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Bachelor of Fine Arts Senior Papers College of Art

Spring 5-17-2019

Breaking the Fourth Wall: Avenues for Empathy through Breaking the Fourth Wall: Avenues for Empathy through

Participation and Interaction Participation and Interaction

Grace Zajdel

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BREAKINGTHEFOURTHWALLAvenuesforEmpathythroughParticipationandInteraction

GRACEV.ZAJDEL

BachelorofFineArtsinStudioArtConcentrationinSculptureWashingtonUniversityinSt.LouisSamFoxSchoolofDesign&VisualArts

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Abstract: TheaterisusedasalensthroughwhichIviewtheactofroleplayinparticipatoryand

interactionbasedartworks.IexaminetheelementsofAction–inparticipatoryorperformance

works—andSet—inimmersiveinstallationworks–fortheireffectivenessincreatingavenues

forempatheticrelationsinmyownworkandthatofcontemporaryartists.Idistinguish

betweentheoverblownspectacleofPeterBrook’sDeadlyTheaterandconnectthemissionof

theHolyTheatertothatofmyownartpractice.Performance,immersiveinstallation,

participationandinteractiontherebyservetoallowtheartwork’sparticipantstoengagein

role-takingandplaytoconnectwiththeuninhibitedself.Idiscussthelimitingimpactoflife

experienceandsocialacceptabilityinenforcingustobecomeself-guardinganddistrustfulof

ourcommunity.Myworkupholdsareconnectiontochildhoodexperienceandseekstobreak

downthebarriersforconnectionthatformoverourlifetimes.Iproposethatthekeytotruly

connectingwithoneanotherandformingandmaintainingcommunityislearntotrustand

dependononeanotheragain.Myworkstrivestobeaopportunitytobreakthewallsbetween

usandallowfreedomofinteraction.

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Introduction:

TheaterasLiberation

“Iregardthetheatreasthegreatestofallartforms,themostimmediatewayinwhichahumanbeingcansharewithanotherthesenseofwhatitistobeahumanbeing.”

―OscarWilde

Eachofusisbuiltoflayers.Identityisacollectionofmasksthatareworn,triedon,and

castoff.Afaçadeisnotalwaysalie.Often,afaçadeisaprotectionofsorts;abarrierthatholds

offthingswedon’ttrustotherswith.Weprotectoursoftunderbellieseveryday.Themorewe

gethurttheharderitbecomestoseewhat'sunderneath.Themorevulnerabletheinteriorthe

harderormorecomplicatedtheshell.Forsome,thatshellbecomeshard,unbreakableand

severe.Mybodyofworkhassavedmefromthat.

Ibelievethatweexisttoconnecttooneanother.Thehazardofthatisthatoncepeople

areallowedinclosely,theycanhurtusdeeply.Ioffermyworktothepublicthroughalensof

initialfrivolity.Presentingmyworkinalessseriouslightinvitespeoplein;itreducestheinitial

stakesoftheencounter.Thelightnessattracts,butmytrueintentistoestablishameaningful

interactionbetweenpeople.Iinviteanaudiencetoplayaroleinmypieces.Objects,

environmentsandcostumescapturemomentsandfeelingsfrommylifeandpresentthemto

othersforinterpretation.Iamcontinuallyexamininghowtoconnecttopeople,howtofeel

understoodandwhatitmeanstometobuildacommunity.Myworkencouragesmetobreak

downmyownwalls,whileIcreatesituationsthatallowparticipantstodothesame.Iaimto

buildcommunalunderstanding,andforme,thatstartswithfeelingacceptedand

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understood.Allowingtheaudiencetotakearoleintheworkismyinvitationtothepublicto

myvulnerableprivatespace.Mypracticeisameansofcontinuallydisarmingmyself.

Abstractingmydifficultemotionsandexperiencesintoaparticipatoryformallowsmewelcome

othersintounderstandingmebysteppingintomyshoes.Thisfilteringallowsmetodiscern

whatisimportantfrommylifeandgivesmethecouragetoshareit-myartallowsmetostay

open.

