Parasite Performance Artist Wades Through Sewage

Performance artist Zack Mennell created a project called (para)site, culminating in a Thames foreshore performance. Donning a costume constructed from 24 adult nappies, Mennell waded into the polluted waterway, intending to embody a "parasite" and critique societal views of benefit claimants as a societal drain.

This artistic endeavor took a dangerous turn when Mennell contracted Weil's disease, a direct consequence of exposure to rat urine in the contaminated water. The performance aimed to merge personal and political themes, using the artist's body to confront environmental degradation and societal labeling.

Menell's work often involves challenging themes such as queerness, disability, and survival. Past performances include immersing themself in a thickening agent to explore pollution and shame, and collecting audience spit as a metaphor for community.

In March, Mennell is organizing Common Host, a weekend event in Peckham featuring performances, screenings, and workshops. This event will engage with themes of ancient folklore and ecological decay, drawing inspiration from their hometown's unique blend of natural history and industrial presence.

This event expands on Mennell's artistic practice, which often fosters temporary communities and connections through performance. Common Host will include collaborations with artists like Martin O'Brien, reflecting the strong community ties within queer performance art, especially when addressing sensitive topics.

Previously, Mennell used their own psychiatric documents, printed on rice paper, in performances, allowing them to dissolve in water. This process symbolized a way to confront and redefine their relationship with institutional experiences and difficult memories, offering a similar unburdening to participants in Common Host workshops.

Common Host, curated through artistic connections, emphasizes the importance of community for Mennell. They describe queer community as a vital support system, particularly when societal structures around family feel unstable, highlighting that shared existence provides a reason to persevere.