2008 Woodie Awards
Artists search for boundaries of obscenity
Ashton Shurson - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 2/1/07 Section: Metro
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A girl with a white, candle-covered wheelbarrow strapped to her back paraded inside the Iowa City Public Library. Outside, a five-person red tarp-like suit emblazoned with words describing Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans did the same thing - trying to provoke thought in onlookers.
While it might have been unclear for some passersby what was taking place, the performance artists who set up the three exhibits at the library had one question they were trying to answer: "What is obscene?"
Wednesday's performances were arranged by the Institute of Obscenity, a group composed of two UI students and one UI faculty member. Their current work is part of a three-month long inquiry to prepare for a symposium this spring.
"Our goal is to find out what is obscenity and collect information as we go along," said David Dunlap, a UI associate professor of art. "We learn more and more every day … anything we know takes form in this performance."
UI graduate student Jill Baker used her space at the library to embroider names of lawmakers who have supported bills that encourage the war in Iraq. She would define the war as obscene.
"It's a quiet, intimate performance, a political performance," she said. "It's public art because people see me do it, and they ask questions and start a dialogue: 'Is my senator on this list?' 'Is this a protest?' "
In another window, a video showed people giving their own definitions about what is obscene. UI graduate student Jenn Myers wrote down key words from the interviews and held them up to the window.
Other displays included a peephole, which, Dunlap said, relates to one of the root meetings of obscenity.
"Peeping tells you a lot; it's a little secret," he said. "It's accessing the offstage that's not to be seen."
While it might have been unclear for some passersby what was taking place, the performance artists who set up the three exhibits at the library had one question they were trying to answer: "What is obscene?"
Wednesday's performances were arranged by the Institute of Obscenity, a group composed of two UI students and one UI faculty member. Their current work is part of a three-month long inquiry to prepare for a symposium this spring.
"Our goal is to find out what is obscenity and collect information as we go along," said David Dunlap, a UI associate professor of art. "We learn more and more every day … anything we know takes form in this performance."
UI graduate student Jill Baker used her space at the library to embroider names of lawmakers who have supported bills that encourage the war in Iraq. She would define the war as obscene.
"It's a quiet, intimate performance, a political performance," she said. "It's public art because people see me do it, and they ask questions and start a dialogue: 'Is my senator on this list?' 'Is this a protest?' "
In another window, a video showed people giving their own definitions about what is obscene. UI graduate student Jenn Myers wrote down key words from the interviews and held them up to the window.
Other displays included a peephole, which, Dunlap said, relates to one of the root meetings of obscenity.
"Peeping tells you a lot; it's a little secret," he said. "It's accessing the offstage that's not to be seen."
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