1-2-1-+
Reflecting on where to show my performance work in the university is making me re-consider the location of it. The point of a 1-2-1 performance is all about intimacy, however is that totally appropriate and right within a university context? I am putting a lot of prep into this work and I am not sure if I am happy to only show it to a few people. Having the work in a blacked out space is making the work look theatrical, is that what I really want? In a sense the work is theatrical, however there will be lots of slippages and mistakes within the performance. I keep thinking back to the carpet under my feet when I was videoing my initial experiments in my spare room and I really like the aesthetic of my home environment. Could I do a live, streamed performance on the Internet? This would allow me to reach more people in different locations and have my chosen location for the performance. There is something about sharing the things you do at home and were you live with other people through a screen that appeals to me. The work could be a controlled video piece, however I feel more excited about doing something live, creating a temporary event, something not to miss.
I have started rehearsing the Penny Arcade script to The government doesn’t want people to fuck! The piece talks about prostitution, women, America and money. She speaks really fast and even with a script in hand I am struggling to keep up with the pace. In the script she talks about the difference between hookers and call girls. When I think of a hooker I think of the movie Pretty Woman and Julia Roberts. Penny goes on to say ‘y’all have this idea that hookers are running around in push up bras, fishnet stockings, high heals, that’s a seducer, that’s a movie, that’s an old movie. We’re not running around in high heals we’re wearing Reeboks!’ I like the idea of mixing in a pair of Reeboks and fishnet tights into my performance wardrobe. Penny has made music, more like punk tracks, which I have been listening to. I particularly like No Mona Lisa, which talks about how the famous muse is cut off at the waist. This soundtrack would make an ideal match as in my performance the frame will cut across the middle of my body.
Project Space 4
This was my first attempt at working in the project space at the university of Salford. Luckily enough there was one space left for me to use however I could only use it for an hour. I need to book the space well in advance, although this is difficult for me to plan that far ahead with changing work commitments. Even though I only had an hour the technician kindly showed me around the rooms and I soon realised that I needed a blacked out space for the Penny Arcade performance. I was able to use project space 4 that had bits of furniture and equipment in which I will need to hide or clear out for the final performance. The room is set-up for video projections and there is a white rectangular shape on the wall that I will need to cover. I tested out the lights in the space as best as I could as I left my tape at home. I wanted to see how much light they gave off which works for the frame although there isn’t enough light to see me within it. I used another light and directed it into the centre that helped illuminate the inside of the frame.
Photographing the lights I could see the reflections on the gloss painted door. I intend to lead people from the corridor into the room with the lights bunched together in my hand. The cord is long, although it can only travel so far and then there is the issue of keeping them tidy without tripping people up along the way. How far do I need to go? I could be waiting close to the room to avoid any accidents. Going back into the space I think about the carpet beneath my feet at home. Should the viewer sit on a chair? My only concern with this is, if I happen to lure more than one person per performance who sits were? I imagine music playing in the room as we enter the room. Considering I only had an hour I feel that I have made a really good start. Having a project space to solely focus on one piece of work is a real treat. Planning ahead I need to pin down a date for this performance to take place. I know as we move through the year the students will be preparing for their end of year show so it needs to happen well before this busy period. I am due to do an artist talk in February and I am thinking that this might be a good time to do it. In the meantime I have a long Penny Arcade script to memorize.
First day back
So far not heard back from my Dressage application, although just by applying for it has pushed me too develop the work further. With all the Christmas celebrations and working at my part time job, today is my first day of getting my wig back on. As it is a Saturday I can’t access the uni project spaces and worked at home in the spare room. My first task was to get my light bulb frame up. I really wanted to get inside the frame and start miming to Penny Arcade speeches. Being the material it’s hard to evaluate what I’m doing so I filmed my performance experiments. I used playback to see how all the visual elements look together, the scale of the frame, and I question are certain props working? Early on I could see that the frame looked too big in relation to my body. Having online access to Penny’s speeches I decided to try out a longer piece and a shorter musical arrangement.
