marking the days, 2024
While inhabiting the residency studio at the Torpedo Factory Arts Center, the genocide against Palestine in the Gaza strip was/is ongoing. Israel, with the assistance of the United States, continued to carpet bomb civilians, displace millions of Palestinians, and force famine with no intention of stopping. Updates out of Gaza were seen on my phone almost daily despite the many attempts by the placating American system to distract from the cruel realities occurring in Gaza. As a daily reminder for both the visitors of the Torpedo Factory Arts Center and myself, I continued a daily count for the number of days since October 7th: the beginning of the overtly violent genocide by Israel. Each day in the studio, the number is painstakingly scrubbed out by a wipe and replaced with a new stenciled number. The scrubbing ached my fingers and wore away at the many layers of paint behind the counter. The scrubbing alluded to the attempts at erasing the land of Palestine. It was also a daily reminder to keep working to support Palestine, fight against genocide, and inform and activate others to speak out.
Longing, 2017/2020
A performer in white sat at one end of a long table.The performer extended their hand and gaze to the empty chair across from them. Over the course of an hour, the performer slowly moved their body over the table. Viewers were welcome to interact with the performer which manifested in varying ways of reaching (or not) for the hand of the performer to different degrees of success depending on the point of the performance and willingness of the participant. Some extended a hand, some moved the chair to hold and caress the performer, some climbed on the table, some barely touched the fingertips of the performer, and some sat with no intention of reaching. This performance meditates on the duration and pain of longing, the obstacles in the way of connection and what it takes to overcome them.
