Third Space Gallery is excited to welcome performance artist, Sylvaine Chassay to the city of Saint John. The Carrier is a participatory performance project that will take place in various public spaces throughout the uptown area.
September 20th- September 29th
Final Performance September 27th, 11 am-3 pm/ Kings Square/ Harvesting the Arts Festival
Building on an old tradition to give one’s worries to a worry doll, Chassay proposes to investigate the trend in contemporary society towards digitally ‘emoting’. Chassay proposes a participatory performance wherein the viewer plays a key role, blurring the lines between ‘artist’ and ‘viewer’. With this project, Chassay explores society’s reliance on technology to fill social and emotional voids. Donning a multi-pocketed ‘dress’ that holds many tiny battery operated LCD screens, Chassay invites the public to participate by ‘unloading’ their worries onto the tiny LCD screens. In a symbolic act, but ultimately one of futility, Chassay carries the woes of the participants in the pockets of her dress, until, as batteries fail, the LCD screens are extinguished.
This project is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts. Sylvaine Chassay wishes to thank the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Quebec for its financial support.
Featured image: Sylvaine Chassay, The Carrier, 2014