Richard Schechner describes performance as “twice-performed behavior” and claims that “all forms of human activity are a performance, assembled from other actions we have taken in the past to create a new whole. A performance might be an artwork, it might be a chef cooking a dish or a barber cutting hair. Or then again it might be anyone whatever giving a performance of their gender, race, and sexuality in everyday life” (Mirzoeff). Drawing from Schechner's assertion, I created a video performance piece centered around the act of smoking that addresses escapism through the ephemeral nature of pleasure and time, with smoke being the catalyst.
The use of smoke serves as a metaphor for escapism and distractions within our society. As humans, we have the tendency to seek distraction or relief from our unpleasant realities, yet, those distractions never really last. Those distractions, just like smoke, dissipates and clears. Thus, escapism does not offer meaningful solutions or change but instead perpetuates the cycle itself. With this performance piece, I reflect upon my condition with the understanding that this isn’t exclusive to me or any one individual, but rather experienced collectively. I enlist the help of my colleagues to participate in the performance to illustrate the collective struggle and escapism that permeates throughout our society. Shaun Leonardo when mentioning incorporating others in his performances expressed that “I wanted to pull more and more people into that exploration so that it would not be contained to my own narrative” (Leonardo), and with this understanding, I aim to infuse this concept into my own performance.
Inspired by Allison Knowles’ performance “Make a Salad”, my work draws inspiration from her innovative perspective and conceptual depth. Knowles transforms the ordinary and mundane act of making a salad into a thought-provoking art piece that explores creation and collective participation. She was able to find the extraordinary in the ordinary, which is what I seek to do within my project. With something as mundane as smoking a joint I hope to elevate that act into an exploration of escapism and collective experience. In an interview, Marina Abramovic mentioned that "Ideas come from life" (Force), and I couldn’t agree more. There is often beauty in the mundane and ordinary, all it takes is for someone to find it.
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