[-empyre-] FWD: From Artist-in-residence Janice Perry

[Renate Ferro]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Janice Perry <jp at janiceperry.com>
Date: Sun, Oct 10, 2010 at 10:05 PM
Subject: RE: [-empyre-]

Making Sense?

Well, as you know, it is not so simple to talk about one’s work. Especially
work one hasn’t yet made. I’m just going to jump in and start with a bit of
background.

I have a very active international performance practice. I work live
onstage, in multi-media live art, in video, and installation, and I teach. I
also engage in collaboration with emerging and established artists around
the world. I often use web technology to facilitate and document new work.

I have a strong interest in physical, social, and natural sciences,
linguistics, and philosophy, and a history of making work that reflects and
translates human experience and concerns.

I’m creating multi-media pieces in hopes of making abstract concepts more
accessible. For example at present I’m using live performance, video,
photography, audio, and installations to illustrate some of the extremely
contradictory predictions about the effects of climate change on our lakes,
streams, rivers and seas, and to speculate on the consequences for our
cultural landscapes.

A recent piece, "Being Derrida" began as an act of mourning, integrating
practice and theory through live performance. Being Derrida reflects and
embodies Jacques Derrida and aspects of his system of ideas through
technology, physical engagement and re-creation. The piece is comprised of
two simultaneously screened 6-minute videos. Objects resembling those used
in the videos (a cordless phone, knife, jar of honey, etc) lie on a table at
the side. A “deconstructed” version of the documentary film “Derrida” is
projected on a large screen while an original video (in which I’ve imitated
Derrida’s movements as closely as possible) is shown on a monitor. The
videos are synchronized-- Derrida and I move together in a deconstructive
dance that illustrates remarks on the myth of Echo and Narcissus, Self and
Other, and Being, made by Derrida in the deconstructed documentary. In
installation, the audience is invited to use the objects on the table to
imitate the movements shown on the videos, to themselves, “Be Derrida.” Hard
to describe, and surprisingly fun. In making the piece, I realized that
“being Derrida” -- breaking down Derrida’s movements and actions,
reinterpreting and re-ordering them—is itself a performative deconstruction
of Deconstruction.

I don’t have any specific plans about what I’ll make at/of Making Sense. I
will be as present as possible, and try to respond quickly to what happens
during the colloquium. Hard to know what those responses will look like, but
I will know more once I see the physical space and see what is available to
work with. And then of course, once the intellectual space comes into being,
well… we’ll see!

Looking forward to seeing you there.
Best wishes,
Janice
PS: Take a look at my web site-- www.janiceperry.com
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