6 Hour Performance : Strip

For this project, I decided to focus on the subject of being stripped of ones possessions while documenting my thoughts and experiences throughout the process by writing in a sketchbook. My original plan was the same, but experiencing it outside. I thought that since the project dealt with endurance it would have a stronger effect if it took place outside enduring both the cold and judgement due to lack of clothing. Unfortunately however, I was involved in a car accident and got a concussion which prevented me from continuing on with my initial performance idea on the day it was planned. Also, due to the drastic weather change I altered the location.

I still wanted to focus on the idea or being stripped of my possessions so I continued with my idea inside. I sat in the Reimer game room, not talking to anyone just sitting, writing ideas and thoughts while removing a layer of clothing every hour. Each layer of clothes represented a different moment in my life. The first layer was all of my winter gear representing present time. The next layer depicted my everyday life, studio clothes. Next was a dress that represented all of the special occasions or days I felt like dressing up. The next layer was my favorite. I had on leggings and a Michigan shirt. I am from Michigan so when the hour reached it's end the stripping of this shirt represented the stripping of my home, and comfort zone. Lastly I was sitting in a bra. This was the outfit I was least comfortable in and unfortunately had the largest audience for.

As each hour passed the pile of clothes grew and I became less clothed. It was a bit uncomfortable toward the end as a mob of people walked by staring at me, but other then that I thought that it was a really interesting experience. Looking back at the sketchbook of thoughts and ideas it was interesting just to see how my mind works and what I think about it in different situations. The less comfortable I got the less I wrote showing me that I really pay attention to the things going on around me and I care about what other people think of me and how they view me. My entries started talking about the present and what I was doing at that moment but my mind drifted into talking about different events that had happened and I began connecting them to different events in the past and some how reconnected it back to the present. It was strange how subconsciously I wrote for six hours about a million different topics but managed to create a cycle I guess... a cycle of thoughts that are all interconnected. I just thought that that aspect was really interesting. One day I would like to alter this project a bit but try it outside so that way I can get more of a reaction and a different outlook on the experience!