Blog #4 Laurie Anderson, David Byrne & John Park

Dear World,

Performance has always been a big part of my life. I've danced all my life, not necessarily in the traditional dance world, but a more obscure path I've created on my own. My dance performances were more than likely in the streets of the city or on dirt paths at a festival. The informality of the performance attracted and welcomed the audience to sometimes join in themselves. This sense of sharing is such a beautiful feeling and one more step towards a more peaceful world. The sharing of the 'stage' is something I saw and admire David Byrne for. The "Playing the Building" project was, in my eyes, some what of an equalizer. "'Demonstrating performance', making everyone feel they can play regardless of any musical talent is one of the main points of the installations." (The Independent) The installation, an organ that has been hooked up and plays the roundhouse building, is a brilliant idea. Anyone can share the experience of playing the building and even the most tone deaf can create an interesting ballad. "No one has an advantage; a kid of five is probably as good as I am." Byrne says. (Financial Times) The fact that the installation is in an unusual space to show art reminds me of Laurie Anderson. She too, a musician has been attracted to "the street or informal art spaces" (Biography). I'm sure you can see how I can relate to that state of mind. The more unusual the space to have art, the more likely you will inspire those who would not indulge otherwise. There for sharing the the performance again and at a much wider range of people too. Also, as Byrne has used an everyday object, such as an industrial building, as his art focus, so has Anderson with her performances. "Anderson transforms an everyday occurrence into something strange can be found with the song 'Language is a Virus.' Dedicated to the Beat writer William Burroughs who coined the phrase 'language is a virus from outer space,' Anderson's song scrutinizes everyday examples of language-use." (United States I-IV interview)

John Park, our guest speaker, has been involved in performance in a different type of way. For the last couple of years he has collaborated with a modern dance professor here at the the University of Oregon. While Park creates digital visuals and lighting, the modern dancers are intertwine with the with the technology.The digital art in Parks' collaborated performances was made to follow the dancers not the other way around.This use of multiple mediums (digital and dance) is, in a way, similar to Byrne's 'Playing the Building' (the organ is hooked up to the building digitally and the audience must play the organ). Both of them incorporating a high tech and human source. Being a person with very little skill and/ or knowledge in the technology world, I found this to be actually very inviting. Adding the human aspect, made me feel still connected to my roots and not floundering in unfamiliar territory--not that unfamiliarity is a bad thing.

Both Byrne, Anderson and Parks looked for specific environments so as to cause their audience to relate in an 'out-of-the-box', or in this case an 'out-of-the-museum' kind of way. mixing and matching mediums that haven't really been attempted yet. I appreciate this drive for new creation in technology, but I also appreciate these artists consciousness to not eliminate or dehumanize the art completely.

About five years ago, a few friends and I came up with an idea, inspired by 'happenings', we set out to bike around town in costume and with mostly digital music, stopping in random restaurants and alley ways to dance and bring in the unsuspected. It was called Bike Brigade and to this day it still survives in Eugene as well as other cities. I mention this because it relates to Byrne, Anderson and Parks having their art performances in unusual places, digital aspects, and human aspects. It is also an audience participation event, as to relate to Bryne's idea. The participants in the Bike Brigade would deck their bicycles with lights, and sound systems, again bringing this idea of humans and technology.
This video is somewhat off the same ideas; being it is in an unusual place to see a performance and that it is the audience participating, or so it does seem. I also used to love the Sound of Music and wanted to share this with you. This performance was taken place at the Central train station in Antwerp, Belgium. The musical, Sound of Music, comes alive at the most unlikely of times and places.