Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Reflections on performance two

For performance two, two of my classmates and I created a piece based off of the human language. One classmate had a small journal with a list of words, some known, others very strange. In this piece, we took turns reading strange words from the journal, and then let the book be passed around so the audience could take their chance and read. The piece ended with us finishing up the list and short speech from one of my classmates.

This piece was not my favorite, but there definitely were aspects I enjoyed about it. The repetition in the reading of words and walking the notebook to the next person, I found to be soothing. I also appreciated the strangeness of trying to read those words, and hearing the audience read some of them for the first time.  

I did feel that this piece seemed to drag a little bit. There needed to be an element of surprise or strangeness. If not, then it just needed to end sooner. The concept was good, but the execution could have been better. 

Maybe next time!

Reflections on My First Performance

Stained With a Kiss
residue from performance 1

For my first performance, I decided to do a piece that shows femininity, simplicity, the obscure, and surprise. I was dressed in a knee length black floral dress, which gave an over all feminine appearance. To give a softer over all essence, I dimmed the lights. I wanted everyone to be able to see, and to be in a close environment, so I placed all the chairs very close to each other in a half circle around the table. From there, I proceeded to "gracefully" climb on top of the table. I had a mostly gone roll of toilet paper and a tube of lipstick with me. At the time I was not exactly sure where this performance was going to go. I had a lot of different options that I had planned out. In the moment though, I am happy with the path I chose. I put on a thick layer of lipstick on my lips, ripped a single square off the toilet paper roll, kissed it, and placed it gently on the table. I repeated this action, ritualistically, placing the individual squares in a grid like form on the table. As I did this, the lipstick on my lips faded, showing on the toilet paper. Eventually, my kiss marks stopped showing up on the toilet paper. However, I continued to do this ritual. At the end of the roll, the squares were not easily rippable, and I was left with a rectangular piece, which I decided to kiss twice. This ritual created a steady beat visually (the grid), through the sound (rip & kiss), and through the process. I found it relaxing, and it really matched my aesthetics. However, at the end of the piece, I decided to take the cardboard center of the toilet paper roll, and blow through the hole, turning my fading lipstick grid into a scattered mess. I then proceeded to get off the table quietly and join the audience.

There were many reactions which I did not think about when coming up with this performance. Some people said it was cute and sort of romantic; toilet paper has never had a better outcome.  Others said it reminded them of fading love, or blowing kisses. I was given suggestions to give out the kissed paper, or end in a different way.

Overall, I was pretty happy with this piece. I was super nervous going into it, I could see my hand shaking as I ripped the toilet paper, square by square. A couple times it caused me to rip imperfections (which I think made my grid look eclectic, like me). After the performance though, I felt really great, and I was excited to get the feedback from people. I did not know what to expect out of a first performance. I feel slightly more prepared now, but I don't think those nerves will ever go away.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Listen

Music is art. Music is made up of different sounds. Sound is everywhere. Art is everywhere. Listen.

Song #1
The Morning After: A Song of my Suite in a Resting State

I live in a very active suite. Other than myself and my three (rather loud) suite mates, there is always at least one other person who occupies the suite. It is a strange morning when I wake up to an empty living room. For some reason, on Saturday morning, I woke up at 7 a.m,. So instead of falling back asleep, I took the time to just listen to my resting suite, while relaxing on my futon. 

A softly snoring friend, asleep on the couch.
The on again/ off again buzz of my fridge.
My own heavy breathing- steady and rhythmic, like a solid beat.
My friend flips over, making a soft rubbing on the couch.
She grunts, then goes quiet
Someone's awake at the end of the hall. 
Two voices, soft but disruptive to the quiet suite.
Mostly a high repetitive noise.
A phone buzzes on the couch - dulled, but still audible.
More silence.
Silence.
Quiet.
Someone is awake above me. 
Feet walking across the floor,  unintentional stomping.
Quiet Quiet Quiet
The hallway door next to me opens, and closes quite loudly.
Quiet.

Song #2
Laundry Day

I hate Laundry day. While I don't mind the processes folding my clothes and putting them away, it is such a hassle to actually go through the long processes of waiting and cleaning clothes. But today, I listened.'

Synchronized wooshing.
Chaotically organized.
Machine one wooshes while machine two swooshes.
Dryers are aggressive.
Loud vibrations on the floor.
The same noise from each machine.
But all at different times.
A chorus of wooshing .
A buzzer goes 
The room is one machine quieter.
Woosh Swoosh Woosh Swoosh.
A door opens.
Footsteps of a shoeless girl.
Her plastic laundry bin hits the metal of a washer.
A forceful click and clank of the door opening
Soft clothes pushed intro the dryer.
The door is moving, creaking on a hinge.
A thud and a lock, the door is closed.
Cha ching, the quarter dispenser slides, clicks, and is released.
Water wooshes.
Barefoot footsteps out of the laundry room.

Song #3
Soft Serve and Basketball

Let's try a different situation. A busier place, with hustle and bustle. A crowded venue where I am serving ice cream. This is not how I want to spend my Sunday... No wonder I got such a head ache after this.

Loud Loud Loud
Rumbling and Buzzing ice cream machines
I turn it on, and it groans louder.
I stop pouring ice cream, and it becomes softer, eventually.
Two machines, surround sound buzzing.
Like a low pitched ambulance.
Customer complaints
Customer orders
Customer laughing
Fans cheering, roars, simultaneously chanting.
Chanting letters, words, phrases.
Claps Claps Claps
Register "cha chings" open.
Quarters jingle.
Dollars swish each other.
Register crashes close.
Overwhelming music.

Who Am I - An Artist's Statement

As an artist, I aim to create interesting pieces of work. I want to do the unexpected and challenge conventional ideas about art as well as life.  I want my art to reflect my interests, passions, and beliefs. I often find it difficult to speak my mind or explain the way I feel. Through my art, I am hoping to have a stronger voice, and show the world who I aspire to be.