Originally I was only going to imitate her still images, however using the speaking and moving is visually more interesting. The frame needed to be smaller and I changed the shape from looking like a door to a TV screen. This form is more dynamic with part of my body inside and out. When I am in synch with the words it works well, although I also like it when it goes off. The rhythm of this piece is really important and I need to study the speech to control the flow. In past performances I have used lo-tech special effects and I feel this piece needs some extra sparkly bits. Packing away the string of lights that I bunched together, spontaneously I started dragging them across the floor. I may use this action to direct and move the viewer to the performance area. I need to do a rece of what project space to use as there is a mix of white cube and blacked out spaces. The spaces range form really small to large and I also have to consider the location, as I want to direct people from the corridor into the room.
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Take me to the Penny Arcade
I was able to use the uni computers today although I was surprised to see that the lovely new macs would not accept my FireWire cable. Final cut has changed alot which threw me a bit setting off my techno anxiety. I love using video, however I struggle to keep up with the software changes. Technology can sometimes make you feel like it’s making your life easier but also very stupid at the same time. I needed to buy a new magic cable as everyone is working on the most up to date macs these days, although I love the graininess of DV tape. In a way I was pleased to sort this out now which means I can get straight into my work next visit. The good thing about the new final cut is that it already sections clips doing part of the rough cut in advance.
I am feeling like I need to start experimenting with some ideas in a blacked out space. It would be great to work with a photography student to try and re-create some of the performance images I have been collecting. I have got in a habit of making work for specific events and can find it difficult to make something for the sake of it. I need some context for a work to be or else it doesn’t feel real. I saw this opportunity, which I am going to apply for called Dressage in Bristol. The event is set in a nightclub with performances happening on a one to one basis at the venue. This has got me thinking about creating performances based on the Penny Arcade images and creating a temporary frame from colourful lights. I love the idea of being dressed as Penny Arcade with a bag of props, lights slung on my shoulder, cruising for interactions in the dark corners of the nightclub. The university would be a great place to test this piece out.
Bought myself a Penny Arcade wig and I totally love it. It’s amazing how a simple prop and change of appearance can fill you with false confidence.
The joy of books…
I was able to collect my university pass on Monday, which meant that I could now access the library. I do a lot of my research online and often get frustrated at the limited information and imagery of performance/live art events. Looking through the catalogue of books I am really impressed with the variety of performance/live art titles they have. At the University of Salford they have two libraries that house the fine art collection, although it is possible to access the reference only books online.
Browsing the list of titles available I was grabbed by ‘Bad Reputation’, which contains performances, essays and interviews about the artist Penny Arcade aka Susan Ventura. Her colourful life story is documented in this book and interwoven into her performances. She was a runaway at 13, performed at the New York City Play-House at 17 and escaped from Andy Warhol’s Factory aged 19. She was performing in the NY gay scene in the 90’s whilst working in the daytime as a receptionist at a brothel. In her performances she is known for her dance breaks and talking directly to the audience.
Discovering Penny Arcade is a relief as I rarely find artists work I like or is linked in some way to my own practice. I am a big fan of Forced Entertainment’s work and thought they were the originators of talking to the audience, and dodgy dance routines then I discovered Penny. I am surprised that throughout all my reading around performance she has not come to my attention before. It does raise the questions of who and why certain artists get written into the history books and others left out. The book is written with such attitude and whilst I was reading it I kept imagining her NY, Italian accent.
Short video clip of Penny Arcade, Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore!
http://vimeo.com/39408749
I particularly like the portrait images of characters she has imitated. For example Andrea Whips a Warhol favourite, eccentric, who killed herself by jumping off the top of a building whilst holding a Barbie and can of coke. I am interested in Susan Ventura, imitating Penny Arcade, imitating Andrea Whips.