Lifehasbeenfilledwithadagesabouttheaterforages.Ifwearealljustactingthough,

thequestionbegs:whatisthetruth?InPeterBrook’sbookEmptySpace,heexamineswhathe

believestobethefourmeaningsoftheater.Thereisakindoftheater,hestates,thatgives

performanceabadreputation;hecallsit“Deadly”(Brook8).WhentheaterbecomesDeadlyit

seemsdisingenuous,overthetop,andunconvincing.Ithasallthesparklesandexuberanceofa

showbutnoneoftheheart.Spectacleplaysanimportantroleintheater,butwhennothing

deepercanbefound,itsimplyringsasatrickoralie.Thisisthefinelinewheretheartof

performingteeters.Agoodperformer,inthesamehandasagoodartist,knowsthatathat

actingisnotalie.It’sanopportunitytotellanewtruth.Itisachancetoreachanuntapped

partofyourself–somethingyoudidn’tknowyouwere.BrookreferstothisastheHoly

Theater;thetheaterwherethe“invisiblecanappear(and)hasadeepholdonourthoughts”

(Brook49).Thisiswherethetheaterbecomesart.Itreachesandilluminatessomethingreal.

Thespectaclebecomesaglimpseintosomethingprofoundthatlifeisnevercapableof

composingsobeautifully.Steppingintoaroleorassuminganewpositionisakindoffaçade

thatisn’talie;itisaprocessofrecognizinganewtruth.Actingissimplychannelingadifferent

partofourselvestounderstandsomeoneelse.

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IaimtoalignmyworkwiththeHolyTheater.IcastlightonastagethatIbuildand

providealoosescriptforparticipantstofollow.Myworkuseshumor,levity,colorandspiritto

drawpeopleintoameaninganddepthoflifethatcanconnectthem.Ihaveexploredthemedia

ofcostuming,installationandparticipatoryworkstoilluminatethedarkcornersinmyselfand

presentthemassomethingtobeshared.

ActI:

PlayonaPlay

“Wheneverchildrensay,“Let’spretend”Anewlandscapeofpossibilitiesforlearningisrevealed.Whenchildrenpretend,theytryonnewfeelings,rolesandideas.Theystretchtheirmindsalongwiththeirimaginations.” -Curtis&Carter

InteractionandParticipationonthepartoftheaudienceisthemostdirectformofan

artistreachingpeople.Artworksthatrelyonorincludeothersforactivationorcompletion

insistonbreakingthefourthwall.Viewers

becomeactorswithanincompletescript

lookingtoilluminatethemeaningfor

themselves.Inmywork,Iusethistacticto

commentonhowtheindividualrelatesto

andeffectsthegroup.KeetraDeanDixon

hasaccomplishedseveralworks

commentingonthepowerandnecessityof

interdependenceingroupaction.Inher

2012piece,SwingHall,SwingAll,(Figure1)

Figure1.Figure1.KeetraDeanDixon,SwingHall,SwingAll,MinneapolisCollegeofArtandDesign,2012,Installation

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DeanDixontransformsthesolitarysensationofswingingintoagroupaction.Forthe

participanttohaveasatisfactoryfullswing,everyoneinvolvedintheinstallationmustmovein

sync.Theconsequencesofgoingrogueinvolvecollisionsbetweenindividualsandadomino

effectontheentirepopulace.Thesenseofgleeevokedbythesuccessfulcompletionofthe

taskresultsinagroupsuccessofwhatessentiallyisanabsurd,pleasureseekingactivity.The

feelingofbeinginvolved,howeverisoneoftriumph,joyandrelease.Theparticipantsare

placedintoamomentsubtlyintimate;theyrelyonbodilytouchandconnectionforthatperfect

swing.Participantsareilluminatingtheexperienceofcooperationandgroupachievementfor

themselves,innocentlyinvitedbytheeasypleasureofswinging.

