23^rd Bien­nale of Syd­ney: rīvus

Mike Parr is known for long-dura­tional per­for­mances where he tests the lim­its of the body and the will, and the pos­si­bil­i­ties of rep­re­sen­ta­tion in art. For the 23^rd Bien­nale of Syd­ney, Parr attempts to paint the image of a tree with his eyes shut. The video footage of the action, tak­en by Gotaro Uemat­su and Heath Fran­co, was also cre­at­ed blinded.

“Every­thing in advance. Per­for­mance art for me is in advance. Deci­sive­ly in advance. Because the event always exceeds the idea. I see some­thing huge, black, impos­si­bly uncer­tain. A body as trunk, a trunk as body falling. Falling trees every­where. In this coun­try, Indone­sia, the Ama­zon, every­where. Blind paint­ing is unprece­dent­ed because it acknowl­edges the his­to­ry of art, so art falling too, beyond the trace, beyond the index­i­cal, beyond men­tal recla­ma­tion. Must see the pos­si­bil­i­ty of the unseen in this unseen way!”