Be Here Now!

[valeriaqb]

Performance Art Project- El Sebucan

This project has been my favorite. I got to explore my roots and connect with my culture while researching and performing. This dance is called “El Sebucan” and it is named after a traditional tool used by indigenous tribes in Venezuela and other parts of the Caribbean to extract cyanide from bitter cassava, which is how casaba (thin flatbread.) This dance is part of my ancestors and blood, and so I thought that recreating it in my own way would be itself a piece of art. I want the audience to be intrigued by the dance and to wonder what it means. The choreography resembles the techniques used in the sebucan; the interwoven of the ribbons is similar to the braids of fibers in the actual tool.  The colors of the ribbons are intentional as well, they represent the colors of the Venezuelan flag.

I wanted to show a part of my culture while challenging myself a little bit since this dance is supposed to be performed by several people. Re-connecting with my culture has been a goal of mine for the past months since I have realized I am losing touch about my region, South America. It has African, indigenous, and European influences, which represents the rich and diverse blood that runs through my veins.

[filtzgood]

The audio is charming, and was integral to the feeling of the demonstration.  I understand how several people would be doing this together, and unfortunately togetherness is not the current theme of the day.  Getting in touch with who we are as a person through our lineage is something many of us forget to think about in this day and age.  We are swept away from the tangible,, into cyberspace with most everything these days, and this kind of thing is the first aspect of each of us to go. We’ve lost touch with history and the value of culture as a heritage.

[nathandmsudesign-blog]

Performance Art Project

I Hate To Say It But I Do Need Saving

With this performance I wanted to highlight what it’s like to carry all of the pressures and burdens of life: the tasks and goals and hardships and responsibilities we pick up over time and how it can seem like too much to bear sometimes. I wanted to convey that sense of burden and the feeling of being overwhelmed. Some of the items I pick up symbolize very really things like my pride flag and my school bag. Other things are less clear and more open for interpretation like the clothes and travel gear and camera equipment. Most importantly, I want the stress to be felt as my hands get over full. While its something I relate to I feel like many around me go through the same thing as well even if we don’t share our struggles or talk about it openly with one another. This was an important sentiment to explore for me personally and it kind of reflects my current reality. It was a unique experience being in front of the camera like that and there were stresses for me as I kept dropping things and having to rearrange them in my arms and hopefully that helps to reiterate my theme.

[filtzgood]

The piece was demonstrative of the constant on task that we all feel we must be to “keep it together”.  I understood the overwhelm and monotony of the management of things that we seem to collect as our talismans through life, and the longer we live, the more we seem to accumulate.  Metaphorical or actual, for perceived comfort, or sentimentality of certain things, we trudge on, adding to our stash of mental and physical residue of “who we are”.

[mirandapanda415-deactivated2020]

The Pain No One Sees

https://youtu.be/YikTRKAXdV0

Chronic pain. I have been living with it for twelve years now, and I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. It is debilitating, scary, angering, anxiety-provoking, and depressing, just to name a few.  In my piece, the X’s on my body represent areas of chronic pain, and as time goes on, the intensity gets worse, which is the type of chronic pain I have suffered through and am still suffering through. Most chronic pain is invisible to many people, so my intention with my performance art piece is to bring awareness to the pain no one can see. Since chronic pain is long-lasting and is an effect from many diseases, I wanted to also represent the estimated 50 million people in the United States alone who suffer from chronic pain along with me. Even though so many people suffer from it, I don’t think chronic pain alone gets enough awareness, so I hope my performance can do just that.

P.S. This was VERY out of my comfort zone y’all but I did my best :)

[filtzgood]

This video is very revealing and personal.  Pain is debilitating, and can effect every aspect of a person’s being.  Dreams, aspirations, productivity, drive, and the ability to execute even menial tasks goes away.  Twelve years is a long time, and I agree it is a little focused on topic in the arena of general wellness. I can only hope that there is still hope somewhere for your recovery.  Life is long and things can change for you, with modern medicine we can find answers to the hard questions to confront. 

[jessicahughesart]

21:12 wehttaM

In this performance I recite the Bible verse Matthew 21:12 backwards. It’s a commentary on how modern churches do things “backwards”, selling products and services to become rich, closing their doors to those in need during natural disaster and homelessness. The Bible preaches against greed and yet our society has many people becoming rich and famous for preaching the bible, conveniently, they may miss certain sections or preach them anyway unaware of the hypocrisy.  

“Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

[filtzgood]

A long standing issue for the observers of evangelists that make millions for their own personal wealth preaching the word of god.  They have made themselves the “rockstars” of salvation, preying on the need of many to feel that they are following god, but only if they contribute their paycheck or savings to their spiritual leaders.  Sadly it is not only the christian and catholic religions that have done this, and that the teachings of Jesus speak so directly against it, is incredibly ironic.  That is a cheek better left un-turned if you ask me,  See the hypocrisy and fault in these “leaders” and find god under every rock and stone. 

[ty-bjork]

“The result of unconscious bias,— instinctive, underlying beliefs about ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, social class, religion, and so on. This may be largely unintentional.”

Although there is equal opportunity there’s not always equal outcome. I wanted to create a piece that speaks to the wonen, specifically mothers in the workplace. I feel like Covid replaced the glass to the said ceiling in regards to motherhood. Question began to arise... Who is going to stay home with the children in the case that schools go back to remote learning? I know this is not all the time, I know that circumstance make a dramatic difference, but I think that this is a huge setback for women in the workplace especially for mothers. I am trying to portray the struggle and also spread awareness of how the regression will start to oppress mothers in the workplace especially in fast pace fields of work. I want to portray this in three ways; first the symbolism of climbing the corporate ladder, then tapping the glass ceiling and trying to break that barrier, and last swallowing the “hard pill” of make the chose between family and work.

The repetitive motion of the ladder symbolizing the journey so many mothers are on to make to true prosperity in the workplace. Looking up to the potential and accepting the challenge to clime the ladder time and time again. I placed a doll at the bottom of the ladder, representing the symbol of children that this is not just women in generally but specifically mothers. I used the tapping of the glass as a symbol of trying to breakthrough. I did not tap hard intentionally, this symbolic to the energy it takes to get through this barrier. Last, I used swallowing of pills to symbolize the the hard pills we have to take to sacrifice for either our family or our job.

[filtzgood]

The video setting was well conceived,  stark and to the point.  The realities that women face carrying the responsibility of being the “fairer sex” and having the drive and talent of successful men in the workplace is one of the many hard pills I can imagine, as the struggle is real.   Paid less, and in some cases taken less seriously because they are attractive, alongside the expectation that the men will stay on while they go home to care for the children in a crisis, has to be a maddening dichotomy.  No doubt we all want to be there for our children, but the typical expectation that is put on the working family is that they will stay, and we will go. 

[kathemediina]

Spinning Out

Dancer and Ballerinas have techniques thanks to that they do not get dizzy when they are spinning out also with time and practice their brain adapt and also, they become resistant. I am not a dancer and I do not know the techniques and for this performance I put my self in this challenge. Endurance is what I select because most of the time we put ourselves in a comfort zone and is good to take challenges and see how far we can go and that is the main idea with this performance because knowing that we can learn techniques or just practice everyday sometimes is better to see if we can make it in our own. Also in the performance I want to show a progressive way of how is so easy to start and resist and then just get some more and more and how the body, mind (off balance) and emotion also can change.

[filtzgood]

I like that the video is shot in black and white.  It makes it seem timeless in a way.  I was also interested in your statement about dancers having honed a skill that the majority of us lack, and demonstrating how difficult even a few spins at a time, over a short period, actually is.  I imagine it will inspire a few of us to try it, just in case we don’t think it’s that hard.  Maybe some audio, or spinning until you actually fell would have been interesting for content

[janaechapman]

PERFORMANCE ART PROJECT

I really struggled with what to portray/act out in my performance video. I knew I was drawn to the concept of process the most out of the three choices. Ultimately, I decided to “perform” the act of potting a much overgrown pothos plant cutting that I have been procrastinating on transferring for many months now. The simplicity and mundane-nature of the act of potting a plant was attractive to me. As straightforward as something like that is, I think it’s fitting and somewhat profound for this current time. So many of us have resorted to simple pleasures and hobbies to fill up our time and give us joy, relaxation, and comfort. I know many people have started or returned to gardening or taking care of house plants in particular. It destresses us and gives us something to do during our empty time, but it also provides us with a little bit of hope. During a season that makes people feel so stuck, helpless, and pressured, it is reassuring to watch the faithful process of nature, of a simple plant that grows and continues in its cycle, unhindered by a global pandemic.

[janaechapman]

pushing to the top of my feed for critiques

[filtzgood]

I personally enjoy gardening and have used the time of COVID to maximize the potential of my ability to grow food for myself, and consequently many of my neighbors.  Watching something grow in your environment weather it be a full garden, or a houseplant is ultimately comforting, definitely hopeful, and for me ultimately therapeutic.  Your video has a hypnotic quality, but maybe some monologue or spoken word would have driven it home from your own perspective. I am left guessing about who you are or how you are feeling. 

[thebrokeblog]

Hypocrisy

For my performance I wanted to focus my concept around Hypocrisy that exist on the social media sites today. Hypocrisy is not something that has existed only since the creation of social media websites.  However in my opinion I feel that websites like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, create and cater to hypocrites. These websites are places were people from different cultures, subcultures, belief groups, ideologies, and walks of life congregate and communicate and I have noticed that a lot of the time people will try to change the way they are viewed or perceived online versus in real life. Often I see people actions in real life conflict and contradict with what they say or post or pretend to be on online.

[filtzgood]

I enjoyed the “a day in the life of” feeling of the opening sequence.  It was a great contrast to what came to follow.  The symbology of the support of military, the old bible, and then the application of black face using the bible to prop the mirror, was compelling content delivered with such a non nonchalance.  Abruptly followed by the gang colors and the flash of a gun, with the struggle of how to “pack” both.  The oxymoron of the struggle was well executed and accompanied by a great sense of familiarity with the covering of all expectations. Whether they are your truth or not. 

[filtzgood]

Performance Art - Single use plastics

This is my public intervention project part II, and applied as my performance art piece in its disassembly.  This piece has been in my yard for a good minute, and while the interaction with my community was more in seeing the passersby stop and look, mostly with smiles, some with gawking irritation, I was happy with the overall public response.  I had some kids volunteer to talk to me, and that became the highlight of the process for me. As I stated in my artist statement for the installation, this is an important and critical issue for the future of humankind on the planet, and we have to pay attention.  The issue has been casually regarded, and individualizing the issue, giving people the impression that it is enough to recycle, and that will solve the problem is misleading.  The issue is far reaching and all industries are needing to respond to the issue with urgency.  Recycling on an individual effort  will not take care of it, and just that will not slow production or the processes that are in place in manufacturing.  This is an industry issue that can only be powerfully addressed through consumer choices.  Do not support companies with irresponsible policies, and products not easily disassembled for component recycling and reuse.   This is a movement of consumerism and the choices that we make in our purchasing, as much as it is an issue of effort to help an overwhelming issue in its scope.

[filtzgood]

Inspirational Artist Links: Performance  - Art Part 1

Facial electrode video Diato Manabe.

My first response to this was the genius of the concept, then it got weird for me.  The duration and what I observed in the different subjects that do not have the ability to single eye wink, were blinking not winking. My next thought was of the movie Brazil. The futuristic human programing and the visual of the tape on their faces was reminiscent of that film. It felt like a physical representation of glitch art. I can say it was ingenuity of cloud-based performance art, but it was as freaky as maybe intended for me. As creepy as this was as times, I really enjoyed it. Would love to so har far he can take this premise

Legend A Portrait of Bob Marley

I thought the zoom meeting format, which is very Brady Bunch in its own regard was endearing.  Seeing the different facial expressions and inflections was a closer to home way of experiencing what would be a great live performance, but we cannot have that right now. Deep enough to feel the emotional projections, but not a live performance. As close as an experience can get these days.

Schleeman Video

I found this to be a self-indulgent fusion of the gross and what may have been an attempt at sexy. Outside of the matching lingerie I was not a fan of the thought of rolling around with a raw chicken.  Not sure, other than the ick factor, what the point was.

Vanessa Beekroft

This was an interesting contrast of glossing the nude performance art exhibition, and still trying to hold an elitist tone.  The control of the work reminds me of Marina A. but the essence of a-vant-garde is lost to me in this brief film.

