"That Girl" is Ready!

Heya --

Well, it's here! I officially start class tomorrow morning! As of 10am tomorrow, I am on the path towards a Masters degree. I'm so ready to get started -- I've been reading and preparing for months now, and am just desperate to start discussing all of this material and theory and, of course, to start making work! I've enjoyed a good deal of the reading, especially the works by Peggy Phelan and Luce Irigaray. It should make for some dynamic seminar discussions... assuming everyone slogged through the gigantic reading list, of course.

Last night, I trekked over to Southwark (while my tube line wasn't running... grumble) to see a one woman show. I had gotten free tickets, and sent out an email to my classmates, but no one took me up on the offer. So, I went by myself to see Land Without Words by Dea Loher, performed by Lucy Ellinson. It was a very thought-provoking piece, and beautifully executed by Ellinson. The piece, set in Middle Eastern city "K" traces an artist's consideration of the significance of art when confronted directly by war. The piece draws heavily on visual imagery, with repetition of water and land metaphors. At one point, the speaker, stripped to the waist, gathers the dirt from the set around her, covering her face and body... she stops and confronts the audience, silently, not inviting us in, but rather daring us to stay away. The artist, upon her return (her "getting out") from "K" is rendered unable to paint.

It's an interesting question. In a global context, in a world plagued with war, poverty, inequity, etc., what is the purpose of being an art maker? Is it socially responsible to create images/experiences when we are constantly bombarded with injustice? Of course, like most artists I would imagine, I do believe that my work is relevant, but in addition, I do believe that artists can serve a higher goal through their work than purely making 'beautiful' objects. To me, Loher's piece speaks particularly to those of us who do cerate work without the "K" lens to peer through -- in some ways, it made me consider my own work, as I was simultaneously considering Loher's and watching Ellinson's. All in all, a powerful theatrical experience, and one I wish someone else in my class had taken in with me.

Sitting in the audience also made me reminisce about my experiences producing and performing My Name is Rachel Corrie in New York as well. I've been thinking about that project a lot lately, not necessarily to revisit it, but it just keeps popping up in my mind. I feel like pieces like Land Without Words and Rachel Corrie are in the spectrum of where my work is tending. I'm looking forward to seeing where this all goes this year!

Love,
TGI