peas – periodically popping out of their patient’s pods with politically pertinent chants. There are many silent ‘p’s in the professions that deal with the mind, whether in psychology, psychiatry, psychotherapy etc. You can hear the ‘p’ in patient but can you hear what ...
Housework House
2008 - 2012
Housework house is an interactive web project. You can view an archived version of the house here: http://houseworkhouse.bobbybakersdailylife.com/ ...
How to Live
2007
Big questions call for big answers. After years of research, Bobby Baker is ready to give us the answer to the biggest question of all: How to Live ? I initially thought up this idea to poke fun at the treatment that I was receiving and my frustration with the training material generated in the ...
Pull Yourself Together
2000
“This ‘act’ was done as part of Mental Health Action Week sponsored by the Mental Health Foundation. Special banners were made to fit the sides and back of a large flat bed open truck. The ones on the side spelled PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER in red letters and the one on the back spelled IN AID ...
Table Occasions
1997
With the aid of two chairs, a table and a travelling cool bag full of special ingredients, Bobby Baker created, on each occasion, a new and unique performance to enhance any event. The Table Occasion shows were great to do, and have carried on way beyond the original planned 18. I got a bit sick of the ...
Daily Life Series
1991 - 2001
A series of five pieces of work spanning a decade. Daily Life Series 1: Kitchen Show (1991) Daily Life Series 2: How to Shop (1993) Daily Life Series 3: Take a Peek (1995) Daily Life Series 4: Grown up School (1999) Daily Life Series 5: Box Story (2001) ...
Cook Dems
1990
A cookery demonstration for every occasion. In a portable kitchen Bobby Baker creates unique recipes with bread dough: Baked Antlers worn to improve your status Breast Pizza personalised with your own heraldic devices Bread Ball Skirt that is wonderful to dance in “Cook Dems has proved to be endlessly flexible, portable, accessible and adaptable. I’ve done ...
Drawing on a Mother’s Experience
1988
“I only intended to do this show once, really to make sense of the first eight years of motherhood before moving on. I felt very strongly that the importance of the mother’s role, indeed parenting as a whole, was shockingly undervalued. I built on my experience of using my own true stories, blending this with ...
Early Work
1972 - 1996
Baseball Boot Cake (1972) A kitchen in a semi-derelict butcher’s shop in Anerley, South London: “I started to make cakes for fun. Not for any occasions – just for the pleasure of it. In the middle of one night I made a baseball boot cake. I was particularly satisfied with it and sat looking ...