a journey towards a near miss, an act of resistance in the face of financial realities,
a consensual hallucination and a two-week endurance performance
on the theme of "presence and absence".
The story begins with Avatar Body Collision's invitation to participate in SCANZ, a new media residency held in New Plymouth, July 2006. This was our first opportunity to meet together as a group, for some us the first time we would actually meet face to face. It was an exciting invitation - but unfortunately it did not come with enough money to cover Karla and Leena's airfares from London and Helsinki to New Zealand. Despite numerous grant applications and fundraising efforts, it was not possible to raise the money, and shortly before the residency began we had to accept that they were not going to make it.
But we decided instead to resist reality and insist that Karla and Leena were there. What evolved over the two weeks, via a blog, emails, text messages, manipulated photographs, rumours and the collusion of our wonderful SCANZ colleagues, was "Trip the Light Fantastic", a unique two-week site-specific interactive performance event.
Some comments from the blog:
lynne said...
Sorry about the delay but huge amounts of organization have had to take place to ensure a safe arival
in Whanganui. Grit trucks sent on missions of gritting, diggers on missions of digging. I have been assured by all the
drivers and supervisors that I can now go forth and will get to the hospital by about 10.30. I will take down the big
station wagon with mattrus (Raetihi spelling)and ensure that all safety belts work well and capable of constricting as
I need to cover all bases I have no idea what I will find. I have some plans for escape from the hospital with K if they
wont discharge her.
I will keep you informed
Lynne
maria + norie said...
hei,
We're really dying to meet you K and L, especially after our online introductions last night.
Maybe you just need some orientation help. Here in the antipodes everything is probably upside down for you. What about
an old Chinese practice... backwards walking? We saw this in Shanghai and it seemed to help people get oriented.
moi
moi xxx
maria + norie = desperate to meet K+L
ps Well known Possum pie poisoning antidote is 2 short inhalations
followed by 3 very deep exhalations.
http://bodycollision.blogspot.com/2006/07/state-of-confusion.html