| Title or content of the project: Security System |
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Artist(s) / Organization(s): Joseph Ravens / Marianne Kim
Media(s): Performance
Date: 2008-6-7
Venue(s): HuangXing Park |
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Description:
Artist Joseph Ravens and Marianne Kim are from the US and Korea respectively. They will put a large transparent inflatable ball at the lawn chosen. Inside the ball, there are several tables and chairs as well as some simple tableware. The artists will perform inside the ball and communicate with passers-by and audience in this way. The performance is inspired by fear and the illusion of safety. Within this piece the performers become inventors, victims, witnesses, and perpetrators. This is a durational performance during which the artists' actions blur the line between task-oriented functionality and structured ritual. Colorful and alluring at first glance - upon closer examination the viewers discover images of transformation, mutation, and decay that serve to reinforce concepts surrounding fear and imagined safety. The transparent inflatable structure calls to mind global warming, chemical warfare, surveillance, and the struggle for survival within situations of terror and intimidation. The membrane represents the psychological barriers that we construct out of a desire for safety and protection. The transparency of the walls calls into question the very idea of security. Viewers are encouraged to reexamine the idea of safety and the systems the artists develop in order to feel secure. The artists project energy and images with abundant focus. Their intellect and emotions synthesize to manifest various hybrids of art, dance, and drama. They devise highly stylized situations in which visual elements enhance decidedly poetic narratives. Pre-established artistic genres serve as points of departure for blending the abstract with the concrete. The images and ideas are designed to have emotional impact while at the same time embracing depth, resonance, and artistic integrity. |
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