Project #5 || Layers
For the fifth and last piece I decided to do a piece on my own. I was inspired by Orly Genger a fashion performance artist who uses lots of different textiles and Yoko Ono and her performance Cut Piece. In this performance I walked into the room wearing a leotard and tights and turned on a record playing the Velvet Underground’s, All Tomorrow’s Parties . I then walked over to my trunk and started pulling out clothing from it and piling it on my body - layer after layer. I did it quite quickly in hopes to get as many clothes on as possible before the music ran out. After the record stopped, I walked out of the room. When I walked back in, I had the audience members help me take off my clothing because I started to feel quite claustrophobic and very hot. It was mentioned later that I should consider adding that to my performance piece.
What do you feel was most successful?
I really liked the idea of piling clothing on layer after layer. It was interesting because before class started I overheard Sandy talking about a performance piece she did where she layered clothing on herself. I thought this was so crazy.
What would you change?
There’s a few things I would change about this piece: I like the idea mentioned at the end of my performance to involve the audience in helping me removing my clothing at the end. I also wish I had slowed down the piece and had taken my time with putting the clothes on. I also wish the trunk was positioned more in the center so the audience could have better seen me layering the clothes on.
How did you feel while doing the work?
Towards the end of the performance I began to feel super claustrophobic and hot. The audience mentioned being able to hear me panting towards the end of the piece.