For three hours, I scraped the silver backing off a large mirror with a piece of metal. I attempted to remove all of the silver so that the mirror would turn into a piece of glass and I would be revealed to the audience. I ended up scraping only minuscule areas of silver away, so the front of my body was concealed for the entire performance.

The relationship between audience and performer is dynamic and varied, as is one’s relationship to their own face and body. One can never truly see how others view them, and we cannot often choose the moment to reveal our physical selves. In a world of endless selfies, I carry with me an avoidance of the camera and of the mirror—a contradictory gesture as an artist and performer. As a woman, I attempt to control the gazes which land on me, which is impossible. We carry our bodies with us, for good and for bad.

This piece was performed as part of the Industry of the Ordinary Summer Residency.