Theartistengineeringandexperiencethatencouragesaudienceparticipationtakes

carefulcomposition.Toconstructaworkthatwillultimatelyilluminateadeeperlessonor

truth;youmustplayontheirdesires.It’snotsomuchdeceptionormanipulation,rather,it’san

intimateexaminationofwhatenticesapersononagutlevel.Thereisanautomaticresponse

ofactionwhenthepublicispromptedwithanactivitytheyarefamiliarwith.Thecomfortof

innocentandfamiliaractivitiespromisethechildlikefreedomofPlay.PlayTheorysuggeststhat

everythinginanimatenaturepossessesmoreenergythanisrequiredtosustainlife(Rau299).

Thisabundantenergycanbechanneledintomanydifferentthings,butthemosteffectiveand

exploratoryistheactofplay.Playisdistinctfromworkinthefreedomofbothbodyandmind

(300).Theactivityinitiallyseems,simpleandcomfortable,theaudienceischallengedwiththe

discoveryoffindingoutwhatthecatchis.Theactioncanbeasuncomplicatedanddelightfulas

swingingorblowingupaballoon.

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Muchlikemycounterpartsworkinginplay,Ihavefoundmyselfrepeatedlydrawntothe

balloonasonobjectofaction.InHowtoStopWorryingandStartLiving,(Figure2)Iexamine

thecaptureandreleaseof

worriesusingtheballoonas

vesseltosymbolizelevity.

DaleCarnegie’s1940’sself-

helpbook(namesakeforthe

piece)wasmeticulously

skimmedforeverymention

ofworry,pain,anxietystress

andsadness.Thosewords

werethenmanuallycutoutandcollectedin75clearballoons.Carnegie’ssuggestionsareoverly

formulaicandoutdated.Hesuggestsandairofeaseinremovingworryfromone’slife;when

worryiscutoutallthatwillremainistranquility.Theremainderofthebookservestoactasa

counterweight,speakingtothedelicatebalanceoftheholdingworriesatbay.Theremaining

contentofthebookholdstheworriesdownandthebundleisleftfloatinginspace.Iinvitea

groupofparticipantstocutthestringsoftheballoonsandreleasetheworriestogether,

fulfillingthesuccessofthenovel.Theactivityilluminatedbothanincompletesimplicityin

Carnegie’sguidanceandanactualreleaseofworryintheactivitycomposed.Eachparticipantis

givenamomentofpersonalreleaseinthecutandascensionoftheirballoon,andasagroupwe

releasedeachother.

Figure2.GraceZajdel,HowtoStopWorryingandStartLiving,2018,ParticipatoryPerformance

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Playactsasarelease,butsocialstandardspreventfreeplay.Everydayacceptabilityin

instructions,competitionandexplorationopenspeopleupforachancetoexperienceplay.In

myrecentwork,UnBlocked(Figure3),Icombineinstructionwithabsurditytobringdownthe

socialstandardsthatobstructplay.TheUnblocksareelevated,oversizedbuildingblocks

fabricatedinsoftsculpture.An

abundanceoftheseblocksis

collectedinaspaceandpresented

fortheparticipantstobuildtogether.

Fivedifferentinstructions–Gather,

Settle,Rest,AscendandConnect–

providebothconcreteinstructions

andasuggestionofhowparticipants

cantranscendandbetterconnecttooneanother.Theinnocuousnessofthemediumofsoft

sculptureandthecottonmaterialincitespeople;unabletoresistthetactileandemotional

drawinthenostalgiaoftheobject.Iwanttoencouragethebreakdownofsocialbarriersand

participantsreachingthepurityofinteractionintheirinnerchild.Groupsjoinedtogetherto

constructtheobjectsIsuggestedandassemblagesonlytheycouldhavethoughtof,including

igloosandbeds.Participantsnotonlyrespondedtothepiecebyplayinginpairsandgroupsbut

alsoworkedindividually.Thefreedomofsoloplayallowedatherapeuticchannelingofexcess

energyintoanimaginativepurpose.Singlepeoplespenttimeactivelyengagedinbuilding

detailedlabyrinthsandthetallestpossibletowers.

