LAURI LUHTA CIRCULO DE BELLAS ÁRTES 19.11.2006
LAURI LUHTA (FIN)
Forest Fire Symphony in One Movement
A Lecture of Illegitimacy for EU citizens with Shadows
Set up:
- The performance space is a rectangular room/hall filled with chairs placed in a random fashion. The chairs are all facing different directions. On the chairs and on the floor between them there are hundreds (preferably thousands) shop receipts, also placed in a seemingly random fashion (yet carefully). The audience should be asked to move freely around in the space and come near to the performer during the piece.
- There are 2 overhead projectors facing opposite walls, projecting onto them.
- A video projector is projecting on the wall between them which is opposite of the side from which the audience will enter.
- 2 audio speakers are in the corners opposite of the side from which the audience will enter.
- A table of approximately 1 x 3 metres is situated in the middle of the space, its long side facing the direction from which the audience will enter.
- The materials used in during the performance are placed on the table and under the table
- During the performance, the performer mainly moves in between the table and the two overhead projectors.
Materials:
1) the overhead projector transparencies and books and other materials (described below), 2) other printed material, 3) scissors, 4) duct tape, 5) a black permanent marker pen, 6) a 20 euro bank note, 7) a crucifix, 8) a laboratory container big enough to have the crucifix put inside of it
- The transparencies contain images and text. They can either be 1) downloaded from the author at http://koti.kontu.la/lluhta/temp/jambon/ and printed by the performer, or 2) posted directly by the author to the performer.
- The books must include: 1) a book about Fluxus, 2) a book about performance art in performer’s native country
- Other printed material must include: 1) a poster and/or a flyer of the event where the performance takes place, 2) the CV of the performer
- All material on the table must be placed in a way which enables audience to clearly see it.
- A signpost (> 1.5 metres high) pointing to two opposite directions is placed under the table before the performance starts.
- Also a megaphone is placed under the table.
- A trash can is situated somewhere near the table.
- A video showing people entering and exiting the doors of a museum of contemporary art
- The sound source must be placed on the table so the performer can control it. Preferably, it should be a laptop computer connected to the p.a. system of the space. The sounds used in the performance are best operated by playing WAV or MP3 files in repeat mode. The required sound files can be downloaded from http://koti.kontu.la/lluhta/temp/jambon/.
Costume:
The performer is dressed in his/her normal, everyday clothes (whatever they may be) (“The De-centered Subject” figure). On top of them, s/he wears grey trousers, a grey shirt with a grey tie (“The Grey Hero” figure). There are also 5-10 other ties of different colours hanging around the collar of the grey shirt (not fastened properly though). On top of the grey clothes, s/he wears black trousers, a white shirt with a black bow tie and a black tuxedo (“The Anti-Capitalist Performance Artist” figure). The white shirt must completely cover everything under it. With these overlapping costumes on, the performer appears a slightly bloated, swollen figure in the beginning of the performance. The performer should also be in his costume long enough to sweat (the more the better) when the performance starts.
