performance > a radiant cataclysm
performed at ISE Cultural Foundation | New York City, NY | May 9, 2014 | 30 min. Performed by Cabaret BLACK EYE (Chris Butterfield, Matthew Hunt, and Ryan Standfest). Text excerpts were read from Karl Marx's "Capital: Critique of Political Economy" (1867). Live music performed by Justin Krolczyk. Conception and objects by Ryan Standfest.
announcement card by standfest
prop: talisman
prop: operative mask 1
prop: operative mask 2
the custodian cleans as the operatives sleep
the custodian awakes the operatives
listening to recorded instruction
extracting a pill from the talisman
extracting a pill from the talisman
lessons in pill swallowing
applying an Ajna to the forehead
comprehending the recorded instruction
consulting the manual / learning the mantra
placing the blueprint
instruction in the usage of the blueprint
the blueprint
placing the modules
the Custodian verifies the module placement
the Custodian guides the Operatives in their work
placing the modules
placing the modules
placement almost complete
following the work of placement, it is time for lunch
lunch: an Operative pulls a knife on another Operative to secure half of a sandwich
pulling a knife
sharing of the sandwich commences, along with the drinking of milk
the siren is sounded: lunch is over
more recorded instruction
time to wash
the Custodian verifies cleanliness
the Custodian provides skin-covered bricks to the Operatives
using the bricks to smash the modules
the smashed modules
the Custodian verifies the destruction
listening to recorded instruction
the Custodian cleans while the Operatives skin their bricks
the Operatives skin their bricks
the Custodian empties the module debris into a container while the Operatives skin their bricks
cleaning and skinning
once skinned, the bricks are scrubbed
the Operatives now masked, receive white enameled bricks
the Custodian plays recorded instruction
the Operatives consider their white enameled bricks
the Operatives meditate upon their white enameled bricks
the Custodian nails the brick skins to the wall
nailing the brick skin
speaking the mantra
achieving apotheosis
