NEW YORK CITY: Stepping over a human being is now both a work and a walk of art. And they’ve made walking over a Balkan artist easier.
In 2-Dimensional, an unconventional installation/performance at Queer New York International Arts Festival, the Macedonia-born artist Igor Josifov lies underneath a Plexiglass structure. Josifov remains perfectly still inside the case. He will connect with the eyes of each person who passes over the platform.
At 6:15 p.m., Josifov was still wearing shorts when the men began moving into place the box that he would contain his body. A troop of people dragged the thick Plexiglass over the box. They proceeded to strip the paper covering off the Plexiglass. Josifov changed his hanging-out outfit into a formal black attire: he looked ready for an art opening. In this case, he was ready for his own opening.
By 6:40ish, we all filed in a line and walked over him. He was still inside the box around 8:20 pm when I left to go home.
In this performance, which runs through Thursday June 14, the artist is an observer as much as he is observed while the spectator becomes a performer. Most people simply walked over him, as if he were not there. I could not help but stop for a moment to meet Igor’s eyes. I felt a lot of complex feelings. I will say he is a brave, beautiful man. With amazing conceptual ideas. Step by step, Josifov has become one of the more thought-provoking performance artists to come out of the Balkans today.
I recommend you go down to Abron Arts Center. Feel what it is like to step over him yourself.
Wear nice shoes.
Igor Josifov in “2-Dimensional” in NYC | Photo by Randy Gener
Igor Josifov (Macedonia) – 2-Dimensional
Performance Installation
Tuesday through Thursday, June 12–14, at 8:00pm
Abrons Arts Center: Gallery
Free event
Venue Information
The Abrons Arts Center
466 Grand Street (at Pitt Street), NYC
212-598-0400
www.abronsartscenter.org
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Randy Gener
