{"id":1194,"date":"2011-06-09T18:56:14","date_gmt":"2011-06-09T18:56:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thecounternarrativesociety.org\/home\/?page_id=1194"},"modified":"2017-07-22T21:13:50","modified_gmt":"2017-07-22T21:13:50","slug":"thesisproject","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/studiocns.org\/portfolio\/theweighticarrywithme\/2-4\/thesisproject\/","title":{"rendered":"Thesis Project: The Weight I Carry With Me"},"content":{"rendered":"

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When the invisible punishing machine is everywhere
\n<\/span>THE WEITHT I CARRY WITH ME<\/span><\/h4>\n
MAY 18, 2011 |\u00a0Cambridge, MA<\/span><\/h6>\n

For my thesis project, I choreographed a 30 minutes three parts event as a performance, a lecture and site-specific installation that made used of the old-new Media Lab complex at MIT.\u00a0 The general aimed was to unpack (or transform) the material weight, the emotional weight and the intellectual weight\u00a0 I carry from witnessing and studying the invisible punishing machine<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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1st<\/sup> Stop \u2013 Introduction \u2013 at the Workshop<\/strong><\/p>\n

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From the philosophical attitude of the CNS where the portable and reusable are central to the work, I installed on two large tables the (emotional and intellectual) weight I have turned into counter narratives over the years. Currently I define the counter narrative as a kind of paradoxical and interrogative remedy, which symbolically uses the idea of poisonous treatment. On one hand it creates anomalous situations; on the other hand, this analytical method opens the opportunities to initiate dialogue about bio-political issues. Therefore, the material weight is an exposition on the one hand about various projects that deals with the affective consequences of alienation, incarceration, historical and symbolic violence; on the other hand,\u00a0 these projects are tools to initiate counter narratives through conversations, workshops, encounters, installations, interventions, performances and research. For example, I had on display several projects: the Sensible Housing Unit (SHU)<\/a>, the Racial Pre-filing Vest<\/a> and the Passing the Ball<\/a> which at any given moment I can use for new works in the public sphere.<\/p>\n

Accompanying the display of the material weight, I did a short lecture, which touched on the theoretical and the affective qualities of the research. Last, I introduced the general itinerary for the event and I asked the audience to pick up a wedge from the table and to follow me.<\/p>\n

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2nd<\/sup> Stop \u2013 Unpacking the Weight<\/em> \u2013 Stairwells<\/strong><\/p>\n

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From the workshop, I led a walk to the Lower Lever of the stairwells (the basement) between the old and new media lab. I distributed an artist-book and recited a poem I wrote specifically for the occasion and space. While I recited the poem and I drew with chalk\u00a0 several rectangular shapes around me on the floor and walls. Concentrically, each one was larger then the previous one and on one occasion I drew a line over an audience who was sitting on the floor. After half way of my poem, I started to walk up the stairs and I disappeared into the distance. (At this point people followed my friend Tomashi).<\/p>\n

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(Dedicated to the Prisoner Hunger Strike at Pelican Bay State Prison…and the growing movement that is fighting divisions, isolation, dislocation, alienation and torture) http:\/\/prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com\/| July 2011<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n