Zara Anderson and Kristal Viera
Performance 4 “Food”
Score
Dress: Latex gloves, hairnets, and Plastic aprons
Two computers on each side of the table
Table : Covered with white napkin PBJ sandwich on cutting board with an assortment of tools.
Performers get ready for surgery.
Both Computers are turned on.
Performers then proceed to remove fat and imperfections from the PBJ sandwich until the EKG monitor flatlines
Performers stop what the are doing, turn off the computers
face the audience and bow.
Project 4 was an interesting as it was a last minute decision based off of having just watched a clip from the show botched. Botched is a TV Show on E! that is about people whose Plastic Surgery has gone wrong or who have had to much and it no longer looks good. There is everything from people trying to look like KEN Doll (Barbies BF) to people who got their surgery abroad like Thailand for a cheaper cost (AKA no anesthesia or pain medications). They come on the show to meet with these two L.A. plastic surgeons to get even more work done! or correct their mistakes which is not always possible. I cant watch the show without having a few drinks first its just to much!
Although I understand that plastic surgery is necessary in some cases such as for children born with birth defects like a cleft pallet, people in an accident who need corrective surgery, or even breast reductions/ corrections for large breasted women or women who want to feel normal after breast cancer etc. But things like toe tucks, face lifts, leg elongation, making your eyes look more Asian or western looking like a ken doll is just too much! Getting every bit of your body changed to look like some ideal beauty or like someone else is just.... sad
Anyways I wanted to play around with this idea of doing an absurd commentary on plastic surgery to demonstrate how I feel about it. I'm really glad Zara didn't want to do anything were we ate and went along with this odd idea she was super helpful! The idea for the PB&J Sandwich come from knowing that Zara didn't want to do anything with meat. Then the idea formed if we wouldn't do this to a sandwich why would we do it to ourselves? I thought the crust, Jelly and Peanut Butter would nicely emulate the skin and fat removed during a liposuction surgery. I then wanted the EKG heart rate monitor to flat line at the end of our mutilation of the sandwich and to symbolize the death of individuality. By the time we were done it was no longer a delicious overfilled PB&J on taxes toast but a slice of thin white bread.
I'm very glad the class seemed to like it and that it didn't feel like a funny piece. I loved hearing everyone's interpretation of it. Overall I think this was the most successful performance yet.
Pictures to come soon!
this reminds me of the food surgeon youtube channel
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSq3vaVwHc8h2MCYkNa1SPQ
a trained surgeon performs dissections and transplantations of food into other food.
i think the use of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich also talks specifically about american culture, how some people like the crust cut from their bread or how some prefer their sandwich without either peanut butter or jelly and make a bastardization based on their taste. turning the classic peanut butter and jelly into a peanut butter OR jelly sandwich respectively.
either way, i think that plastic surgery in the way that youre commenting on is a product of american culture specifically our high expectations of womens' appearance
Kristal -- Look up ORLAN -- I really liked this performance and think tweaking a few things could make it really strong --- will you two reperform it?
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