“Get Well Soon” at Picasso Machinery, Brooklyn, NY, 2018

There are some things I wish I could forget; cruel things from elementary school and beyond that lodged into my psyche, affecting my self-perception and esteem. In speaking with friends, it became clear that we’ve all been branded. I asked friends and strangers to anonymously contribute their one liners for a series of videos. In the videos, I surgically remove the one liners from a constructed body—the goal is to find the text, remove it, and stitch up the patient. 

This was the first and only live performance to date held at Picasso Machinery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (2018). I placed my surgery box, tools, and hazardous waste bin on a large utilitarian push cart. The cart was able to accommodate a tripod, with the camera facing downward, and two spotlights. I connected the camera to a projector with an HDMI cord, allowing the footage to stream directly to the screen. The space was small enough that my humming filled the room. I also placed a small microphone near the tools so viewers could hear them clicking and cutting.