Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Support independent student journalism. Support independent student journalism. Support independent student journalism.
The Dartmouth
March 28, 2024 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Owens performs interactive artwork

4.2.14.arts.cliffordowens
4.2.14.arts.cliffordowens

Clifford Owens’s performance art piece “Anthology,” performed Tuesday night at the Hopkins Center, demanded audience members to forget faintness and fortitude of heart and embrace flexibility. The collection of performance art scores forced viewers to examine their perceptions of race, gender, sexuality and sexual assault.

The performance focused on the audience as much as Owens himself. Many of the scores required audience members to stand before their peers completing tasks related to the piece’s issues.

“Performance art is about effect,” Owens responded when asked how he chose his medium. “The goal is to give the audience an experience, to have them engage with art in ways they may not be familiar with.”

During the performance, Owens guided audience members through his score interpretations of Maren Hassinger’s “Repose,” Steffani Jemison’s “Regret Piece,” Senga Nengudi’s “Sweep” and a score by William Pope.L.

For “Repose,” groups of volunteers from the audience situated a limp Owens in a designated area and then styled him in a given position. As the size of the groups dwindled to individual members, Owens was treated with less care. Jostled, dragged and twisted, Owens remained slack, resolute to stay true to the piece.

“I want to give people something,” Owens said, commenting on his devotion to the scores.

Owens gathered audience members around him during “Regret Piece” and instructed them to do something to him that they would regret. Minutes passed without a response, and Owens repeated the question, until a participant stepped forward to give him a hard punch to the jaw. Owens offered his thanks and hugged the now-crying volunteer, saying that the outburst was a true expression of her emotions and circumstances.

Naomi Lazar ’17, who attended the performance, said she considered volunteering for “Regret Piece” but was daunted by what participating entailed. Lazar said that the score was “asking a lot of [her] to overcome,” and found it interesting to reflect on her decision not to participate.

“It’s hard to follow the instructions,” Lazar said. “I wasn’t able to go up and do what came to mind because I knew I would regret it.”

Pope.L’s score was the only piece in the show that directly addressed the issue of race. Owens asked volunteers to “be African-American, be very African-American.” This command began a stream of racially charged caricatures. One audience member simply pretended to play basketball, and others spoke in imitation Ebonics.

The performance concluded with “Sweep,” a collaborative piece incorporating multi-colored sand art, which audience members were invited to move around with their feet. A short question-and-answer session with the artist followed.

Owens said that audience responses to the performance prompts vary depending on their backgrounds. This variability makes each show unpredictable for Owens.

“I don’t have any preconceived notions of what people are going to walk away with,” Owens said.

Owens said that black performance art has a “hidden history,” yet to be documented. Through this piece, he said he attempted to expose that history.

A goal in bringing Owens to campus, visiting theater professor Maya Winfrey said, was to “connect [students] to contemporary black theater.” The performance related to a theater course she is teaching this term, “Black Theater, U.S.A.”

Reactions of audience members leaving the performance, from tears to hugs, revealed the show’s effects. Owens said he was glad that he could impact the audience.

“I understand myself as having value if I offer you something,” Owens said. “I think all art is about that.”