Review of Diaspora, Displacement, Dislocation

There was a great variety of performances in last week's class.

Jennifer Sommerstein showed a video featuring herself and two classmates in which their voices were exchanged with each other. Jennifer spoke with a male voice and Ben spoke with a female voice. The scene was spent trying to correct this problem. The displacement of voice raised questions of gender normality and identity.

Skunk entered the room wearing a Star Wars mask and long white underwear in which he stuffed many styrofoam balls. He removed the mask to reveal a freshly shaven head, and proceeded to remove the styrofoam balls from his underwear. After this was done, he sat down and started to pick his nose as he read Tagalog from a manuscript. Skunk said later that he was describing his surroundings and what was going on. This piece to me spoke about the displaced social oddity, and the exclusivity of language.

Martina wrapped her head, blindfolding and masking herself as she typed her stream of consciousness onto a laptop, which was projected onto her face, casting a shadow on the wall. This piece to me spoke about the feelings and instincts of the invisible and unspoken for minority.

Princess Genevieve, Anna, and Grant showed a video in which they built an impromptu shelter out of scraps of wood, discarded furniture, and other debris. To me, it spoke about the displacement of the homeless, and their dislocation to the fringes of society.

Derya showed documentary footage about Satanic cults. Because of their subversion against society, and their immoral code, they are forced (or perhaps choose) to operate, and conduct their rituals underground. This is interesting to me because I believe the displaced people who choose to join such cults do so out of a sense of rejection from society, and rebel against its norms out of resentment.

Final Project

DESCRIPTION: 

I am standing in front of the audience silently and politely begin to ask, "Humanity? You call this humanity?" Gradually I get louder and angrier, "HUMANITY?! YOU CALL THIS FUCKING HUMANITY?!" I start ripping off my clothes down to my underwear while repeating over and over, "HUMANITY?! YOU CALL THIS FUCKING HUMANITY?!", flailing about and throwing myself violently into the walls . This would last for about 2-3 minutes.

Then, as I collapse in exhaustion, I will breathlessly repeat, "EVERYONE. EVERYONE. IF YOU'RE SCARED OF EVERYONE, YOU'RE SCARED. WHY ARE YOU SO SCARED?". I crawl towards a table or desk with a voice recorder resting on the top. I take a seat, calm myself down, press the play button. A female voice says, "OBSERVATION". I repeat, "OBSERVATION". I playback and repeat a total of 3 times, then go to the blackboard and write, "MEMORY LOSS". I sit back down and playback and repeat 3 times the word, "SIMULATION", go to the black board and write, "THE MIRROR DOES NOT EXIST". I go back to the desk and playback and repeat a final 3 times the word, "ASSIMILATION".

ARTIST STATEMENT:

My piece explores the origins and consequences of dislocation: the inhumane living conditions that drive people to leave their home country, and the difficulties and sacrifice of identity one must make in order to integrate and assimilate into a new culture.

BUDGET:

$0 (I already own the prop I will use)

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS, PROPS:

voice recorder

blackboard

desk/chair with table

VENUE:

Robson and Burrard

RESUME:

Fall 2006-present Emily Carr University Vancouver, BC

4th year Film, Video & Integrated Media Major

Emily Carr Media Show

-A Dialogue Between Two Lovers, short film Spring 2008

-To The Victor Go The Spoils, documentary Spring 2008

-Mirror Window, short film Spring 2007

-Dreams In Negative, short film Fall 2006