another interaction with a machine,
its like this is all I do lately,
imagine being asked to actually stop and look and think,
just lights flashing in front of a glowing screen,
the piano is playing, the questions are being asked,
we see a person, she walks, she talks,
the girl plays, the skin is touched,
somewhare in ourselves we all know somethig we didn't know on the other side of the door
the tempo rises, the crest is coming,
she crys,
we cant be this way forever,
we haven't been shown how.
Ecofeminist, inconvenient prophet, artist, activist, cancer survivor, mother. Radical vulnerability on behalf of the collective. Using nakedness—literal+figurative. Processing my pain.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Some Edmonton Fringe Notes
Naked Posters of Me in Edmonton
I put up posters of myself naked. It wasn't the original plan. As a fringe rookie/idiot, I didn't really understand the need to put up posters until I got there. I didn't have any prepared. But, I had brought with me my posters that I made for possible sale--they have a full-length picture of me naked and crying from the first event in 2006 with the beautiful poem that an anonymous participant had written at that event (I'll repost the poem in a following blog post). I also had postcards made for a show I was in at the SAAG. I had brought all these with the idea that I might sell them. They ended up becoming my posters for the fringe.
It is a weird thing to do to put up naked pictures of yourself in a public place.
Several were ripped up or taken down. None of the photos are offensive or erotic; I'm just naked and emotional-looking. Once when I was retaping one of the posters, a woman was watching me quite closely. When I finished, she looked relieved and said, "Oh good, I thought you were going to deface it." A defender of free speech.
My videographer said that he saw two teenage-ish boys engaging with my poster. One was licking it and the other one was taking his picture.
The See magazine reviewer wrote: "You have undoubtedly noticed the posters for the show, featuring a frank nude photo of the fortysomething Ms. Diamant, around the Fringe grounds." I honestly had no idea if they would make an impression or not.
Marketing the Human Body Project is not easy.
A Fan
My videographer is a lovely guy who knows a lot of people in the theatre and around town. He was telling a friend that he was shooting my shows (I want to make a documentary). The friend works in a video rental store. One of his regular clients, a guy who is apparently known for renting "European skin flicks," mentions to the video rental clerk that he has been to "all my shows." The video rental clerk tells him that his friend is shooting the shows for me. The client asks, "How much for a copy?" (I have no idea who the guy is. There were a few repeat visitors but not to "all the shows.")
Thank Yous
Maybe it's hokey, I know I'm not on an awards show or anything but, still, I'd like to semi-publicly thank the people who helped me. My husband, Dave. Because he is with me, I feel safe in the vulnerability I need to create for the project. Megan, my beautiful sister in energy, who joined me for the first three shows. David, my calm, collected videographer. Kirby, the technical crew person who was a great support, energetically and professionally. My beautiful cousin Heather and her family, who put us up and looked after us. My lovely niece Alyssa, who looked after my kids (and her mom, my cousin, Alanna, and her sister, Amanda, who helped too). Lisa, for helping send out press releases and looking after the Swamp dog. Sarah, for doing an ad for me. Audience/participants who made the experience so moving. And especially my kids, who inspire me and tolerated this as their holiday.
I put up posters of myself naked. It wasn't the original plan. As a fringe rookie/idiot, I didn't really understand the need to put up posters until I got there. I didn't have any prepared. But, I had brought with me my posters that I made for possible sale--they have a full-length picture of me naked and crying from the first event in 2006 with the beautiful poem that an anonymous participant had written at that event (I'll repost the poem in a following blog post). I also had postcards made for a show I was in at the SAAG. I had brought all these with the idea that I might sell them. They ended up becoming my posters for the fringe.
It is a weird thing to do to put up naked pictures of yourself in a public place.
Several were ripped up or taken down. None of the photos are offensive or erotic; I'm just naked and emotional-looking. Once when I was retaping one of the posters, a woman was watching me quite closely. When I finished, she looked relieved and said, "Oh good, I thought you were going to deface it." A defender of free speech.
My videographer said that he saw two teenage-ish boys engaging with my poster. One was licking it and the other one was taking his picture.
The See magazine reviewer wrote: "You have undoubtedly noticed the posters for the show, featuring a frank nude photo of the fortysomething Ms. Diamant, around the Fringe grounds." I honestly had no idea if they would make an impression or not.
Marketing the Human Body Project is not easy.
A Fan
My videographer is a lovely guy who knows a lot of people in the theatre and around town. He was telling a friend that he was shooting my shows (I want to make a documentary). The friend works in a video rental store. One of his regular clients, a guy who is apparently known for renting "European skin flicks," mentions to the video rental clerk that he has been to "all my shows." The video rental clerk tells him that his friend is shooting the shows for me. The client asks, "How much for a copy?" (I have no idea who the guy is. There were a few repeat visitors but not to "all the shows.")
Thank Yous
Maybe it's hokey, I know I'm not on an awards show or anything but, still, I'd like to semi-publicly thank the people who helped me. My husband, Dave. Because he is with me, I feel safe in the vulnerability I need to create for the project. Megan, my beautiful sister in energy, who joined me for the first three shows. David, my calm, collected videographer. Kirby, the technical crew person who was a great support, energetically and professionally. My beautiful cousin Heather and her family, who put us up and looked after us. My lovely niece Alyssa, who looked after my kids (and her mom, my cousin, Alanna, and her sister, Amanda, who helped too). Lisa, for helping send out press releases and looking after the Swamp dog. Sarah, for doing an ad for me. Audience/participants who made the experience so moving. And especially my kids, who inspire me and tolerated this as their holiday.
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