Seven Challenging Pieces (or Slaying the Minotaur)

 

Bayeté Ross Smith (c) 2010

Sit-In (One, Two, and Three) was a performance action that revealed many things about myself, the communities that I am a part of, the mainstream social-historical-cultural context, the logistics of participatory performance, and how these, and other elements, interact. 

1. I learned that, in this country, black people (particularly Americans) have a different view of leisure time, and more importantly, the security of their space in the workplace (in comparison to white people).
2. I realized that black members of post-civil rights generation are the first with ‘something to lose’ and that this affects the way we combat racism.  In addition, black people are the only group, that in taking action against racism, are expected to address ALL forms of oppression, especially those related to gender, age, class, and disability.   I ran into some folks from the Public Art Fund, quite randomly on Friday, and after mentioning the premise of Sit-In, was immediately questioned about why ageism wasn’t included in my conceptual framework.  I doubt that a feminist would be asked about sexism (against men) in the prison-industrial complex, if they were planning a similar action that focused on gender equality.  Perhaps this inclusion of all discriminatory practices in conversations of this type is a positive thing and might be applied to every group striving to create change…
3. White people have an access to resources that is completely removed from my experience. (Note: “For every dollar of wealth owned by a white family, a black or Latino family owns just 16 cents, according to a recent Federal Reserve study.”) This was a made a tangible reality when a white colleague gave me 1000 dollars cash to create a large format print of Sit-In (3).  I could not do something like that even when I was working full time.  What is striking is that it’s not only a question of access, but also a mentality, that is clearly reflected in this action. 
4. Racism is a cornerstone of this country, to deny that absolutely means that we forfeit the possibility of actual change.  The relationship between black people and white people is a precedent for all types of discrimination.  So, to act as agents of reparation would mean a positive shift in issues of immigration, sexual discrimination, gender inequality, etc. This action proved to me that for lasting change two things must take place:  People of color must assert their humanity and white people must finds ways of relinquishing privilege. 
5. I learned the difficultly of mobilizing people in New York City, without the incentive of money. New York provides this amazing space to attract attention but is also problematic due to the sheer volume of distractions.  I want to continue mobilizing people of color by creating strategies to do this successfully.
6. Ultimately though, the dialogue must be diverse to be true.  White people, black people, Asian people, indigenous people, Spanish-speaking people, Allah-believing people…  we all need to speak honestly with each other.  We must break the habit of gossiping about ‘the other’ and use positive confrontation to connect directly, truthfully. 
7. Finally, despite marketing to the contrary, it is WE who own MoMA and other institutions of its ilk.  All of us contribute to the collective consciousness of humanity, and that’s the same “stuff” that inspires every artist.  It is for that reason that representation needs to be diverse. Marina Abramović once said that many people are interested in Art as a space for beauty, but that she was interested in Art as a space for truth.  Sit-In was a reminder of this as an important facet of what I will continue to reveal and question in my own work.

Thank you:

Marina, Tokumbo, Aisha, Latasha, Zachary, Simone, Duma, Joel, Shani, Paul, Rebecca, Deana, Bayete, Firelei, Adjua, Donald, Yeji, Evan, Bose, Becca, Brian, Elia, Michael Paul, Nyeema, Mike, Kristine, Felicia, Chiara, Andrea, Melissa, Sean, Kevin, Devin, Judia, Kyle, Kanene, Dalicia, Caktuz, Jodie, Alissa, Rashaad, Robert, Socorro, Rosamond, Rashida, Tasha, Naomi, Kara, Derrick et. al

Sit-In (3) @ The Artist Is Present (May 30th, 2010 | 4am)

If at first you don't suceed...

Dear Tokumbo, Aisha, Latasha, Zachary, Simone, Duma, Joel, Shani, Paul, Rebecca, Deana, et al.

This letter is public expression of my sincere gratitude.   

When I began conceptualizing ‘Sit-In’ as a performance action, I was consumed with the imagined beauty of our black and brown faces in the MoMA Flickr grid of ‘The Artist Is Present’.  It was to be a historic archive of our presence, a proud representation of the truth and a beacon to artists of color everywhere; our resolute gazes captured online for everyone to see.  I painstakingly wrote out a plan, one where we absolutely followed the rules, such as they were, and reveled in the normalcy of participation.  We were going to act like every other group of hopefuls looking to engage Marina Abramovic in her historic performance. We were going to venerate the civil rights generation by showcasing the achievability of this action, cheerily denying the prospect of obstacles that might be created as a response to the pigmentation of our skin and culture.  Sure, we tossed around the idea that the white folks might try some funny business, but that was merely residual paranoia from our collective Black consciousness, playfully joshed to the side.  For us, Jim Crow Segregation was less than a memory.   We were born into the retelling of it- crisp paper made soft by repeated handling. 

