
"It’s a pleasure at Burgundy Leisure!"
Burgundy Leisure ran from 2001-2004 as a series of events, photographs, films and interventions starting in the fictitious town of Backford, Norfolk via London and culminating in Sheffield at the S1 Project Space commission -The Burgundy Leisure Awards.
Hewlett - as rarely seen alter ego Stanley Handson - manager of Burgundy Leisure (Backford’s premier entertainments agency for the leisure industry) tastefully sponsored art events and weddings, sold company merchandise, hosted a award ceremonies, appeared in the papers and was arrested at an event in Bloomsbury Theatre for embezzling the company money before finally escaping to the Costa del Sol in 2004. Stan has never been seen since but his legendary thumbs up logo and catch phrase “Have a good time - on me” live on in the hearts and thumbs of many of his company’s talents including children’s entertainer Tommy Tucker and cabaret raconteur Golda Yarmouth.
See compilation video below.
Burgundy Leisure sought to debunk high art events; to infiltrate and disrupt with pure Burgundy entertainment!
Regular collaborators included Peter Beck, Hannah Eaton and Russel Purdham with many others taking part in films, photographs and events. Including Karen Reilly, Jon Baker and Julia Devonshire.