Alter Bahnhof by Janet Cardiff (This was a surreal interactive experience!)

Interesting way of blending realities, I would have really like to participate in this piece. I like how immersive this work is. You cannot help but to be in the moment (or rather multiple moments at the same time).

Bike Lanes by Casey Neistat (activism)

Even though some of the shot seemed a little staged, he did such aa great job of getting his point across. This video had me laughing. Overall, I liked the video simple and easy to digest.

[mirandapanda415-deactivated2020]

Art Intervention Project: Mask It Up

COVID-19 cases are still rising and are still impacting millions of people today, including myself. I recently lost a close family friend to COVID-19, never thinking it could reach home and get so personal. To make things even worse, I see people from my home state (Illinois) and so many other friends not wearing masks and traveling around like they could care less that people are getting sick and possibly even dying from their carelessness. I even see groups of people not wearing any masks and it angers me. How can people be so selfish in a time like this? Knowing that COVID-19 affects everyone so differently is beyond scary, so I want my family and I to be protected and distanced from this disease. I then came up with the idea of putting masks on the portraits and pictures on the walls of my apartment to overall represent the protection of my family and the walls signifying barriers against this horrible and deadly disease. For the sake of the more susceptible and vulnerable, and for colleagues, co-workers, friends, family, acquaintances, etc., and even yourself, PLEASE WEAR A DAMN MASK! It is not hard to do. You can save yourself, but more importantly, the ones you love and care about.

[filtzgood]

I can’t say enough how sorry I am for your loss.  I am fortunate as of today not to have lost anyone to this pandemic.  I also appreciate the sentiment of selfishness to those who do not choose to “be considerate/careful” in these times. I think your work is well executed and would like to know if the public can see it where it hangs.  It is the point of the project, public intervention, and while tumblr is somewhat public, your art should be seen by the masses.

[christyto4d-beyond]

Pass it on (Intervention Project)

A video to experience “Pass it on” from home.

Chalk reads:

“Walk the Labyrinth

Take a rock, leave a rock

Take a minute to BREATHE + CENTER

What do YOU need?

How can you leave the world a little better?

Take a rock that speaks to you”

Chalk reads:

“Decorate + leave a rock as a gift for someone after you”

Keep reading

[babaymac]

session. I also really appreciate how much time and effort you put into your project, and would have loved to interact with something like this. I think the portion where participates get to decorate a rock makes the piece come together. My only note would be to maybe use something like tape instead of chalk to create the maze to create a stronger visual. However, the rocks seem to be eye-catching from afar.

[filtzgood]

I really appreciate the visual of the stills but think an intro to the video as its own composition would have benefited from a pan out of the installation in a walk up.  It would have helped the perspective of what the lengthy time a labyrinth takes, and lent some perspective if all a spectator saw was the video.  It would make the video complete.  The concept and execution was intrinsic and beautiful.  It begs for interaction, and as an installation, interaction would be undeniable.  Amazing spacing and proportion with a geometric application not typically seen in labyrinths.

[thekellyangryberger-deactivated]

Intervention Project, Denver, 2020. 

Recently there was a shooting at my building. This project is not about that. It’s just a slight improvement, a tiny change in an urban landscape. My hand is evidenced here in the flower pots on either side, and the paintings hung on the wall behind. These are my artworks, attached with hemp jute, easily removable. Most notable (especially for you Professor M.) is the Denver Sculptures Playing Poker. :) 

As you can see- these small improvements made folks take notice. I hope they felt cared for. In addition to the lack of touch we’re now experiencing- there is also a lack of comfort. A lack of reassurance. A young woman was brutally murdered right outside our doors and the city has done nothing to prevent this from happening again in the future. 

This may be my last year living in the city. I don’t know if I can handle the brutality anymore. This piece is intended to provide a small comfort. 

[filtzgood]

I can’t say enough about this installation.  The reminder of warmth and humanity that beautiful art and flower pots bring to a hardened place is undeniable, humbling, and sentimental to even the worst kind. They can put their guns away when they see this.  It is brave, insightful, and truly intellectual in the approach to crime prevention. Soothing the soul is the first step to compassion and respect for life as something irreplaceable.I hope you stay, do more of this, and everywhere in this fine city. Really great work!

