Temporary Escapes, 2026
Fifteen years ago I came to a realization in my studio practice: the conversations I wanted to have with my art–about sexism and abuses of power in political and social realms and their antidotes of care and collaboration–were demanding a different approach to my artmaking. With a spirit of experimentation and playfulness, I began making performance art.
'Temporary Escapes' presents a decade and a half retrospective of performance art projects produced in a variety of venues and communities all over the United States, in India, and in Mexico. You will find costumes, photographs, zines, videos and other ephemera from these performances in the gallery, and I invite you to explore. Read a zine! Investigate the evidence of the performance! Imagine what it might have been like to be a participant.
I identify as many things: artist as absurdist, artist as activist, artist as feminist, artist as facilitator of creative expression and inventive problem-solving. I believe that modeling and guiding audiences through absurdist activities creates an inbetween space–between our known reality and the bizarre–to bend our minds and consider different ways of living. The collective challenges we face in 2026 can only be combated with our collective imagination.
Each of these projects are designed as a tool to navigate social, cultural or political territory. None of these projects would be possible without my collaborators, different host institutions and curators, and the brave audience members who are willing to play along.
Photography: Melissa Scharnagl
