My installation at the spring art show was a room full of tulle, string, bodies, light, paper, and three very strong fans which made everything blow. In some ways it was perfect and in others it was not.
I created the piece as a kind of meditation for myself in human interaction and how we relate to each other and the work around us through social cues and contact. Before entering the room the audience was told that they we being considered performers and given a fairly strict (but very simple) set of rules to follow. They were also informed that by entering into the space they consented to being in physical contact with other humans.
My performance within the space involved a movement vocabulary of hand holding, hugging, and laying my head of the shoulders of others. I would perform these acts with audience members/performers as they explored the space.
Because I stated at the entrance of the piece I think I scared away many possible viewers, but that was ok with me because I was expecting on the best from my audience.
I was terribly disappointed. Around 80% of the audience actively rejected my contact when I initiated it. 10% accepted it, but were obviously very uncomfortable, and the last 10% accepted it totally.
I know that I can’t expect the audience to be perfect, but as I created a more ambitious piece I hoped that my audience would grow more ambitious and engaged with me.
I created the piece as a kind of meditation for myself in human interaction and how we relate to each other and the work around us through social cues and contact. Before entering the room the audience was told that they we being considered performers and given a fairly strict (but very simple) set of rules to follow. They were also informed that by entering into the space they consented to being in physical contact with other humans.
My performance within the space involved a movement vocabulary of hand holding, hugging, and laying my head of the shoulders of others. I would perform these acts with audience members/performers as they explored the space.
Because I stated at the entrance of the piece I think I scared away many possible viewers, but that was ok with me because I was expecting on the best from my audience.
I was terribly disappointed. Around 80% of the audience actively rejected my contact when I initiated it. 10% accepted it, but were obviously very uncomfortable, and the last 10% accepted it totally.
I know that I can’t expect the audience to be perfect, but as I created a more ambitious piece I hoped that my audience would grow more ambitious and engaged with me.