Performance shots from Saturday’s Brooklyn is Burning performances at P.S. 1. (Photos by Peter Cramer) Via: Gothamist.
In response to yesterday’s post detailing a power outage during an aggressive performance piece at PS 1, Brooklyn Is Burning co-curator Sarvia Jasso makes the following statement:
As one of the curators of BiB, I would like to take this opportunity to express my opinion about the event at PS1. Despite the fact that BiB is a collaborative project, my fellow curator Andres Bedoya and I have respectfully diverging opinions that have not necessarily been fully reflected in any of the statements posted thusfar.
While I do not claim to know the reason the museum turned the lights off, I can say that the perceived animosity and escalating verbal and gestural attacks in the room from one artist to another were absolutely antithetical to my understanding of what BiB represents. The situation ultimately compromised the participation of the other artists involved, causing the last artist to perform in the dark. Despite the unforeseen and unfortunate outcome, I remain committed to a completely open format for expression. I think the framework (content and context) for any ensuing discussions should take into account the complexities of experiencing a live performance within an institution, instead of jumping to the conclusion that the impetus for removing power during the event originated in an attempt at censoring the performers. A claim of censorship could easily develop into a self-serving mythology with its own inertia, which could then quickly become detached from the event itself. I think we need to be very clear that no one was asked to leave and all of the planned performances occurred during the course of the event.
From a curatorial point of view, a broad range of performances is vital to the program, but the underlying message always stays the same—BiB is forging a community that respects and celebrates diversity in all its complexities. Anybody who has ever attended a BiB event can attest to the fact that we try to create a positive environment in which to present work that can be challenging and, at times, difficult to digest.
AFC commenter Gina, attended the performance and took away another point.
Both performances were good, but the best performance was the collision of the two and the interruption by the museum. I've never seen real anger displayed like that in an art context. On a reality show? Yes. But not in a museum.
Gina also offers more performance details.
{ 24 comments }
The way I see the situation is that PS1 was reacting to the escalating fight between Ann Liv and Georgia Sagri. If they (PS1) were trying to make the space safe for the audience they did the exact opposite! Many of my friends in attendance said they felt fine up until the lights went out. Being in the dark after this strange but thought provoking interaction between Ann Liv and Georgia made many people feel scared and disoriented. Definitely not safe. No security came to escort people out and nobody said a word about what the hell was going on. I decided to perform in the dark only after I got such a warm response from the audience, letting me know they were still with me and wanted to see me perform. Dozens of cell phones illuminated me as I began to perform. A truly awe inspiring moment for me.
To be honest, I was nervous of someone attacking me in the darkness, be it a PS1 person,security guard, or spectator. In the end, it all worked out and the audience left without any major incidences occurring. My one statement about what Ann Liv Young was doing on stage that caused all this ruckus: Ann Liv is provocative and confrontational. It only takes FIVE minutes of googling her name to figure this out. She was invited to do her performance and she executed it the way she wanted to. Who can blame her? She was INVITED. Doesn’t matter if I agree or disagree with her work. When you invite a performer to perform please STUDY their work first.
The way I see the situation is that PS1 was reacting to the escalating fight between Ann Liv and Georgia Sagri. If they (PS1) were trying to make the space safe for the audience they did the exact opposite! Many of my friends in attendance said they felt fine up until the lights went out. Being in the dark after this strange but thought provoking interaction between Ann Liv and Georgia made many people feel scared and disoriented. Definitely not safe. No security came to escort people out and nobody said a word about what the hell was going on. I decided to perform in the dark only after I got such a warm response from the audience, letting me know they were still with me and wanted to see me perform. Dozens of cell phones illuminated me as I began to perform. A truly awe inspiring moment for me.
To be honest, I was nervous of someone attacking me in the darkness, be it a PS1 person,security guard, or spectator. In the end, it all worked out and the audience left without any major incidences occurring. My one statement about what Ann Liv Young was doing on stage that caused all this ruckus: Ann Liv is provocative and confrontational. It only takes FIVE minutes of googling her name to figure this out. She was invited to do her performance and she executed it the way she wanted to. Who can blame her? She was INVITED. Doesn’t matter if I agree or disagree with her work. When you invite a performer to perform please STUDY their work first.
The way I see the situation is that PS1 was reacting to the escalating fight between Ann Liv and Georgia Sagri. If they (PS1) were trying to make the space safe for the audience they did the exact opposite! Many of my friends in attendance said they felt fine up until the lights went out. Being in the dark after this strange but thought provoking interaction between Ann Liv and Georgia made many people feel scared and disoriented. Definitely not safe. No security came to escort people out and nobody said a word about what the hell was going on. I decided to perform in the dark only after I got such a warm response from the audience, letting me know they were still with me and wanted to see me perform. Dozens of cell phones illuminated me as I began to perform. A truly awe inspiring moment for me.
To be honest, I was nervous of someone attacking me in the darkness, be it a PS1 person,security guard, or spectator. In the end, it all worked out and the audience left without any major incidences occurring. My one statement about what Ann Liv Young was doing on stage that caused all this ruckus: Ann Liv is provocative and confrontational. It only takes FIVE minutes of googling her name to figure this out. She was invited to do her performance and she executed it the way she wanted to. Who can blame her? She was INVITED. Doesn’t matter if I agree or disagree with her work. When you invite a performer to perform please STUDY their work first.
The way I see the situation is that PS1 was reacting to the escalating fight between Ann Liv and Georgia Sagri. If they (PS1) were trying to make the space safe for the audience they did the exact opposite! Many of my friends in attendance said they felt fine up until the lights went out. Being in the dark after this strange but thought provoking interaction between Ann Liv and Georgia made many people feel scared and disoriented. Definitely not safe. No security came to escort people out and nobody said a word about what the hell was going on. I decided to perform in the dark only after I got such a warm response from the audience, letting me know they were still with me and wanted to see me perform. Dozens of cell phones illuminated me as I began to perform. A truly awe inspiring moment for me.
To be honest, I was nervous of someone attacking me in the darkness, be it a PS1 person,security guard, or spectator. In the end, it all worked out and the audience left without any major incidences occurring. My one statement about what Ann Liv Young was doing on stage that caused all this ruckus: Ann Liv is provocative and confrontational. It only takes FIVE minutes of googling her name to figure this out. She was invited to do her performance and she executed it the way she wanted to. Who can blame her? She was INVITED. Doesn’t matter if I agree or disagree with her work. When you invite a performer to perform please STUDY their work first.
The way I see the situation is that PS1 was reacting to the escalating fight between Ann Liv and Georgia Sagri. If they (PS1) were trying to make the space safe for the audience they did the exact opposite! Many of my friends in attendance said they felt fine up until the lights went out. Being in the dark after this strange but thought provoking interaction between Ann Liv and Georgia made many people feel scared and disoriented. Definitely not safe. No security came to escort people out and nobody said a word about what the hell was going on. I decided to perform in the dark only after I got such a warm response from the audience, letting me know they were still with me and wanted to see me perform. Dozens of cell phones illuminated me as I began to perform. A truly awe inspiring moment for me.
To be honest, I was nervous of someone attacking me in the darkness, be it a PS1 person,security guard, or spectator. In the end, it all worked out and the audience left without any major incidences occurring. My one statement about what Ann Liv Young was doing on stage that caused all this ruckus: Ann Liv is provocative and confrontational. It only takes FIVE minutes of googling her name to figure this out. She was invited to do her performance and she executed it the way she wanted to. Who can blame her? She was INVITED. Doesn’t matter if I agree or disagree with her work. When you invite a performer to perform please STUDY their work first.
The event has now taken on a mythology and life of its own irrespective of the curators’ intentions. BiB is a platform for performance and as such it was successful. The strange sequence of circumstances and actions on Saturday should not reflect poorly on BiB, but the individuals (including the mysterious light switch operator) who behaved without professional respect for each other and the audience.
The event has now taken on a mythology and life of its own irrespective of the curators’ intentions. BiB is a platform for performance and as such it was successful. The strange sequence of circumstances and actions on Saturday should not reflect poorly on BiB, but the individuals (including the mysterious light switch operator) who behaved without professional respect for each other and the audience.
The event has now taken on a mythology and life of its own irrespective of the curators’ intentions. BiB is a platform for performance and as such it was successful. The strange sequence of circumstances and actions on Saturday should not reflect poorly on BiB, but the individuals (including the mysterious light switch operator) who behaved without professional respect for each other and the audience.
The event has now taken on a mythology and life of its own irrespective of the curators’ intentions. BiB is a platform for performance and as such it was successful. The strange sequence of circumstances and actions on Saturday should not reflect poorly on BiB, but the individuals (including the mysterious light switch operator) who behaved without professional respect for each other and the audience.
Although i was not in attendance at this last showing of BIB I have been in attendance and devout to this event since its conception. What I first realized when I saw the first BIB is that I had never before felt I had related to a group show in the ways that I had related to this one. Although there were art works and performances that I would never think to make myself, whether i agreed with them or not it was obvious that they were relevant, so relevant to NOW. I had never left an art show with a more inspired and fertilized state of mind. Having been an artist both showing in previous BIB events and a voyeur I strongly believe that although the performances and art are chosen to create a positive environment they are also at times very progressive and groundbreaking which tends to get people both excited and upset. I would never think that this type of censorship would happen and I am devastated that it happened on one of my favorite nights of the year-when i get to see BIB. I stand by the BIB community and their curators in their decisions and statements. I LOVE BIB
Although i was not in attendance at this last showing of BIB I have been in attendance and devout to this event since its conception. What I first realized when I saw the first BIB is that I had never before felt I had related to a group show in the ways that I had related to this one. Although there were art works and performances that I would never think to make myself, whether i agreed with them or not it was obvious that they were relevant, so relevant to NOW. I had never left an art show with a more inspired and fertilized state of mind. Having been an artist both showing in previous BIB events and a voyeur I strongly believe that although the performances and art are chosen to create a positive environment they are also at times very progressive and groundbreaking which tends to get people both excited and upset. I would never think that this type of censorship would happen and I am devastated that it happened on one of my favorite nights of the year-when i get to see BIB. I stand by the BIB community and their curators in their decisions and statements. I LOVE BIB
Although i was not in attendance at this last showing of BIB I have been in attendance and devout to this event since its conception. What I first realized when I saw the first BIB is that I had never before felt I had related to a group show in the ways that I had related to this one. Although there were art works and performances that I would never think to make myself, whether i agreed with them or not it was obvious that they were relevant, so relevant to NOW. I had never left an art show with a more inspired and fertilized state of mind. Having been an artist both showing in previous BIB events and a voyeur I strongly believe that although the performances and art are chosen to create a positive environment they are also at times very progressive and groundbreaking which tends to get people both excited and upset. I would never think that this type of censorship would happen and I am devastated that it happened on one of my favorite nights of the year-when i get to see BIB. I stand by the BIB community and their curators in their decisions and statements. I LOVE BIB
Although i was not in attendance at this last showing of BIB I have been in attendance and devout to this event since its conception. What I first realized when I saw the first BIB is that I had never before felt I had related to a group show in the ways that I had related to this one. Although there were art works and performances that I would never think to make myself, whether i agreed with them or not it was obvious that they were relevant, so relevant to NOW. I had never left an art show with a more inspired and fertilized state of mind. Having been an artist both showing in previous BIB events and a voyeur I strongly believe that although the performances and art are chosen to create a positive environment they are also at times very progressive and groundbreaking which tends to get people both excited and upset. I would never think that this type of censorship would happen and I am devastated that it happened on one of my favorite nights of the year-when i get to see BIB. I stand by the BIB community and their curators in their decisions and statements. I LOVE BIB
Although i was not in attendance at this last showing of BIB I have been in attendance and devout to this event since its conception. What I first realized when I saw the first BIB is that I had never before felt I had related to a group show in the ways that I had related to this one. Although there were art works and performances that I would never think to make myself, whether i agreed with them or not it was obvious that they were relevant, so relevant to NOW. I had never left an art show with a more inspired and fertilized state of mind. Having been an artist both showing in previous BIB events and a voyeur I strongly believe that although the performances and art are chosen to create a positive environment they are also at times very progressive and groundbreaking which tends to get people both excited and upset. I would never think that this type of censorship would happen and I am devastated that it happened on one of my favorite nights of the year-when i get to see BIB. I stand by the BIB community and their curators in their decisions and statements. I LOVE BIB
