ABSTRACT
In Killing Time Catherine Bertola inserts her own image into a photograph of a lavish domestic interior. At first glance, this appears to be a still image, but gradually the viewer notices that the reclining figure, the artist herself, is moving very slowly, repeatedly bringing a cup of tea to her mouth and back again. This chapter seeks to consider some of the benefits of collaboration between artists and historians. It considers what history is, and how the work of a historically minded artist like Bertola can force academic historians like Rich to reconsider the boundaries of the discipline. The chapter also considers how this kind of collaboration can speak to wider questions about the connection between contemporary art practice, history, and heritage. Speaking to audiences made up sometimes of artists, academics, and sometimes of the interested public, Bertola and Rich have had a unique opportunity to reflect on what it means to ‘do’ history.