Only, it’s not a memory, or a story, but an unfortunate experience of the now, re-framed by sophisticated contemporary nuances.

As the mumbled protests of our fellow (white) patrons turned into interrogations (“What time did YOU get here!?!?!”) and shrill confrontations (“I guess I’m too white!”) it became apparent that the normalcy of our intentions could not be contained by the blackness of our bodies.  Singled out repeatedly during the waiting period, the experience was transformed into theater of the absurd as the MoMA staff made it blindingly clear that our presence was being watched and controlled.  When a staff member pointedly asserted that we should step out of line to check our bags I felt my stomach drop.  I had been there twice before as an individual participant and had never heard of this policy, nor had I seen a ticket scanner block the progress of a line (after processing the two white women who were ahead of our group).  A knowing confusion began to take over as we each acknowledged the feelings in our gut and the projected energy that practically hissed “you’re messing things up” and “you shouldn’t be here”.  When the young (white) woman started crying behind me, a security guard gently reassured her that everything would be alright, and that he knew how early she’d been there, blithely ignoring the fact that I’d been there just as long.  Even as I write this, I want to consider the possibility that I am just being petty, but I know that reality of white privilege exists and it thrives on the predictability of our staying in our assigned places.

We never made it to the front of the line, partly because of the logistical unlikelihood, but mostly because of the caustic scrutiny.  Ultimately though, that’s what makes this action such a poignant success. To have your worst suspicions proven so utterly right opens up another dialogue that forces a piercing honestly that is only achieved through real emotion.  After tending to my sadness yesterday, I am presently cooling my anger to a bearable temperature as I contemplate the use of my image in the print version of Jerry Saltz’s article in New York Magazine.  While it’s always clear that ‘The Institution’ is in control, you still hope that the diversity ‘they’ advertise isn’t some performance for the cameras, that it’s not a contrived composite that chuckles audibly at your attempts to match that multicultural ideal in real life. 

In light of various counties repealing Brown vs. Board of Education, Arizona’s Immigration Law, and Texas’ public school curriculum and its mis-handling of American history- it is clear that the pendulum has swung to a space that bolsters the status quo of white supremacy.  If ‘Sit-In’ has revealed anything to me, it’s that a move toward true diversity (gender, race, sexuality, class, age, etc.) is dependent upon the repeated assertion of humanity by people of color and a simultaneous relinquishing of privilege by white people.  As much as this experience can be described through hurt feelings, it’s the inspired dialogues that define it.  If the various conversations I’ve had are any indication, I can’t help but feel hopeful about the possibilities.

Here’s to the discussion.

K(R) 

 P.S.

I just heard that there are no Asian or Latino Artists represented in Greater New York... 

If that's true, then that's some bullshit.

Sit-In: Live Stream (on view May 24th, 2010)

http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2010/marinaabramovic/

The Identity of Anonymity

I was fortunate enough to participate in a comment exchange regarding the premise of 'Sit-In', and the critical commentary assumed by positioning it within Marina Abramović's 'The Artist Is Present.  The 'conversation' also delved into the constructed relationship between this performance and the  Greensboro Sit-In.  The back and forth was a delicious manifestation of what I hope is accomplished by art making: the creation of vigorous dialogue.  I was able to share those comments with others, and by virtue of both of our relative convictions, initiated a number of conversations, revealing complex layers.  Race, gender, class, ethnicity--were all on display during these exchanges and I feel blessed that the mere thought of this simple action has inspired some 'real talk'.  What is most fascinating, however, is that the internet provides a peculiar space for an anonymous identity.  The fact that the comment poster did not reveal his/her identity created a space to assign one.  Most of my friends/colleagues are convinced of "his" "whiteness", using "his" written language as an indicator.  I am not so sure, but it's still intriguing to associate anonymity with identity.  As we become more connected with the flexibility of online personae, I wonder how the conversation about race-gender-class-ethnicity will change...

The Decline of Whistling

Posted by IMR on 07 July 2009

IN DENNIS POTTER’S drama series Pennies from Heaven, Bob Hoskins plays a hard-up sheet music seller. While on his rounds, he tries to enthuse a sceptical music shop owner:  It’s a great tune, everyone’s gonna be whistling it!

