Virtual Leisure

This is the debut full-length release by Anat Ben-David, a video and performance artist working and living in London since 1999. She is a pioneer of the video-performance genre in Israel. Among Anat's works are the "Hugo Boss Provocation" and "Popaganda Live." Towards the end of her Fine Art studies at Goldsmiths College, Anat focused on the relationship between the fascist leader and the pop star as dominant performers in front of a desiring audience. Being a performance artist, she decided to take on the pop star role by joining electro punk rock act Chicks on Speed and collaborating with Peaches. For Anat, the most personal and original expression as an artist lies in a live performance - using body, voice and appearance. Live events could result in an art performance or a live gig that derives from punk performance and pop music. The essence is the live interaction with whoever is in front of her - viewers or camera. Besides her activity being a band member of Chicks on Speed, Anat Ben-David still focuses on her solo projects. After having worked as a painter, video and performance artist, it is now time to strengthen her enormous musical output which has always been part of her art. Virtual Leisure is nothing more than an exciting musical expedition through a lot of genres - interpreted by 100% Anat Ben-David. Like label colleague Planningtorock, Anat is deep into the classical orchestral string thing. Works of Franz Schubert and Mozart inspired the album, as well as Russian futurism and a Frederick Hollaender song originally performed by Marlene Dietrich. Mixing a wide range of musical styles, Virtual Leisure achieves an enigmatic result: never leaving the roots of female electro-punk and performance art, with every second as supercharged as if derived directly from a live show. Anat Ben-David creates something seldom and rare - an oeuvre of energetic classical electro-pop hymns.