Figure3.GraceZajdel,UnBlocked,2019,InteractiveSculpture

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Thepotentialtoactivateart,muchlikethepotentialinsharingone’sinnersecrets,can

seemlikeahighstakesinteraction.Alotcangowrongandnooneisexactlysurehowtomake

surethingsgoright.Thereisapressureandapowerinagency.Aparticipantmustchooseto

accepttheirownroleinthecollectivegoal.Makingthechoicetoparticipateisacceptingthe

possibilityoflookinglikeafool.Anactiveparticipantmustbeopentobeingwrongandtrust

theircommunitytohelpcarrytheresponsibilityofatask.Unfortunately,lifeexperience

teachesus,aswegrow,putupmorebarriers.Thereinliesthebeautyandpowerofthenaïve,

childlike,uninhibitedstate.Thereisapurityofintentthatisgenuine.Toallowourselvestobe

jadedisallowingopportunitiesforconnectiontopassusby.

ActII:

SetandSpectacle

“Lifeisatheatresetinwhichtherearebutfewpracticableentrances.”

–VictorHugo

DuringtheriseoftheFuturistmovement,performanceartroseinprominenceand

respectasan“artforall”(Goldberg370).TheFuturistsbelievedthatperformancewasa

potentialforapublicexaminationofdeepemotionaldilemmas.Performingisreceivedbythe

communityasaneventthatdrawspeopleinforitsrarity,orratheroddity,insociety.No

performanceisthesametwice;theexperienceofbeinginvolvedinitismagnetic.Thereisan

elementofspectacleinartthatisperformed.Whenthepublicisaddressedinanyformofart,

thereisafocusoninteractionwithsociety.Thepublicbecomesanactivatingfactorin

completingthecommenttheworkisattemptingtomake,andisrequiredfortheworkto

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completeitself.Thepublic–theparticipants–needtobeattractedin.Whensuccessfully

designed,acommunitycanbedrawnintoameaningful,personallybasedexperiencemade

public.

ArtistRosemaryMeyerprovidesaprecedentforapublic,performance-basedsculptor

whodeftlyutilizestheelementofrarityandawetoinvolvethepublic.Inherseriesofweather

balloonworks,entitledSomeDaysinApril(Figure4),Meyercreatesapersonal,private

monumenttoimportantpeopleandmoments

thatoccurredinherlifeduringthemonthof

April.Althoughthepiecehasnocaptive

audienceinmind,Meyerspiecestraddlesaline

betweenpersonalandpublic.Meyerdescribes

SomeDaysinAprilherselfasa“temporary

monument”(Meyer14).Thedescriptionofa

sculpturalinstallationamonumentinherentlyimpliesapublicreceptionornotification,

meaning,inshort,ithasamessagethatisintendedtobepubliclyreceived.Intheframeof

personalmonuments,publicsculpturalinterventionsorinstallationsserveasaspacethatholds

specificpersonalmeaningtotheartistandprovidesafiltered,abstractedexperienceforthe

publicrecipient.Theveryactofsharingapersonalmeaninginabroadlyreceivedpublicspaceis

araritybeyondthebeautifulmaterialityoftheartworkitself.Thepublicspectacleactsasa

communicatedsetinwhichtheviewercanreceiveamessageofpersonalnarrative.

Figure4.RosemaryMeyer,SomeDaysinApril,1978,MultimediaInstallation

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Spatialartworksactasanopenlineofcommunication;aplacewheretheviewercan

assumetheroleofthemakerandenterhisorhermentalspace.Theprojectionofmentaland

emotionalspaceintosharedphysicalspaceis

communicatedinKarynOlivier’sspatialand

objectworks.InIt’sNotOverTillIt’sOver(Fig.

5)Olivierutilizesarecognizableandnostalgic

formofacarousel.Thevacantcontentofthe

interior,however,poignantlycommunicatesan

absenceofthemerrimentinvolvedinthe

activity.Onthedesertedplatformisasingle

chairwhereonlyonecansitasthecarousel

spinsslowlyanddismally.Therideisdecidedlyunamusingandratherbleakinthecontextof

theheightofblissfulchildlikeoneimmediatelyassociateswiththespace.Thepieceisapublic

spacereservedforonlyonetoreceiveOlivier’spsychologicalandemotionallychargedmessage.