When you did last hear anyone whistle a tune? Despite urgings from the Seven Dwarfs, tuneful whistling is on the way out.  Once, workplace whistling was common enough for some high-class establishments in London to put up signs forbidding tradesmen and staff from whistling. One can still be seen round the back of the Savoy hotel. The only people allowed or, in fact, expected to whistle were the doormen, who had the knack of putting two fingers in their mouths and blowing a very loud whistle to hail taxis.  Despite the disapproval of hotels and their guests, whistling had a popular image. It stood for cheerfulness and harmless self-amusement. Comedies and cartoons often had someone up to no good start whistling and looking innocent if they were about to be discovered. Before his 1975 hit The Last Farewell, the English singer-songwriter Roger Whittaker showed off his skills in songs like Irish Whistler and Mexican Whistler.

The entertainer and famous bird impersonator Percy Edwards, who died in 1996, was able to imitate the songs of hundreds of different bird species, mainly through whistling, and his example had many imitators. One old recording I came across recently is of the sounds of Smithfield meat market in 1993. The recordist noted that it was ‘initially spoilt by silly whistling from a porter’. That said, the porter does a pretty good take on Percy Edwards, even if he was meaning to conjure the spirit of a ‘dickybird’ rather than any particular species.

The decline of whistling is probably because most pop songs no longer have whistlable melodies and, perhaps, is also part of the general trend of public vocalisation shifting from lips and lungs and vocal cords working in real time, towards loudspeakers, recorded sound and voice synthesisers.

Teabreak teaser: How many pop songs can you think of which have whistling in them? Otis Redding’s Dock of the Bay is too easy, and Ennio Morricone film scores don’t count (sorry).

Sit-In @ The Artist Is Present (May 24th, 2010)

While there is no blatantly Jim Crow signage within the Art World, my experience has illustrated a significant measure of segregation, especially within institutions.  This is entirely unfortunate, since the social sphere of the Art World veers towards wide-ranging diversity.  I want to speak directly to this "Whites Mostly/ Colored Rarely" trend by using Marina Abramovic's 'The Artist Is Present' as a platform.  Inspired by the Greensboro Sit-In (February 1, 1960), I am hoping to gather 30 individuals who identify as Black/ African /African American/ Negro to join me on May 24th for this performance.  Meeting at the Museum of Modern Art at 8am, I believe that there is a good chance that this group will be among the first to sit with her for the day.  In fact, I think that the darker skin tone of black people is viewed as a kind of performance by the mainstream anyway, and  might encourage folks to step aside (in a sense).  As each sitter is engaged for a prescribed duration (timed), snapshot portraits are recorded as entry tiles on MoMA's Flickr page.  This record is the linchpin of the performance.  My thoughts are that in this grid there will be an obvious burst of 'color' followed and surrounded by the whiteness of the mainstream. Ultimately, it's the context of history that adds another layer to the dialogue art inspires.  As a Black artist of color, I want to assertively make a place for our voices in the visual record that is being created. So,

Who's coming with me...?

Walk The Walk: Day 5

We all took it easy today, there was no need to prove our super-badness.  By making it through the week, we each experienced an exhausted sense of accomplishment.  The weather was gorgeous, save for an intense drizzle in the morning, and there was this feeling that we were truly bonded.  Sisters in Blisters, as affectionately coined by Amanda Gale,  I look forward to connecting at the wrap party and discovering the effects of the experience on my future performance work.

Walk The Walk: Day 4

I was literally disabled by my corn(s) today.  Reluctantly, I couldn't complete my last hour- the pain was blinding.  Flashes of light accompanied every other step.  Again, physicality is no joke in the performance realm...

Foot Care Home Remedies:

1. Aspirin ~ Good old aspirin is excellent for ridding the painful corn. Combining two aspirins with three drops of water will create a healing dose of corn remover. Place mixture directly onto corn and keep in place with a band aid and preferably overnight. Repeat process until corn breaks down and heals completely.

2. Lemon ~ A small piece of the lemon flesh directly applied to a corn overnight and secured by a band aid or cotton ball can bring relief within a few days.

3. Castor Oil ~ An age-old golden home remedy is castor oil. Directly applying the oil up to 3 times daily will speed corn into hardening, making it easier to slough off with a pumice stone. Castor oil is reportedly one of the quicker methods, only taking 3-4 days healing time.

