Performance artists pop up all over the city
For some fine art connoisseurs, seeing a nice piece of performance art scratches an itch that can’t be scratched by any other scratching post. There’s nothing quite as stimulating as an uncommon event. For some, there is nothing more vital than seeing actions that have never been previously experienced.
Performance art is a relatively new fine art discipline, finding its roots in New York City in the mid-20th century. At gallery openings, parties, and other art events, groups of artists and patrons would gather to spectate upon various happenings, where the idea of art would be applied to the moment.
In most of these performances, the performer’s body would become part of the media, being incorporated with anything from props, recorded sounds, and costumes, to things like movements and ideas.
There is a wide range of performance art going on in Chattanooga, if you know where to look. A great place to start is at Barking Legs Theater, which has served as a local hub for performance art for over 20 years.
They host happenings on a weekly basis, and have a monthly “open mic” called The Floor is Yours, which supports artists in their desires to hone their performing arts and share their creativity with others.
Barking Legs owners Ann Law and Bruce Kaplan have put together a presenters group to support artists who are interested in becoming presenters. They also have a singer/songwriter series hosted by Scott Bruce, and in June a classic music series by Bryony Stroud-Watson and David Dunn.
Ann also facilitates a small dance group of four women over 50 that come together once a week. Their process is very interesting, as they address aging and an art field like dance.
For the next few months, Holli Hutson and Joellen Wojtowicz will be organizing the 2018 National Water Dance day, to happen on April 14th at Barking Legs. They will be gathering dancers and dance companies from all over Chattanooga to perform on that day at 4 p.m., joining dancers from all over the country in streaming work that celebrates the importance of dance.
Around the corner from Barking Legs at Frequency Arts, weekly art parties take place on Friday nights. These eclectic events are punctuated by performance art, sometimes in partnership with the Shaking Ray Levi Society.
A performance by Sarah Manser will be happening there on June 15th. Manser utilizes performance art to interpret her experiences with raw meat, encouraging us to “watch Kuso on the shudder app for $9.99”.
Another local performance artist and member of the Chattanooga Fire Cabaret, Lucy Kelley. Kelley, aka Lilith the Clown, uses the art form to externalize her inner thoughts.
“Lilith the Clown is a representation of a lot of things that I wish I was more of,” she explains. I think by playing her, I become a stronger person. That’s why I created her. She’s sassy but kind, talented but humble, and not afraid to be herself in any situation. I hope that when people see this character it inspires them to be more of themselves.”
Another focal point of the performance art scene in town is JJ’s Bohemia, the home of The Scenic City Sideshow and River City Rumpus, and other carnal incarnations of the Subterranean Cirqus.
This atomic vaudeville variety explosion showcases comedy, feats of strength, burlesque, dangerous sideshow stunts and much more.
Whether they are picking up beer kegs with their eye sockets, shoving their face in broken glass, or shaking what the gods gave ‘em, you are sure to be amazed and entertained by what this motley menagerie of miscreants and madams of mystery have in store for you.
The Cirqus has two shows coming up, the first on March 24th at the album release party of Double Dick Slick.
Then, the piece de resistance for shocking and weird performance art, on June 16th comes the Summerween Celebration with Cutthroat Freakshow and Emotron. If you haven’t seen Emotron, you are missing out on some serious creative performances, but be warned, they are not for the faint of heart.
And finally, on March 12th, LIT Gallery and the Chattanooga Film Festival are presenting new work by Everything is Terrible, a company that produces a synthesis of performance art and film. They will also be presenting performance art pieces at the CFF.
Lucy Kelley photo by Nathan Gayle