Artists across the nation performFreedom of Information 2008: a performance /protest/ritual in response to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
December 31, 2008
Asheville, NC and throughout the country
In response to the continuing U.S. led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, choreographer Miguel Gutierrez has invited artists from across the country to performfreedom of information 2008: a 24 hour performance/protest/ritual of continuous movement improvisation performed while blindfolded and ear-plugged, which is intended as a contemplative act of solidarity with those displaced by the wars.
This action takes place over the last 24 hours of 2008, from midnight to midnight of December 31st. It ends with the ringing in of the New Year. At present, there are 29 artists participating in freedom of information 2008. Each artist will perform the action in her/his respective state and during the 24 hours that correspond to December 31st in his or her time zone. Miguel Gutierrez originally performedfreedom of informationalone on December 31, 2001, in response to the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. This time, inviting artists from across the country creates a nationwide, synchronous event.
In North Carolina, Janice Lancaster will performfreedom of information 2008at the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center at 56 Broadway in Asheville. Janice Lancaster is a dance artist originally from Oxford, NC and currently residing in Brooklyn, NY. She holds a BFA in Dance from the NC School of the Arts, and has had the pleasure of dancing as a guest soloist for Shen Wei Dance Arts, as well as dancing with Abby Chan, Satoshi Haga, Aynsley Vandenbroucke Movement Group, and co-founding VIA Dance Collaborative. Her recent commissions include the prestigious 2007 Bessie Schönberg Choreographic Residency on the Yard in Martha’s Vineyard and two works for the Hubbard Street 2 Dance Company of Chicago.
freedom of information 2008involves staying in one room for the duration of the event. Moving continuously for 24 hours throughout the space of her/his choosing in a sensory-deprived state, the performer meditates on the dislocation and disorientation of those who do not have the basic right of being safe for the duration of a single day, who instead must be continuously on the move because of the threat of violence.
freedom of information 2008is free and open to the public in each of the venues that the artists have selected. Throughout the 24 hours, people are invited to come and go as they please, watching the participating artist as they attempt to fulfill the simple but rigorous demands of this action.
Janice Lancaster’s 24 hourfoi2008 participation will be webcast at: www.ustream.tv/channel/foi-2008-nc-janice-lancaster
For more information on the preparations and locations for this event go to: freedomofinformation2008.blogspot.com and www.janicelancaster.com
The event has been initiated by Miguel Gutierrez, a choreographer/performer based in Brooklyn, NY. Gutierrez is an award-winning artist whose evening-length pieces tour internationally. For more information on his work go to: www.miguelgutierrez.org
Gutierrez will continue to identify artists to participate in this action throughout the month of December.
As of this press release here are the participating artists forfreedom of information 2008:
Alabama – Rhea Speights
Alaska – Kyli Kleven
Arizona – Aileen Mapes
California – Jesse Hewit
Colorado – Lily Brown-Johnson
Connecticut – David Dorfman
Florida – Heather Maloney
Georgia – Diana Crum
Hawaii – Brianna Skellie
Illinois – Marissa Perel
Iowa – Amanda Hamp
Kentucky – Ben Asriel
Maryland – Sharon Mansur
Massachusetts – Jesse Zaritt
Michigan – Amy Chevasse
Minnesota – Morgan Thorson
Montana – Harmony Wolfe
New Hampshire – Gregory Holt
New Jersey – Joshua Bisset
New York – Miguel Gutierrez
North Carolina – Janice Lancaster
Ohio – Lena Lauer
Oregon – Tahni Holt
Pennsylvania – Jung-Eun Kim
Vermont – Selene Colburn
Virginia – Zap McConnell
Washington – Tonya Lockyer
Washington, D.C. – Maida Withers
West Virginia – Katherine Ferrier
In New York, Miguel Gutierrez will performfreedom of information 2008at The Barn, an independently run dance studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. (ilovebarn.com)
