Clare Morrissey-Art and Social Change Reader- Week 6

Art and Social Change

Invisible Theatre

       

      Invisible Theatre is the art of creating a performance in spaces that are not stages. The people who witness it cannot be aware it is a performance or else they would become spectators. The way this can be done is creating a solid and locked script that the actors stick to but also know it so well it allows flexibility and the ability for them to mess with it when the people witnessing the act give input or there is any disruption. The actors will prepare for anything when it comes to their performance. It is imperative to choose a location where people gather in large groups in the public. An example of how this is done is by having actors play in a scene in a crowded restaurant with many patrons. You have one actor make a big fuss over a meal they hate and the waiter offers them the nicest meal, acknowledging the price which the actor eating the meal lets it be known that the price is of no issue for them. Then when the food comes the actor professes his love for it and tells the rest of the restaurant that they pity their meals. Then when the waiter brings the check the actor says he cannot pay it, then makes a point to ask for a job with them to where he finds most jobs cannot pay for the meal. Then the actor gets everyone in the room to donate to pay for his meal by telling the crowd that the workers (Gardners, Garbage men) are their brothers and we should ban together to help, that these expensive prices are not at the fault of the workers. All of this then causes the customers of the restaurant to discuss what happened and create dialogue without ever knowing it was a performance (it is very important they never know that.) With invisible theatre, you remove the old traditions of the theatre, breaking away from the past and creating freedom within the performances and art of creation. Thus promoting and generating more impactful change. 

Key Points

1. Breaking free from the patterns of Theatre and its traditions
2.  Where can you perform that creates the largest impact on your audience? 
3. Rehearsing till the work is in your bones and you can say it backward
4. The power of not knowing or masking a performance
5. Creating space for people who witness the work/theatre to discuss afterward together

Letter, April 1968

    A letter written by Hans Haacke to Jack Burnham. Haacke talks about the aftermath of Dr. King's death and how art has no true effect on the political world. That the idea that it does is entirely naive. He goes on to say this realization has always been there but now more than ever he feels the talk and creation of art, structure, has no ties to actual change in the world. Artists cannot stop bombs from dropping, stop cops from firing their gun at a black man. He knew but did not change course. Now it is getting to him, how can he work in this industry? He ends the letter by declaring he does not know how to solve these questions but he does know he is no longer comfortable with this fact. 

Key Points

1. What power does art have if it only reaches audiences that seek it out? 
2. Is there art in protesting?
3. The underlying feeling of knowing your artwork will never be as helpful or impactful as activism that is direct(protests, boycotting, changing laws) 
4. The change in optimism as you grow older
5. How historic, monumental events change our view of everything