Midterm pt I

Performance Art is an art piece that can not be bought. Performance art is alive. It is a form of art that is played out live by actors in front of an audience. It can contain anything that the artist wishes or desires. It can provoke emotions and portray a message.

If I had to assemble a piece of performance art it would be something that would portray an environmental awareness theme. It would be memorable but also make sure people got the message.

It would consist of a series of rooms. Each room would rotate into the audience’s view via a carousel or other rotation device. Each room would contain a scene that is familiar to most viewers. The scene would be the traditional or typical American family gathered around a Christmas tree. Decorations would be hung on the tree and all around the room. There would be presents under the tree ready to be opened by the family. But most importantly the room would contain a large window so the audience could be outside of the room into what would normally be outside of the house.

The first room would contain the scene of a family from the 1950s. Everything would be in black and white to illustrate the time period as if it was begin seen on an old television. The tree being a real tree. The actors dressed for the period would silently act out a Christmas morning. Opening presents and embracing one another. In the window the audience would see a scene of a white Christmas strait out of a Christmas card. The second room would then come into view. This contains a modern family from the year 2000. Everything now in color and dressed like we would today. This time the tree would be plastic. The actors once again are doing the same silent acting. In the window this time is a green Christmas. No signs of to be seen.

The third room would contain a family from the future like the year 2050. Everything would be in color again. But now the family dressing as if they were in a heat wave. All sweaty with little clothes on and fans set up all around the room to keep cool. The tree this time is dried out and brown. The actors silently are acting as before. In the window this time the grass would then be dirt with the sun shining brightly through the window.

The fourth and final room would come into view. Everything in color, but once again in the future. But now instead of actors, immobile skeletons replace them. The whole room looks like its been dried out and been in the sun for to long. The tree is now down to its skeleton just like the people. In the window there is no signs of life. As if they were in the middle of a desert.
The actors would play out in silence because Christmas music like “White Christmas” would be playing to give the audience a familiar feeling of the winter holiday. But as the rooms change it invokes a sense of irony because it is no longer a wintry scene that we might find familiar.

The theme that I hope would become apparent to the audience as the rooms transition to a scene that is familiar to a scene that is alien and lifeless. Would be the concern that global warming is a serous issue that must be addressed. If not the familiar traditions that we hold dear will become extinct.