Gesner - Performance

Dear Vaclav

I have two things (performances) I might include. One will involve a small amount of materials for me to do. I wonder if they might be supplied for me, as I won't be able to bring them. The materials are five or six bricks, and five or six wooden poles (dowels) of about one inch diameter by two feet long, four feet long, six feet long, eight feet long, and ten feet long. So, six bricks, five dowels or poles with those measurements, if possible.

The piece I would call something literal, like "Brick Push by Variable Poles, in Variable Circumstance."  It is a composition, performance, and sound piece. It can be done in three or so ways; maybe all three could be done.

One version:

Five or six people each have one of the poles, and one brick. Each puts their brick on the ground, and from where they are; they push it with the pole as far away from themselves as the pole can reach. They, they walk to the brick, and push it again. This goes on simultaneously with the group. Each pole length gives the user a different distance to push and walk, and a different sound duration of the brick on the surface of a public space. The direction or path they push is up to performers- the individual choices also impact compositional dynamics of physical and sound locations in relation to each other.

Another version:

One person performs with one brick, and all of the different lengths of poles. The pushing of the brick and the pole choice order become a series of durations and physical directions.

Third version:

One person pushes all of the bricks with all of the pole lengths. This is like one person playing all of the different instruments in an ensemble in turn; it is a series, but one farther distributed in space (more bricks- it is also like a plane, instead of a line) and one with more widely variable distributions of the set distances, as well.

All three of these could be done, I think, by myself, as solo, and as a group, with members of Mobius, and a few others.

Also, I have a short piece, which I call, "Conductance." In it, I have wooden sticks, tape and a music stand. Using the stick, I try to "conduct" the audience/viewers in something. It is simply done. Next, I tape another stick to the first, so it dangles or swings- I try to conduct again, with this modified or more complex baton. I stop and modify it further with more sticks, attaching the music stand to it, and then trying to conduct with an increasingly complicated conducting baton that is ultimately attached to me and hinders my moving. End of conducting. I will send you an e-mail attachment of this one, following this e-mail. (I must find the picture)

I hope you find these ideas interesting. Again, the first piece will require those supplies, if possible.  Take care, and let me know. I have a few other things I might do, so I will try to be prepared. Let me know! Best, Lewis

Lewis Gesner
/Mobius Artists Group-School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA/