The Myth Project

I have been meaning to start a blog since nonprophetart encouraged me to do this. Well, I am ill, this is the third day and frankly this seems like a good idea right now. Granted I just finished watching "Conceiving Ada" which may have left me in a strange if not computery mood and I just got done reading nonprophet's post about the tear down of the fence memorial in Oceanside which I did have a chance to visit and was quite moving. It is strange to see it in a box. The change of context of the fence being in a public space and now a box reminded me of the show we just finished. A project that took months to bring together is now a mere article in last Monday's Art and Culture section in the San Diego Tribune. http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20061023/news_1c23myth.html

I am interested in "memorials" and how they are performative. In the case of the fence, people came had an experience, participated in the piece and left. The teardown was also performative and seemed to generate considerable energy also.

The show called "The Myth Project" was performed at the old Naval Training Center in Point Loma. This project was conceived by two UCSD Professors and they brought my partner and myself on as collaborators. McMillan has just bought this new "arts complex", that is another posting entirely, and we were the first "art/performance" there. We went into this project with the intent of working with contemporary myths, ancient myths, and of course the myth of the military, after all it was a site-specific piece. In the end the entire piece ended up being about the myth of the warrior and milatary training. We take the show to central Mexico next week to perform it there which should be quite interesting once again changing contexts.

What I have been learning with performance and why I am inclined to continue is that it is temporary. It is and can be compleley participatory and collaborative. There is no specific object produced. Which I believe is what the fence functioned as also. I do hope to see the fence standing somewhere whether it be a museum or public space, it is definetley still standing for me.