Oliviermakesaneffectiveuseofchildhoodreferencestoopenherparticipantstobeing

involvedandreceivingherwork.

Inmyownwork,Imakefrequentuseofasimilarchildlikesenseofspectacleinthe

materialityandinstallation.ArecentimmersiveinstallationentitledAreWeHavingFunYet?

(Figure6)explorestheuseofspectacleandawetoattractparticipantstoanentirelyun-fun

experience.Awhitepicketfencepensinapoolofmulticoloredballoonswithawoodenrope

swinghoveringinthemiddle.Participantsareaskedtoformasinglefilelineandtakeofftheir

shoes.Then,oneatatime,I,astheattendant,placeslipperscoveredinneedlesontheirfeet.

Figure5.KarynOlivier,It’sNotOverTillIt’sOver,2004,MultimediaInstallation

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Ineffect,thismakesthesweet,simple,irresistibleactofswingingdecidedlynotfun.The

echoing,shotgunblastnoisesoftheballoonspoppingshocktheparticipantandtheaudience

repeatedly.MyemotionalandpsychologicalspaceisprojectedintospaceasIallowmy

participantstoquiteliterallystepintomyshoes.Thereisanimplicitresponsibilityforthe

comfortoftherestofthecommunityintheroom;thelongeryouswingthemorediscomfortis

oneveryoneinvolved.Themorethe

swingertriestoenjoythemselves,

themoreconsequencesare

gathered,andtheenvironment

deteriorates.Thereisonlysomuch

funtobehadinanenvironment

thatneverhadanytogiveinthe

firstplace.

ActIII:

OnResilience

“Oneofthegreatestbarrierstoconnectionistheculturalimportanceweplaceon‘goingitalone.’Somehow,we’vecometoequatesuccesswithnotneedinganyone.Manyofusarewillingtoextendahelpinghand,butwe’reveryreluctanttoreachoutforhelpwhenweneeditourselves.It’sasifwe’vedividedtheworldinto‘thosewhoofferhelp’and‘thosewhoneedhelp.’Thetruthisthatweareboth.”

―BrenéBrown

Figure6.GraceZajdel,AreWeHavingFunYet?,2019,MultimediaInstallation

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Webalancepaineveryday.Ittakestimeandexperiencetofigureoutwhatwecancarry

andwhatweneedtoletgoof.Thechallengeliesinthelettinggo.Yes,weexisttoconnectto

oneanother,but,often,thatpainwehavenotletgoofwillblockus.Copingtakesmanyforms

andwemustrespecthowothershaveadaptedtocarrytheirowndemons.Ibelievethereis

somethingsignificantincarryingotherspain,andallowingyourownpaintobecarried.Support

iswhatformsacommunity,understandingandacceptanceisatthecoreofwhatweneedto

emotionallyflourish.Weneedtolearntobepersistentlyvulnerable,toresurrectatrustin

peoplemostofuslostlongago.IamlearningtosharewhatIneedtothroughmywork.Ipush

throughaterrorofallowingacracktobeopeninmyemotionallifeeverytimeIshareapiece.I

smoothovermypainwithhumor,colorandsoftness,butIrefusetoletthecrackclose.Iforce

itwiderwitheachnewwork.Openmore,sharemore,learnmore;andneverstoptryingto

understand.

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ImageListFigure1.KeetraDeanDixon,SwingHall,SwingAll,MinneapolisCollegeofArtandDesign,2012,

InstallationFigure2.GraceZajdel,HowtoStopWorryingandStartLiving,2018,ParticipatoryPerformanceFigure3.GraceZajdel,UnBlocked,2019,InteractiveSculptureFigure4.RosemaryMeyer,SomeDaysinApril,1978,MultimediaInstallationFigure5.KarynOlivier,It’sNotOverTillIt’sOver,2004,MultimediaInstallationFigure6.GraceZajdel,AreWeHavingFunYet?,2019,MultimediaInstallation

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