I think the concept of complete fairness has been on my mind since I was a 4-year-old, asking my parents why I never got a turn to drive the car. Since then, issues that divide us with relation to age, sex (my father told me at a very young age that my brother was going to get different treatment because he was a boy), class, race and any other segregating factor have always been trigger points for me, inspiring rants, protests, tantrums, and sometimes, plans of action.
With this in mind, I wanted to create a performance that would be designed to level the playing field. My idea is to have a public, outdoor space roped off, almost like a club. Outside will be a friend inviting guests into the “club” and a bouncer to make sure nothing gets too out of hand. In the center of the space will be one of my infamous disco balls and myself with one of the following: a) iPod speakers and an iPod or b) and iPod connected to two sets of headphones.
There will be no discrimination about who can enter this club, with only one stipulation: they have to enter one at a time. While inside the space they will be made to feel very special and invited to dance or just hang out and listen to music as long as they want. Maybe we’ll hug them when they leave. Or shake their hand. Or look them in the eyes lovingly. Everyone should leave feeling like they are awesome and special.
I’m unsure of my location for this project. I scouted an area on Houston between Orchard and Ludlow that would be easy to rope off and contain this “club.” However, I had a second thought that it may be an interesting juxtoposition to place this “club” in a notoriously clubby area, like the Meat Packing district. Although I want to be located in an area that will have a rather diverse group of pedestrians, and that will probably not be found in the MPD.
Performance Art Project: You Are Awesome. Coming to a street near you.