[janaechapman]

Intervention Project

For my intervention project, I had selected a covered patio space in my backyard as the location to create a piece of installation work. I had planned on setting up and photographing my project outside today; however, there was bad wind in my area that was keeping me from photographing the project well. Additionally, I was worried about my project being out in the wind since it is extremely fragile. Ultimately, I decided to install my project inside at the best-lit window available. My original intention for this project was to draw attention to and manipulate the lighting in my covered patio, which is rather unique and changes dramatically throughout the day. I wanted to explore how the presence of light in a space and our perception of it alters the way we experience that space. To do this, I made long strings with “spinning” cardboard circles covered in holographic vinyl. These strings and the individual circles move and spin with different airflow. I was hoping to capture the changes in lighting that the patio space went through by photographing the installed project at various times of the day, to truly see how my project magnified, distorted, or affected the light the space receives. Obviously the project didn’t exactly go as planned, and sadly, my plan B does not show very well how the holographic circles catch and play with light, as the outdoor lighting was partially-cloudy and the window itself not in direct sunlight. I did try my best to execute my vision; given more time (and better planning on my part), I think I could more effectively discuss how light alters and defines a space - and how an installation artwork can in turn alter and define light.

(a video of my project “in motion” will be posted on my Tumblr, hopefully to give everyone a better idea of what I was going for and how the project looks/acts in real life).

[filtzgood]

While I really appreciate the aesthetic value of this installation, no one else can see it.  I had to put my installation in my front yard, which is on a well trafficked sidewalk, but needed to keep it on my property for  fear of “maintenance” that is frequent in our public spaces here.  I did not want it removed.  I am looking for the public intervention part of this, as well as a message.  Beautiful as an installation but I am not seeing the point of the project as assigned.

[evie26blog]

I have worked in the veterinary field as a certified veterinary technician for going on five and a half years. My intervention project brings light to some issues that veterinary professionals face nearly every day. In my experience, the majority of clients display a hesitancy or outright refusal to trust veterinary professionals. Many clients show this by speaking to us as if we are unintelligent and have never seen an animal before. This constant degradation truly starts to wear on you; mentally and emotionally. I decided to ask my veterinary friends to send me some issues that they wish that clients would take to heart. My installation is a mixture of my own thoughts and theirs, I wanted this project to be a voice for veterinary professionals. I posted each message on a lamppost that encircle a very popular dog park in my neighborhood so that I made sure to reach the right audience. The way that the lampposts are positioned, it allows people to reflect on what they have read before reaching the next message; much like a gallery. There were twelve messages in total and I did not photograph them all but I did include the ones that I did not photograph below.  

“Please stop asking veterinary technicians if they plan to go to school to become a veterinarian. Not everyone wants to become a doctor. Technicians and receptionists do find a great deal of satisfaction in their work.”

“Please stop taking advice from your breeder over the advice of your veterinary staff. Veterinary professionals have completed years of medical training and must attend several hours of continuing education every year in order to maintain certification/licensure with the state. This is a requirement to practice medicine. Your breeder does not have to adhere to these regulations and the vast majority have zero medical background.”

“We understand the frustration when it comes to expensive services. We do everything in our power to keep services affordable. The majority of veterinary hospitals do not recommend testing or treatments if they truly do not think that it will benefit your pet. If we do not give you a discount or free service, it does not mean that we are only out for money or that we do not care about the patient. Ultimately, we are a business and do need to charge appropriately in order to keep the doors open.”

“Vaccines are literally the lowest form of profit. We basically charge enough to cover the dose and the equipment required to administer it. Please stop accusing veterinary staff of attempting to gain a large profit from you when we recommend a vaccine. We only recommend something if we think it would be beneficial to your pet. If you are unsure about a certain vaccine, please ask us to elaborate; we would be happy to weigh the options with you.”

“ Food is not love! The quantity of pets that are obese have caused many owners to not realize what a healthy weight looks like. Dogs and cats should have a noticeable waist and dogs should have an abdominal tuck that varies dependent on their breed. You should be able to readily feel their ribs under their skin and coat but not see them. We understand that there are metabolic diseases that can cause weight gain or loss but in the majority of cases, obesity in pets is due to overfeeding. Obesity causes several issues which include arthritis, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, and diabetes.”