it doesn’t sound like censorship to me. it sounds like a safety measure. A quote from the SVA blog:
” Censorship entails a greater degree of deliberation for the purpose of personal or political gain. If an aggressive performer is bleeding, flinging urine, and staggering around, maybe a prudent adult should hit the Panic Button. Intervening into the escalating altercation might have prevented a catfight or worse. Or maybe PS1 thought Ann Liv Young’s performance spilled over into uncooth hysteria, and censorship doesn’t apply, since antics aren’t really content. Maybe Admiral Klaus ruled that Ann had jumped the shark when the mad clam bared its teeth”
http://www.schoolofvisualarts.edu/ce/blog/?p=1201
It kind of sums the whole situation up well. And I think the curators response above is well put. And sometimes artists don’t talk about their pieces before hand, sometimes they just do what they want for attention. Which obviously seems the case here. I mean if this was really a “performance” and not an attack, why didn’t she talk to Georgia before hand to let her know she was going to attack her, that would have been an easy solution…
it doesn’t sound like censorship to me. it sounds like a safety measure. A quote from the SVA blog:
” Censorship entails a greater degree of deliberation for the purpose of personal or political gain. If an aggressive performer is bleeding, flinging urine, and staggering around, maybe a prudent adult should hit the Panic Button. Intervening into the escalating altercation might have prevented a catfight or worse. Or maybe PS1 thought Ann Liv Young’s performance spilled over into uncooth hysteria, and censorship doesn’t apply, since antics aren’t really content. Maybe Admiral Klaus ruled that Ann had jumped the shark when the mad clam bared its teeth”
http://www.schoolofvisualarts.edu/ce/blog/?p=1201
It kind of sums the whole situation up well. And I think the curators response above is well put. And sometimes artists don’t talk about their pieces before hand, sometimes they just do what they want for attention. Which obviously seems the case here. I mean if this was really a “performance” and not an attack, why didn’t she talk to Georgia before hand to let her know she was going to attack her, that would have been an easy solution…
BiB foregrounds its promoting a community of performance and video artists. It is important that this statement be footnoted that one artist should respect another within this generous platform. yeah, what sarvia said.
Ann Liv Young’s disrespectful art school performance was wrongly directed towards a fellow artist. I don’t think her performance was shut down because of the nature of her work in general, but because it was a direct attack on Georgia: not a general ‘fuck you’ but a really inappropriately specific “fuck you georgia.”
BiB foregrounds its promoting a community of performance and video artists. It is important that this statement be footnoted that one artist should respect another within this generous platform. yeah, what sarvia said.
Ann Liv Young’s disrespectful art school performance was wrongly directed towards a fellow artist. I don’t think her performance was shut down because of the nature of her work in general, but because it was a direct attack on Georgia: not a general ‘fuck you’ but a really inappropriately specific “fuck you georgia.”
I’m directly quoting a comment from the previous post here, i think it’s a good summation of the event and also addresses all applicable comments.
‘Any museum or public institution has a responsibility to protect its visitors; like it or not, safety trumps artistic expression. The situation on Saturday was totally out of control. As Michael Bilsborough put it on his SVA blog:
“Even if Klaus issued the cut-off directive, it might be unfair to wolf-cry censorship. Censorship entails a greater degree of deliberation for the purpose of personal or political gain. If an aggressive performer is bleeding, flinging urine, and staggering around, maybe a prudent adult should hit the Panic Button. Intervening into the escalating altercation might have prevented a catfight or worse.†(post is here: http://www.schoolofvisualarts.edu/ce/blog/?p=1201, and offers a pretty thorough round up of events)
Ultimately, in a public institution, the safety of visitors, performers, staff, etc. necessarily trumps artistic expression. It’s easy for Ann to now claim that she was just in character, that she had no intention of getting in a violent altercation, etc., but as soon as the fight between Georgia and Ann began, the safety of everyone around (including the performers themselves) has to be taken into consideration — and, at the time, it seemed pretty volatile to me.
I also think that Morty’s excuse that PS1 should have known what they were getting into by allowing Ann to perform is not entirely fair. Being invited to perform, to share your work with an audience, is a privilege. There is an implicit agreement between the performer and the museum/gallery/whatever that they will mutually respect one another. When a museum gives a performer an audience, they’re placing trust in that performer to act responsibly — this goes beyond a matter of taste. Flinging around urine, stripping naked, insulting a fellow artist (perhaps the greatest breach of this trust of all…), and provoking a fight all show Young’s lack of respect for PS1, her audience, and, for that matter, the Brooklyn is Burning curators who invited her and presumably vouched for her.
