ADRIAN PIPER: went to "Before Cortes" show at The Metropolitan Museum, New York, NY, while chewing large wads of bubble gum, blowing large bubbles, and allowing the gum to adhere to face, and so on.
NANCY DOUTHEY: went to “How Artists Draw: Toward the Menil Drawing Institute and Study Center” show at The Menil Collection, Houston, TX, while chewing six pieces of BubbleYum original gum, blowing large bubbles, and allowing the gum to adhere to face, and so on.
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Six pieces of gum combined with traditional braces is an experience within itself. Walking though the Menil, there were expressions of distaste with my gum, my bubbles, my popping - acting as though I was just casually strolling, as though I had been there a thousand times before, and would be back again, no one said a word. UNTIL - THE FLASH! living close to the Menil my neighbor came around the corner to get the incident under control. Surprised to see me, I apologized and quickly turned the flash setting to "off". At that point Julia was ready to go (I could not blame her) although I forced a couple of more shots - we were being watched closely by all. I can understand why Adrian may not have had any visual documentation of this performance and will recreate it again at the Museum of Fine Art later this week, having only the memory and written material for documentation.
Spit, smacking, slurping and the smell of fresh bubble gum -the docent next to me on the bench had only one option and he chose to stay. He was not the least bit interested in my presence. He continued his enjoyable time relaxing, listening to his music, and doing something on his phone without ever directly acknowledging me once, he saw me approaching and did remove his arm from hanging over the backside of the bench. The closest thing to a "hello, sure, sit here."
Overall avoidance was the response with the exception of my neighbor who was quick to react to the camera as a hired docent. Next time gum only.
This was my first experience that would gradually bring me closer to feelings of rejection through avoidance, quick glances, and hot glares.
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