“ If you call your general practice veterinarian in an emergency situation and are instructed to head to the ER; this is for the benefit of your pet. Some emergency situations require more care and expertise than we may feel that we can provide. We would rather you spend the valuable time that your pet requires in a practice that can cater to those needs.”  

[janaechapman]

I like that you chose a topic to address that is obviously so close to your heart and that you have a lot of experience in. I think a lot of this information that you shared on your signs would be very helpful to pet owners. I don’t really see a strong creative/artistic direction in this project. It seems like more of a public service announcement/community communication project. That may have been your intention. I applaud your desire to create/install something that would prove informative and help pet-owners take better care of their animals. I definitely think that your project would provide a benefit to the area that it was installed in. 

[filtzgood]

You are obviously a well educated veteran of the field of veterinary practice.. I can imagine the daily frustrations of any medical professional dealing with misinformation and bad behavior from patients and their advocates alike.  I feel that this was informative,but lacked a visual style outside of a newsletter.  Again, most people will read things polished and looking like an official posting, so good there.  I would hope your next installation could include more color or graphics, to catch the eyes of everyone in sight, not just those interested in “ official”looking statements in public areas.  Loved the dog park as your chosen location.  It makes a lot of sense. 

[guaminator]

Intervention Art Project: “Solar Powered” Just slightly off the path in a public park I installed these household objects on various trees (No trees were harmed in the making of this piece, objects aren’t actually secured by the screws). Each object is placed at a familiar height and is visible from the path or placed nearby seating areas. I aimed to spark curiosity to anyone who noticed their subtle and out of place presence. Evoke thoughts of how trees have provided us with fuel and energy, a clever take on solar power. Thoughts of that all too familiar panic of needing a way to charge a device but not having access to an outlet at the time. Amenities that we’re used to at home present in nature. I’m inspired by the kind of intervention art that is subtle and makes you double take. Simple, clever and thought provoking for everyone who comes across it. Something you might notice in the corner of your eye that makes you think about why it’s there, maybe interact with it. I wanted it to be a reminder that ultimately technology comes from nature and to not take either for granted. You might not have easy access to one or the other one day.

[filtzgood]

I cant describe how much I love this one! I would love to see something in my closest park installed permanently. Very subtle but attention grabbing and thought provoking. I appreciate the format of this, it reminds me of the creepy doll head artist here in Denver who I look forward to finding his/her art installations. I hope you continue to put these installations up, I look forward to finding your work. Love it!

[jessicahughesart]

“Unhoused” 

“Unhoused” is a 5 foot cardboard stand aimed at raising awareness about the harmful stereotypes we impose on the homeless population. Homeless people have been on my mind recently because the pandemic will affect them disproportionately. People often give reasons like “they’ll just spend their money on drugs” for why they don’t want to give anyone money. Most people spend what little money they can scrape together to buy food and water to get them through the day, some even have jobs but still cannot afford housing. Lack of affordable housing is the biggest cause of homelessness in America. I’m not asking viewers to give money next time they see someone panhandling on the side of the road, but instead criticize the script in your head. What harmful myths have you been taught to believe? Even if you choose not to give any cash, give them a moment of your time with eye contact and a smile. Humanize the homeless population, show them that you see them. 

(The side with the words was facing the oncoming traffic but I wasn’t able to snap a picture without standing in the middle of the street)

[valeriaqb]

Your work is absolutely captivating and invites the audience to stop and think about the stereotypes that are ingrained in our brains from this capitalist society. The black cardboard juxtaposed with the signs in white with red letters are a good combination and further enhances the message of the piece. It makes it clearer for the audience to read. I really liked this project!

[filtzgood]

The format of the piece is powerful and well executed.  It seems a little polished for the subject matter, but in contrast people only read what is in “billboard” format.   Meaning the clean and concise way that you presented the message was probably seen and the message absorbed by more people in the crisp visual.Great job! I love the silhouette Your piece reminds me of the fact that we are all closer to homelessness than we realize as most of us are living paycheck to paycheck..