Sub Rosa #2 (Red Version)

Performance / Part of poetry event "Vis-à-vis" organized by Voix de la Méditerranée / Place des Châtaignons / Lodève - France / July - 2014 / Duration: 20'

Material: artist's body, 6 coloured shirts (ranging from dark red to white), white underwear, glue, audience members

Action: The audience is situated in a public square, whilst the artist exits a building and appears wearing a tightly buttoned-up red shirt. He positions himself on an elevated staircase and slowly begins to unbutton the first shirt, in order to reveal another shirt underneath, continuing to do so until all shirts are partially unbuttoned into the form of a ‘rose’ opening up and grading from the darkest colour to white. The artist walks down towards the viewers and raises his arm in order to invite a male member of the audience. Whilst holding hands and engaging in direct eye contact, the artist uses his other hand in order to completely unbutton the first shirt, take it off his shoulder and pass it onto the audience member through the sleeve, without letting go of his hand. This process is repeated with other male audience members until all five coloured shirts have been passed on, remaining dressed with the final white shirt. By assuming a position at the other end of the square, the artist begins to unbutton the sixth shirt that seems to be completely glued on his body. In an attempt to remove this clothing item from himself, the shirt is forcefully peeled off from the skin by using both hands. When the shirt has been removed, the artist drops the partially solid shirt onto the floor, looks at it and then walks though audience members in order to enter the building in front of him.