Blanket
In Blanket I video taped and projected a vendor from a Los Angeles’ Olvera Street market and used his movements as choreography. This is documentation of the performance.
Olvera Street is the oldest street in Los Angeles. It is a tourist attraction, a romanticized ideal of Mexican markets for some visitors, but more importantly it is a historical district full of cultural and artistic traditions. One of David Alfaro Siqueiros’ murals even hover above the booths tailored for the tourists. The street acts as a living museum; it could be mistaken for an inauthentic copy-pasted transplant, though it is the birthplace of L.A. Many of the vendors today are descendants from original vendors. I am interested in the confusing aspects of its presentation so near to Hollywood vs. its actual authenticity. What does the area mean to the people working there vs. the people visiting? Olvera Street has been established for generations but is still nomadic in nature. Everything—the stalls, food stands, and products can be moved easily and even the welcome sign can be pushed away. Anytime something is mobile, instead of considering it transitory or impermanent, I see it as something to be spread, shared, and ultimately it can have a more wide-spread impact.