4. Baking soda and lime ~ An equal mixture combining baking soda, juice from a lime and water. Apply directly onto corn ever night for 5-7 days. Corn will naturally dry out and flake off. Be very careful not to allow solution to contact surrounding areas. A cotton ball between corn and other toe can be used to keep area separate.

5. Pineapple ~ A small piece of pineapple equal to the size of the corn and placed directly onto corn over night will alleviate pain and quicken healing to a week or so.

6. Apple cider and tea tree oil combo ~ Following a good foot soak in very warm water and a baking soda mix, apply apple cider vinegar directly onto corn using a cotton ball, apply pressure for about 5 minutes in order to soften corn. Allow corn to air dry for a minute or so and then directly apply a cotton ball with tea tree oil. Do not rinse off. The corn should air dry and will easily fall away within a few days.

7. Papaya ~ Papaya has natural healing and sloughing properties that are a corn's worst enemy. A small piece of fresh papaya or a dab of papaya juice applied overnight to the corn will naturally help corn fall away.

8. Chamomile Tea ~ A foot bath comprised of very warm water, chamomile tea and epsom salt will be incredibly therapeutic and aromatically soothing. It's also a great way to soften a hard corn.

9. Chalk ~ Crush a piece of chalk to a fine powder and mix with a little water to form a thick paste. Apply to the corn to lessen pain and dissolve the corn gently.

10. Vinegar ~ Soak a cotton ball with vinegar and apply with a little pressure to the sore corn. If possible for 24 hours. This has actually been able to pull the corn out by it's root, making it especially healing.

Walk The Walk: Day 3

It was a dreary day.  A consistent drizzle complicated the performance beautifully.  Armed with lavender umbrellas and safety orange work gloves the piece felt more like the kinetic sculpture Kate mentioned in her Tuesday talk, and less performative in nature.  The visual from my perspective was reminiscent of cogs in a machine, as the faceted disks of our umbrellas bumped and twisted like the mad hatter teacup ride at Disney world.  I feel like we've each reached a significant milestone in walking the walk- despite the prospect of the cold and the reality of achy feet, the task is much more doable.  Still, the ladder looms as a merciful beacon...

No walking motifs expressed themselves this time- I am curious as to whether that was just my mind/body acclimating me the process, and if they'll even be unnecessary going forward...  Stay tuned for Day 4.

Walk The Walk: Day 2

(NOTE: I am recording my experiences as a performer in Kate Gilmore's kinetic sculpture- WALK THE WALK.  Day 1 has yet to be posted, due to Mercury's retrograde but will be available by the week's end.)

Today, 4 more motifs presented themselves...

The first one happened after we received our fuchsia cardigans.  The rest showed up when they got good and ready.

1. Woman who hears a doorbell announcement of guests arriving at a Thanksgiving Dinner in 1954.
2. The Realtor showing a house in a gated community
3. Enchanted Sorceress (Think: stepmother queen in Disney's Snow White)
4. Hitchcock Blonde and the railing pursuit (Inspired by Liz Magic Laser)

Today solidified my physical toughness- it was quite cold, but I relaxed into the shivers, made them a supplemental experience.
Kate gave a talk where she answered questions related to her color choices ("Yellow, lavender, fuchsia - blend and contrast with the springtime visual of the park"), use of women ("it's from my point of view") and the discovery of a collaborative process ("This is the first time I haven't been featured in one of my performances and the first time I collaborated to create a project of this scale- I don't know if it's a good or bad thing, but I'm addicted!").  While I am paraphrasing severely, I think I've captured some significant bullet points.  Ultimately, it seems, that for better or worse, the challenge of stepping out of your artistic comfort zone is a rewarding exercise...

