The Liar, 2010
Duration: 15:00
live performance
Performed at The Re Institute: May 16, 2010
In this piece, I split my identity into various personas: a glamorous opera singer, a vulnerable warrior, a blind grandmother, a fallen king, and a small child who collectively share tall tales based upon personal and family history that are steeped in fantasy. A doubting voice echoes through much of the piece, until the end, when she is silenced and the truth is revealed.
Excerpt: I am ravaged and maimed. I am almost unrecognizable. The room was cold and very large… a chrome world with metallic objects all around me. Two giant orbs of light examined every part of me. The man with an unsettling mix of freckles and acne watched as a large tube was placed inside of me. They blew me up like a balloon and looked at every part of me. I could not see what they did…all I saw was my own reflection in a shiny metallic surface…a sad creature, with a long plastic tail.
Are you sure that was you?
Yes it was me. I am a warrior, and I have fought through many battles. I have been captured, beaten, and shamed. They have taken things away from me. But I am still alive. I escaped through the woods.