Exile1

Exile1 is a wearable sculpture. The dress, made of aluminum florets and black tulle, is mounted on a hidden pedestal. The height from the floor to the top of the hat is approximately 6.5 feet. The diameter at the base is around 6.5 FT.

The performer is "locked" into the dress, and, for the duration of the show, reads poems in a monotone voice. The piece is a reflection on isolation and mourning. While reading the book of poems, the conscious and elaborate breathing pattern, along with the uncontrollable tremor of tired muscles, confer a discreet movement to the aluminum florets, giving the dress a life of its own. Enfolded in so many layers, the breathing becomes a private, visceral, elegiac monologue. I seclude myself in a re-created universe: the dress becomes my prison. Physical isolation and somatic strain allow the awareness of raw feelings to surface.

While not performing, the dress covers a hand-made mannequin, becoming a sculpture.