The Artist is Distracted is a long-form participatory performance / selves portrait by Ottilie Sailor (Sh) & Casey Jenkins (Sh) first shown at the VCA MCA graduation show, 2019 and awarded the George Hicks Foundation Award, Casey presented this work and its manifesto remotely for Cuerpas Internacional, Chile (the live festival cancelled first due to civil unrest, then covid).
In this work the artists take approved Marina Abramovic Institute™️ exercises (such as counting rice grains, writing ones name or drinking a glass of water as slowly as possible ) recommended by Marina to try to reach a state of heightened focus, and ask audience members to emulate Ottilie’s approach to the exercises in the hope they experience the heightened sense of distraction enjoyed by the artists.
Performances are at the discretion of Ottilie (17 months). Those who wish to engage are issued ‘Distraction Devices’, hacked digital buzzers which will sound with Otti’s laughter to summon them when the child is not busy feeding/ sleeping/ exploring/ shitting/ tantruming.
Project
long-form durational interactive performance collabororation
Time
December 7-16, 2-5pm daily (artists present in space, interactions at child’s whim – participants notified by Distraction Devices)
Location
VCA Stables Gallery Space, Cuerpas Internacional, Chile (presented remotely)
Details
Presented VCA MCA 2019 and Cuerpas Internacional, Chile 2020 (remotely due to civil unrest and covid). This performance is the recipient of the George Hicks Foundation Award.
All photographs here by Emma Byrnes.