AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

posted on Franklin Furnace

I seek performers for a major public work on October 8th in Union Square,
New York city - little to no performance experience necessary, but
durational performance work a major plus! I need at least 40 performers so
the piece can last from sunrise to sundown.

This work is large scale and public, and hopefully represents an opportunity
for you to explore yourself as a person and performer. It's part of a decade
long series of works called Clean Pieces that place the ritual of cleaning
in a new context to encourage viewers to see it as a metaphor for human
connection, and the boundaries that we build and sustain between each other
- religious, racial, and otherwise.

Very simply, I am asking you to stand in Union Square with a black cloak
over your body, and allow me and the public to clean your feet with water.
Performers will stand for (at longest) two hour intervals at a time, and
allow their feet to be cleaned without any interaction with the cleaners. In
a sense, you are a living statue - with your feet exposed to the world.

This type of performance is meditative and requires some courage and
physical and mental discipline, but I will run a workshop before the
performance (on a weeknight the week before the performance - likely at
Parson's) in order to share my experience with you and give you some simple
guidelines.

After many years of doing this work, I can honestly say that what you learn
about yourself outweighs the nerves involved. I can't emphasize enough: this
is why performance is exciting and essential. Your physical experience and
participation gives this piece sculptural and metaphysical power! Even if
you have never considered yourself an artist - I urge you to push yourself
to experience this powerful form of human connection. Be the work with me on
the biggest stage imaginable!

I will supply all materials for the work, and while I can't pay volunteers
(as much as I desperately would like to), I will send you a signed limited
edition print of the performance in thanks for your participation.

Please look at my work and the Art in Odd Places website - this should be an
incredible event! Thank you for your interest - and I hope to hear from you!
If you're interested and we don't know each other, tell me a little bit
about yourself and why you'd like to participate in the project!

Rob Andrews
andrewsautomatic@gmail.com

my site: http://www.andrewsautomatic.com/

Art in Odd Places: http://www.artinoddplaces.org/