Project #3 – “Run Artist, Run”

When looking at the assignment, I focused really hard on the aspects of time and endurance. I wanted to show something that really pushed my physicality in a way that I hadn't done so before. In preparation I watched a lot of Rebecca Horn, which while really cool, did not really help me with the way that I wanted to go. Instead I noticed an image of Marina and her partner doing some running of some sort (couldn't find a video) which gave me the idea to run. I am out of practice so I knew it would provide a bit of a challenge but also be something that I might actually be able to complete. You don’t want to make something impossible to do because then you won’t even really try.  So then came the idea to add music. I didn't want words and I recently discovered and have been inspired by the Kronos quartet.  I used their song to provide an extra level of stop and go to the performance that gave me something to relate to. Someone said that I might have been better if I just ran, but the song gave me a much needed goal that I would not have been able to keep up by myself. I also think that just watching me run would have gotten boring after a while.

The performance itself went fairly well. I did at some ground rules and as my tired level went up, some of those become a bit fuzzy. If I were to perform this again I think I would want to dry run it or at least remain aware of those rules.  Other comments were about my music choice. Some people said that it was distracting, while others thought it kept it interesting. I have to agree with the second because again, as a performer it gave me some extra purpose. I do agree with the criticism that I should think more about my outfits, but this is what I had for the day so that can’t really be helped ;).

Overall I think the performance went really well. I think that the video could have been better but that was mostly my fault. Ideally, if I were to do this again I would pick a room about that wide, but have a better place for people to sit and louder music so that I heard it better over my running.