DivulgencePerformance
with Nina Kintsurashvili 2017 University of Iowa Drewelowe Gallery, Visual Arts Building |
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Series of actions as experienced by Melissa:
I walk in the gallery. I have an axe in my hand. I stand in front of my wall.
I hold eye contact with Nina, until I feel the connection between us is overwhelming.
I walk to the middle of the room and meet Nina. I give her my axe. I take the sledgehammer she offers me.
I lose eye contact. I walk toward her wall.
I look at Nina’s wall. I feel Nina’s wall.
I use the sledge hammer to tap the wall. I tap harder.
I use force to knock small openings through Nina’s wall. I make the holes bigger.
I make the opening large enough for my body to fit through. I step through Nina’s wall.
I lay down the sledge hammer in the pile of dirt behind the wall.
I feel the dirt with my toes. I step fully into the dirt.
I hear a crunch beneath my feet.
I kneel in the dirt.
I start to dig in the dirt with my hands.
I find a small red box. I open the box. Inside I find piece of paper with handwritten words I cannot read. I clean off the box. I hold the box to my chest. I set the box beside me.
I keep digging.
I find a toy plane. I clean off the plane. I hold the plane to my chest. I set the plan beside me.
I keep digging.
I find an oval cracked picture frame. I clean off the frame to see a drawing of a mountain range. I hold the frame to my chest. I set the frame beside me.
I keep digging.
I find a small gold tray. I clean off the gold tray. I hold the gold tray to my chest. I set the tray beside me.
I keep digging.
I find a small black box. I clean the box. I open the box to find a silver harmonica. I breath through the harmonica. I hold the harmonica to my chest. I place the harmonica back inside its box. I set the box beside me.
I keep digging.
I find purple glass grapes. I clean the grapes. I hold the grades to my chest. I set the grapes beside me.
I keep digging.
I find a mirror. I clean off the mirror. I see my reflection in the mirror. I hold the mirror to my chest. I set the mirror beside me.
I keep digging.
I find a book. I flip through the pages of the book. I hold the book to my chest. I set the book beside me.
I keep digging.
I find a record. I clean the record. I take the record out of its box. I hold the record to my chest. I set the record beside me.
I keep digging. I have found everything.
I arrange the dirt to form a small nest. I place each object inside of the opening I created.
I stand. I take the sledge hammer in my hand. I step through the wall. I walk toward the center of the room.
I meet Nina and again hold eye contact. I place the sledge hammer on the ground at our feet when I feel the time is right.
I hold eye contact to acknowledged the actions that just took place.
I walk away.
I walk in the gallery. I have an axe in my hand. I stand in front of my wall.
I hold eye contact with Nina, until I feel the connection between us is overwhelming.
I walk to the middle of the room and meet Nina. I give her my axe. I take the sledgehammer she offers me.
I lose eye contact. I walk toward her wall.
I look at Nina’s wall. I feel Nina’s wall.
I use the sledge hammer to tap the wall. I tap harder.
I use force to knock small openings through Nina’s wall. I make the holes bigger.
I make the opening large enough for my body to fit through. I step through Nina’s wall.
I lay down the sledge hammer in the pile of dirt behind the wall.
I feel the dirt with my toes. I step fully into the dirt.
I hear a crunch beneath my feet.
I kneel in the dirt.
I start to dig in the dirt with my hands.
I find a small red box. I open the box. Inside I find piece of paper with handwritten words I cannot read. I clean off the box. I hold the box to my chest. I set the box beside me.
I keep digging.
I find a toy plane. I clean off the plane. I hold the plane to my chest. I set the plan beside me.
I keep digging.
I find an oval cracked picture frame. I clean off the frame to see a drawing of a mountain range. I hold the frame to my chest. I set the frame beside me.
I keep digging.
I find a small gold tray. I clean off the gold tray. I hold the gold tray to my chest. I set the tray beside me.
I keep digging.
I find a small black box. I clean the box. I open the box to find a silver harmonica. I breath through the harmonica. I hold the harmonica to my chest. I place the harmonica back inside its box. I set the box beside me.
I keep digging.
I find purple glass grapes. I clean the grapes. I hold the grades to my chest. I set the grapes beside me.
I keep digging.
I find a mirror. I clean off the mirror. I see my reflection in the mirror. I hold the mirror to my chest. I set the mirror beside me.
I keep digging.
I find a book. I flip through the pages of the book. I hold the book to my chest. I set the book beside me.
I keep digging.
I find a record. I clean the record. I take the record out of its box. I hold the record to my chest. I set the record beside me.
I keep digging. I have found everything.
I arrange the dirt to form a small nest. I place each object inside of the opening I created.
I stand. I take the sledge hammer in my hand. I step through the wall. I walk toward the center of the room.
I meet Nina and again hold eye contact. I place the sledge hammer on the ground at our feet when I feel the time is right.
I hold eye contact to acknowledged the actions that just took place.
I walk away.