This month’s Soapbox features two guys asking you to trust them.  Is it an appeal, a suggestion, a command?  Soapbox is going to deal with power structures in performance, in multiple ways.  You may experience doubt, fear, comfort, and gratitude, among many more sentiments performance occasions.  

Soapbox is on a Friday this month, as opposed to its more usual Thursday.

For this Soapbox, I put the two artists together because of their striking similarities and yet entirely different approaches to performance.  Sam and Paul are 30 and 29, respectively.  Sam just received his MFA from AU this year, and Paul will in 2013 from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  Their work is interdisciplinary, with a heavy emphasis on sculpture and participatory works, though performance is a more significant part of Paul’s overall practice.  And they are both big guys with beards.  And while their individual performances are going to differ entirely, they’ve come together to collaborate for the final piece of the show.

“Each artist has developed an interactive performance relying on the viewer to complete their works. Paul will be hosting an assortment of “Contemporary Farewells” while Sam will be leading the viewer through a variety of interactions entitled “Trust me.” Afterwards, you are welcome to receive your mystery award, handmade by the artist as a thank you for your participation.”

Sam Scharf    Paul Shortt

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