Archival Relational performance #3

Untitled (Free) : Rirkrit Tiravanija

"for Rirkrit Tiravanija, art is what you eat. The New York–and–Chiang Mai–based Thai artist became famous in 1992 when he made Untitled 1992 (Free), a sculpture–performance–guerrilla action wherein he emptied out the office of the 303 Gallery in Soho and installed a makeshift kitchen, complete with fridge, hot plates, rice steamers, tables, and stools. He then cooked Thai curry; anyone could drop in, serve him- or herself, and eat. For free." http://nymag.com/arts/art/reviews/31511/

Rirkrit erodes the relationship between art and spectator as most of his works are based from human participation and heavily deals with social interaction. Rirkrit redefines what a gallery could be other than being a social space to interact. I think his works are genuinely genius, very simple and effective. I like it's banality and its concept of meshing art and life as one communal activity.

Archival Community Based performance #2

Nanay : a testimonial play

Nanay in Tagalog (Filipino language) means mother, which also sounds like "Nanny". The play is part of the Push festival here in Vancouver which played this February. Nanay is a testimonial based play about caregivers from the Philippines who work as nannies here in Canada and all over the world. Testimonial based means that the script used in the play was based from an archived 15 year reasearch of real testimonies from abused domestic caregivers. The play was structured like a tour where we were guided by a moderator through different rooms, represented as perspectives. The working caregiver's perspective, migrating displaced cargiver, separated children and the employers perspective. The order of experiencing the play varies from what time you bought your ticket. I liked how the performer was three steps away from the spectator as it felt very intimate and heart wrenching. Watching the performer clean dishes and mummble about her life was so banal yet engaging because of our distance. Although the play was ontop of their issue some sides were not presented equally like the benefits and positive outcomes of working and leaving their country.

Archival Durational Performance #1

White Light/ White heat by Chris Burden

In his exhibition Chris Burden requested a triangular platform to be constructed in the southeast corner of the gallery. For the duration of the show Chris Burden stayed up there without eating, talking or coming down for 22 days. Spectators are faced with belief with the artist being present and performing. The endurance and presence of Burden is also questioned. I think this piece stimulates our trust towards the artists commitment or perhaps our trust with art itself. I personally am not sure if he did stay up there as nobody saw him up there and nobody saw him go down.

http://www.feldmangallery.com/pages/exhsolo/exhbur75.html