As Robert Sloon and Charles Magg’s two-man show opened last night, one of Sloon’s works, which involved a contract with the viewer, was foiled by performance artist Ed Young. The work, which required one viewer to sign a contract with the artist, promising to sit on a chair in the gallery and consume an entire bottle of champagne alone, mimicking a scene from a James Bond film where Bond, in a fit of melancholic brooding, does the same. Novelist Mathew Blackman took up the challenge, signing the contract which included clauses requiring that he refrain from interacting with other audience members, finishing the bottle alone and leaving the gallery immediately afterwards, alone.

Bystander, enfant terrible Ed Young intervened however, pouring himself a glass of Champagne from the bottle, halfway through Blackman’s attempt, meaning that he was unable to finish the challenge.

The intervention, typical of Young who is notorious for his disruptive ‘performances’, lent what was perhaps an even more melancholic slant to the piece. Sloon, whose name is an anagram of ‘Born to Lose’, deals with various acts of failure, masculinity and conspiracy in the show.

Several years ago, another controversial artist, Kendell Geers, sued ABSA after his entry to the Atelier competition was ‘damaged’. Geers’ entry, a selection of small change which he flung on the ground, was allegedly spent by Gordon Froud and an accomplice on a very pleasant lunch. Geers won the case, and was awarded damages.