The Human Venn Diagram
For many years a good friend of mine has run a themed event where people present a painting, sculpture, performance, poem, song or cupcake depending on that year’s theme. In 2015 it was “Who’s your Dada?”, a celebration of the early 20th-century art(?) movement. I love the mix of chaos, chance and absurdity in Dada, so I figured something involving audience participation was worth a go. We went on last, when the crowd of about 80 was nicely loose. I was spotlit and never said a word; the instructions were written on large flip cards for everyone to follow. With each question, Brenda stretched another coloured band around everyone who answered yes, until the crowd became a living Venn diagram. Eighty fairly tipsy people squashed together inside elastic bands, dancing to “Sensoria” by Cabaret Voltaire (see what I did there?) What’s not to like? And we won!
The thinking
from the planningThe brief was a celebration of Dada, and every entry had to embody its spirit. I wanted something that used the guests themselves as the material: order imposed by rules, then chaos as the crowd got squashed together and started dancing.
- One band per questionEach yes group gets its own coloured band and subset, with the intersections showing who answered yes to what.
- Questions that get more confrontingThe early questions are easy to answer out loud. The later ones make people think twice before they step in.
- Say nothingEvery instruction was on a card, so the piece ran on its own rules rather than through me.
Updates
All updates →No updates yet.
Ask a question or leave a comment
Rather write privately? Email hello@pkm.nz