Kirsten Leenaars

Through a collaborative performance with spoken text, movement, and cellphones this performance explores the act of witnessing today in light of such recent events in America as the deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Freddie Gray. What does it mean to be a witness today? How is the story framed? What does your testimony mean? And what or who do you see? How can being a witness move away from merely being a passive observer to a position of hope, affecting change? The performers constantly shifted from position in space and asked consequently from the audience to shift their point of view accordingly. The performers’ cellphones became witnesses as the performers themselves document their performance and play the recording back at the very end. The Imaginary Center of Perception was part of the show After Today, curated by Lorelei Stewart. Performers: Marvin Tate, Matthew Robinson, Regin Iglora, Kim Chayeb, Wa Chontong, Opel Smittinet, Valentina Vella, Caleb Yono, and Lindsey Barlag. Drummer: Dan Bitney