I also think it’s insulting for Young and some of her supporters to say that the only reason people react negatively to her work is because she’s an aggressive female. I think it’s safe to say that if a male performer had acted in the same way, the performance would have also been shut down. Moreover, had PS1 allowed a male performer to stand up and insult a female artist publicly (let alone provoke or engage in a confrontation with her) without comment, I’m sure there would have been an outcry. I wasn’t uncomfortable with and offended by Ann’s performance because there was a display of female aggression, but because there was a total lack of respect for everyone else in the room, Georgia especially.
a. // 02 Mar 2010, 8:31 pm ‘
I’m directly quoting a comment from the previous post here, i think it’s a good summation of the event and also addresses all applicable comments.
‘Any museum or public institution has a responsibility to protect its visitors; like it or not, safety trumps artistic expression. The situation on Saturday was totally out of control. As Michael Bilsborough put it on his SVA blog:
“Even if Klaus issued the cut-off directive, it might be unfair to wolf-cry censorship. Censorship entails a greater degree of deliberation for the purpose of personal or political gain. If an aggressive performer is bleeding, flinging urine, and staggering around, maybe a prudent adult should hit the Panic Button. Intervening into the escalating altercation might have prevented a catfight or worse.†(post is here: http://www.schoolofvisualarts.edu/ce/blog/?p=1201, and offers a pretty thorough round up of events)
Ultimately, in a public institution, the safety of visitors, performers, staff, etc. necessarily trumps artistic expression. It’s easy for Ann to now claim that she was just in character, that she had no intention of getting in a violent altercation, etc., but as soon as the fight between Georgia and Ann began, the safety of everyone around (including the performers themselves) has to be taken into consideration — and, at the time, it seemed pretty volatile to me.
I also think that Morty’s excuse that PS1 should have known what they were getting into by allowing Ann to perform is not entirely fair. Being invited to perform, to share your work with an audience, is a privilege. There is an implicit agreement between the performer and the museum/gallery/whatever that they will mutually respect one another. When a museum gives a performer an audience, they’re placing trust in that performer to act responsibly — this goes beyond a matter of taste. Flinging around urine, stripping naked, insulting a fellow artist (perhaps the greatest breach of this trust of all…), and provoking a fight all show Young’s lack of respect for PS1, her audience, and, for that matter, the Brooklyn is Burning curators who invited her and presumably vouched for her.
I also think it’s insulting for Young and some of her supporters to say that the only reason people react negatively to her work is because she’s an aggressive female. I think it’s safe to say that if a male performer had acted in the same way, the performance would have also been shut down. Moreover, had PS1 allowed a male performer to stand up and insult a female artist publicly (let alone provoke or engage in a confrontation with her) without comment, I’m sure there would have been an outcry. I wasn’t uncomfortable with and offended by Ann’s performance because there was a display of female aggression, but because there was a total lack of respect for everyone else in the room, Georgia especially.
a. // 02 Mar 2010, 8:31 pm ‘
It’s interesting that no one has mentioned the first performance, which was actually the one which made me the most nervous. The vocalist was staggering around with a heavy metal cart and kind of waving it around in a very off-balance way and I was waiting for someone to get their skull cracked with it. Also, he smashed a beer bottle and I got hit with several pieces of broken glass, as did those around me. Ann Liv’s piece was aggressive, but I only felt freaked when she spilled the pee all over, then after dumping the rest on herself, flung the wet tray in the air (I know I know- urine is sterile, but COME ON).
It’s interesting that no one has mentioned the first performance, which was actually the one which made me the most nervous. The vocalist was staggering around with a heavy metal cart and kind of waving it around in a very off-balance way and I was waiting for someone to get their skull cracked with it. Also, he smashed a beer bottle and I got hit with several pieces of broken glass, as did those around me. Ann Liv’s piece was aggressive, but I only felt freaked when she spilled the pee all over, then after dumping the rest on herself, flung the wet tray in the air (I know I know- urine is sterile, but COME ON).
Well said Sarvia, it does sound like an unfortunate disruption for BiB. Hope the next event goes well.
Well said Sarvia, it does sound like an unfortunate disruption for BiB. Hope the next event goes well.
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