kenya eats a cracker. (A Personal Re-cap)

                      

All photographs by Etienne Frossard, 2010

It often starts with the title.  And, of course, my intention was to be provocative.  But I've learned that provocation is only one piece of the puzzle; it's a mere snippet of the dialogue I hope to inspire.   I am discovering that if you're precise about your choices, you can create transcendent meaning by using the spectacle.  And "kenya eats a cracker" was most certainly a spectacle.  After donning a bright yellow vinyl suit, I sat in front of a green buffet spread of eleven types of snack crackers.  Saltines, Cheez-Its, Matzah, Honey Grahams, Ritz, Water Table Crackers, Club Crackers, Goldfish, Wheat Thins, Triscuit, and Barnum's Animal Crackers- each figured prominently.  I stuffed the dry morsels into my mouth, a continuous loop of 'consumption', while a recorded narrative served as the soundtrack. The text for the piece was composed using the package copy of the aforementioned products.  And, inspired by the expiration dates on each of the boxes, I researched the dates for historical significance. Apparently, every day is significant.  It's fascinating that this level of enlightenment can be found on a Triscuit box...  I think that "kenya eats a cracker" was one of my most successful attempts at maintaining a balance between being simply looked at and being thought about.  

Audio and performance documentation are forthcoming.  In the meantime, please marinate on the accompanying text embedded below.  A special thanks to Simone Leigh, Dominic Andrew Terlizzi, Sarah Walko and the folks at the Triangle Arts Workshop.

https://acrobat.com/#d=zi0WfygJErBAyRyTr7Qifg

https://acrobat.com/#d=SyuvhtFgJLi-MY97jf*pfQ