Performance (a blank space indicates no changes):
Action |
Overhead projection |
Video projection (middle wall) |
Overhead projection (right wall) |
Sound |
Duration |
Audience enters the space. The performer is waiting for them, standing still behind or near the table, head covered with a white plastic bag. |
turned off |
turned off |
turned off |
Sound loop of forest fire sounds |
3 min |
Performer removes the bag and places it in the trash can. |
turned off |
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< 1 min |
Performer turns on the left overhead projector, revealing the transparency on it. |
“Peak Art: You are here” |
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< 1 min |
Performer turns on the right overhead projector, revealing the transparency on it. |
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“Peak Art: You are not here” |
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< 1 min |
Performer |
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Performer changes the sound. |
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Sound loop of desert wind |
< 1 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the left overhead projector. |
“International Black Market” |
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< 1 min |
Performer takes up the signpost, attaches it with duct tape on the middle wall (so it directs to both left and right) and writes on both directions of it: “Art” |
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2 min |
Performer stands still facing left. |
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½min |
Performer stands still facing right. |
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½ min |
Performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
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“National Black Market” |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the sound. |
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Sound loop of printing press sounds |
< 1 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the left overhead projector. |
“Fluxus does not exist” |
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< 1 min |
Performer cuts a piece of a page in the book about Fluxus, lays it on the table and labels it: “1” |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
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“Why are people interested in Fluxus?” |
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< 1 min |
Performer cuts a piece of a 20 euro bank note, lays it on the table and labels it: “2” |
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< 1 min |
Performer removes the bow tie, tuxedo, white shirt and black trousers and places them in the trash can to reveal the grey costume and the 5-10 ties hanging from the collar of the grey shirt. |
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1 min |
Performer removes the ties one by one and makes a peace symbol of them on the floor. |
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2 min |
Performer picks up the megaphone under the table, goes standing in the middle of the peace symbol and repeats to the megaphone: “Drown in blood! Drown in blood!” in the performer’s native tongue. |
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1 min |
Performer leaves the megaphone at the centre of the peace symbol and then changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
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“Drown in blood” |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the sound. |
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Sound loop of Oswald Mosley speaking about Europe |
< 1 min |
Performer goes in front of the signpost and then stands still facing left. |
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½ min |
Performer turns around and stands still facing right. |
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½min |
Performer changes the transparency on the left overhead projector. |
“What laws can the senators pass any more?” |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
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“¿Qué leyes van a hacer los senadores?” |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the sound. |
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Sound loop of forest fire sounds |
< 1 min |
Performer removes the grey shirt, tie and trousers and places them in the trash can, revealing the normal clothes underneath. |
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1 min |
Performer turns on the video projection. |
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Video showing people entering and exiting the doors of a museum of contemporary art |
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< 1 min |
Performer cuts a piece of paper from the flyer or the poster of the event where the performance takes place, places it on the table and labels it “3”. |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the left overhead projector. |
“Guerilla Girls” |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the sound. |
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Sound loop of a lot of people having a conversation |
< 1 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
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“Gallery Girls” |
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< 1 min |
Performer cuts a piece of paper from his printed CV, places it on the table and labels it “4”. |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the left overhead projector. |
“Akshun is art” |
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< 1min |
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Performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
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“Blood is life” |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the sound. |
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Sound loop of forest fire sounds |
< 1 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the left overhead projector. |
“Art is not a hammer, it’s a fucking mirror” |
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< 1 min |
Performer cuts a piece of a page in the book about performance art in his native country, places it on the table and labels it “5”. |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
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“Religion is not a mirror, it’s fucking hammer” |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
“Harro Koskinen, Pig Messiah (1969)” |
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< 1 min |
Performer picks up the crucifix, puts it into the laboratory container, urinates in it, places the container on the table and labels it “6”. |
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1 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
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“Andres Serrano, Piss Christ (1989)” |
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< 1 min |
Performer shuts down the video projection. |
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turned off |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the sound. |
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Sound loop of Islamic chant |
< 1 min |
Performer picks up all the paper samples cut and labelled during the performance from the table, puts them into the mouth and starts to chew them like one chewing gum. After chewing them for a while, performer spits their remnants to the trash can. |
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2 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
“Temperature change” |
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½ min |
Performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
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“Desertification” |
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½ min |
Performer goes in front of the signpost and then stands still facing left. |
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1 min |
Performer turns around and stands still facing right. |
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Performer changes the transparency on the left overhead projector. |
“Blood for oil, oil for art” |
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< 1 min |
Performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
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“No oil for art, no art for blood” |
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< 1 min |
Performer picks up the crucifix from the laboratory container. |
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< 1 min |
Carrying the crucifix, performer changes the transparency on the left overhead projector. |
“Charles V” |
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< 1 min |
Carrying the crucifix, performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
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“Philip II” |
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< 1 min |
Carrying the crucifix, performer changes the sound. |
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Sound loop of Gregorian chant. |
< 1 min |
Carrying the crucifix, performer changes the transparency on the left overhead projector. |
“Duke of Alba” |
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< 1 min |
Carrying the crucifix, performer changes the transparency on the right overhead projector. |
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“Cardinal Don Fernando Niño de Guevera” |
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< 1 min |
Carrying the crucifix, performer detaches the signpost off the wall, takes it with him and exits the space. |
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1 min |
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35 min |
Notes:
The script above is the basis for the performance. The performer may freely add anything to the structure, as long as everything described above is done.
Contact
Lauri Luhta, lluhta@kontu.la