Derrick Adams: GO STAND NEXT TO THE MOUNTAIN

The (Artist) Is Present: Part II

So, I did present myself as a sitter at Marina Abramovic's live installation, although I didn't manage to execute my renegade plan.  Before I went, I searched the internet for the "rules of engagement" for public participation, and I couldn't find any.  But the constraints are quite specific: (1) No talking (2) Eye contact must be maintained and (3) No objects within the space.  This explains the consistency that is established by each sitter.  I am ciphering a way to combat this, while following the rules of course.  It was a fascinating experience overall.  I got in line at 10 am and ended up about 20 people from the front.  The first sitter was actually a re-performer from the live retrospective- and sat for a whopping 2.5 hours.  This seemed to set the tone for the rest of the day, as individual after individual got lost in the experience, sitting for hours at a time.   Mercifully, there were folks who kept the experience moving, remaining for about 15-30 minutes.  Unwittingly, all the potential sitters found themselves performing an endurance presentation, as I didn't sit with the artist until 7:30 pm (note my arrival at 10am).  I juxtaposed my own actives (I had lunch, wrote in my notebook, chatted with friends, made new ones, went to the bathroom) with Marina's relative stillness (she never got up from the chair, and only readjusted herself in between sitters)- it was striking parallel.  When I did finally reach the chair I witnessed a hallucinatory vision of her face.  No lie, her visage was a disembodied object that hovered a few inches from her face-place.  Somehow the lighting shifted, and it appeared as if it were changing planes in a sort of semi-chaotic rhythm dictated by her blinking.  I can see why people sat for so long- you want to make sure that you are seeing what you are seeing.  I thought I might have been caught up in my own expectations (although I definitely wasn't expecting that!).  Perhaps I was just seeing things-  until  I asked one of my line mates about her experience and she corroborated fully.  The literature mentions that Marina Abramovic studied hypnosis and with aboriginal groups in Australia.  I think she must have learned some techniques that create this experience in a way that harnesses her own personal energy into manifestations that are visible to others.  

Finally, I was approached by a number of people after my sitting, asking about my experience and I realized that the fascination came from the fact that I was the only black person in the line (well, there was one other gentleman, but he came much later and didn't get a chance to sit).  Something about my blackness must have struck them, even a security guard approached me and said that I might have been one of three black women (total) that have chosen to sit.  This tidbit is the seed of something that I will use  to transform my own experience, as I am planning to sit with her again.  Maybe I can rustle up a group of black people and present a different kind of visual that she can energize with.

Stay tuned.

The (Artist) Is Present...

Most people recognize my interest in celebrity gossip magazines as a source of creative inspiration.  There is something wildly absurd about the (American) public's fascination will all things celebrity.  It is not enough to see these people (actors, singers, socialites, reality stars, celebrity tots, directors, etc.) fulfilling their respective crafts- we want to get a glimpse into the life that connects most directly with our own: Body image insecurities, the trials of love and romance, the building of family, diets gone awry...  As usual, I mine my own obsessions for art material, and after seeing Marina Abramovic's 'The Artist Is Present' at MoMA today, I have a discovered a way to comment and participate in the space she has created.  All accounts bill her performance as an endurance test.  The museum estimates that, if she can stick to the plan, she will sit silent for 716 hours and 30 minutes, performing during open hours, clothed in a heavy monochromatic gown (the colors vary) and arranged opposite and empty chair which can be occupied by any patron willing to wait their turn.

I decided that it is my turn.  But I will not attempt to mimic her stillness, or her costumed transcendent solitude. That just wouldn't be me.  I plan to read her a tabloid magazine, providing my usual commentary along the way, of course.  She mentioned, during her talk, just before the performance opened, that she would not access email or the internet in general- so it seems likely that she has not been updated on the most recent plastic surgeries of Heidi Montag or the train wreck saga of Kate Plus Eight.  I am accepting the responsibility of informing her about these, and other frivolous tidbits of our pop culture consciousnesses.

I just hope she can endure.

Hope to see you there: Friday May 7th 10:30am, MoMa

WALK THE WALK by Kate Gilmore

Open Studio Weekend: The Aftermath...

LMCC's Open Studio Weekend was a spectacular success for me.  Through a convolution of circumstances, I cautiously presented some very new work (Spell-books of The Platinum Eaters), and received a multitude of positive feedback.  Whether this reflects upon my ultimate access to income or resources remains to be seen, but this uncertainty does nothing to diminish my overall elation.  This post is a record, an acknowledgment of the things I learned during this special weekend.  By putting words behind these discoveries, I am manifesting a positive turn in the next stages of my career.  Enjoy.

TVs For Sale/TVs From Craigslis, Penelope Umbrico

I met Bart Keijsers Koning, co-owner of LMAK Projects gallery.

 

Jill Magi, Tongues, 2007, collage/assemblage, 7 x 9 inches

I met Jill Magi, writer and visual artist, who also happens to be an LMCC alumni.

 

 

 Lipstick canteen, 2000, John Chamberlain, Post-Modernism Assemblage
...Was schooled on John Chamberlain (even when I'd prefer to focus the discussion on the work I'm doing). 

 

 

http://www.artingeneral.org/projects/year/2010 

 

 

Quicksand by Nella Larsen

An inspired suggestion from Joel Mercedes.