𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚖 - 𝙲𝙰𝚃

Solus

"Culture is the operating system of humanity"

The piece asks the audience to confront their own experiences of isolation while gently transforming the space into connection. 

Setup: 

• open room

• blank wall with the word "ALONE" (projected or written)

• small table with a stack of paper, a pen, and tape/thumbtacks

The performer sits in the center, facing away from the audience.

Instruction:

"think of a time you felt alone"

silence

"write down something you have never said out loud"

examples: 

• *i feel invisible*

• *i cannot do this anymore*

• *i'm tired*

"place your sentence on the wall"

Audience members walk up individually and place their notes on the wall.

The wall begins to fill.

"read the responses, do not speak"

After a few minutes, the performer walks toward the wall.

With a marker they write "NOT" next to "ALONE"

The performer turns to face the audience finally and says: "I see you"

    Loneliness can exist in crowded spaces, but there can be community in those shared experiences.The performance invites the audience to participate by encouraging individuals to write their anonymous truths. By physically contributing to the performance they move closer to others physically and emotionally, by gradually recognizing their shared experiences. The audience is transitioning from isolated and concealed feelings, to awareness and connection with others. This addresses issues such as social isolation and the illusion of feeling like no one understands; as well as the lack of conversation around mental health. In The Art of Activism it is stated, "culture is the operating system of humanity" (p132, Lambert & Duncombe). This highlights how culture shapes our understanding of loneliness, often making it feel like a personal battle or failure at times. Yet it also reveals when these experiences are shared they reflect the reality of life; sometimes things can feel heavy and discouraging, but we truly are not alone in those feelings. By making private thoughts public, we transform the feeling of being alone into something shared, creating unity within recognition. 

The Art of Activism | Steve Duncombe & Steve Lambert

"If we are going to free ourselves and others we need to re-weave the web"

There is nothing wrong in changing narratives. People change, feelings change, seasons change all the time; in order to expect change in our day to day we must revise our cultural norms for ourselves and future generations to come.

"Culture is all around us. It’s the system of meanings that allows us to understand our world and to communicate this understanding to others"

Our culture makes us who we are. We are nothing without our history, our art, our culture. We communicate our ideas and ways of existing through said culture. 

Hispanic Executive | Interview with Shaun Leonardo - 

Performance, Pedagogy, and Philosophy

"The workshop, the platform of teaching and learning, is in and of itself the performance"

Engaging the audience is just as important as the final product, or message you're trying to relay.

"Artists have to offer a different type of slowness to work against the speed of today"

Meaningful art requires reflection and depth. If things are rushed sometimes messages or feelings can be lost. In today's fast paced world, one must slow down and take it all in in order to feel connected.