PERCEPTION OF DIFFERENCE
PERCEPTION OF DIFFERENCE
PERCEPTION OF DIFFERENCE
Duration: cca 1 hour
Year: 2019
Location: HfBK Dresden
Participants: Visitors who were invited by acquaintances of Heiser in order for her to remain anonymous throughout the whole performance, an assistant:Nam Ju Lee, photographer: Baeyoon Young.
Sequence:
People are entering Heiser's room, where they can see staged objects such as a burned book about participatory art, a brochure from an exhibition called “How to live together”, a jacket with a space motif, a crown, a book with the title “Touch the reality”, a bottle of gin, a DVD of the film “Work hard play hard“ and two photos of Heiser as a child.
...
These objects are personal belongings of Heiser and were not specifically purchased for this performance. These objects were chosen purposely by her. Heiser was aware that people who knew her, but had never been to her studio apartment, would also participate in this performance. Because of this fact she selected objects that are related to her, but did not disclose that it is her, Viktoria Heiser, doing this performance.
Subsequently, the visitors enter her bathroom where she is situated, sitting in the corner of the shower tray, stuck to the tiles with paper tape, and to the bottom of the shower tray. It is not possible to recognize her under the paper tape. She can’t move. There is a camera in front of her recording the performance. On the toilet seat next to her are markers in different colours. The assistant advises people to enter the room one by one. Every person has the chance to write what she/he wants on the paper tape with which Heiser is covered. There is no limit on the time that each visitor can spend in the bathroom with her.
Visitors write things like: action, hurt, what you want, respect, spring, nice to get to know you even like this, apple, wow and more. But not everyone writes something as Heiser’s assistant suggested. Some of the participants are also drawing things like lungs, razor blades, needles, or apples.
PERFORMANCE
Duration: cca 1 hour
Year: 2019
Location: HfBK Dresden
Participants: Visitors who were invited by acquaintances of Heiser in order for her to remain anonymous throughout the whole performance, photographer, assistant: Nam ju Lee.
Sequence:
The visitors walk up a long staircase until they get to a door. Behind it there is a corridor that separates two rooms that are opposite each other. In this corridor there are two assistants who regulate the entrance to each room. Only one visitor is allowed to be in the room at a time. On the door to the right from the entrance, the following rules are projected:
She is sitting naked in the dark, she is sitting on a stool bent over forward. You are welcome to walk up to her, and touch her for two minutes with your hand (or both hands) on her back, her shoulder or on her head. Then you have 2 minutes to feel how her energy is changing. Once these 2 minutes are over, the door will be opened and you are going to be led into the second room. Note your impressions on the paper and throw it into the paper box while enjoying a drink.
After the visitors are finished writing and drinking, the assistants enter the room and let the visitors out through another door. This door is also the exit.