How are you going to behave? A kitchen cat speaks

Borrowing from and reinterpreting Conceptual art and Minimalism, Liam Gillick's work is not confined to a specific form of artistic practice but ranges over his various activities as a critic, writer, designer, curator, filmmaker, professor, and visual artist. All of these diverse undertakings comprise his oeuvre, which is best considered in terms of groups of ideas with multiple layers or facets rather than individual objects. In 2008 Gillick was commissioned to represent Germany at the Venice Biennale the following year. The project he presented was
titled How are you going to behave? A kitchen cat speaks. A set of colorful plastic strips flew over the front door of the German Pavilion. Inside, a simple modular kitchen made of pine formed a stark contrast to the grandeur of the building. The space represented the Frankfurt kitchen, designed in the mid-1920s by architect and anti-Nazi activist Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky. Gillick's installation featured a stuffed cat that sat on top of one of the cupboards and appeared to speak in the voice of the artist; this allowed Gillick to introduce a narrative element without the suggestion of a supernatural or spiritual presence.