Anette Friedrich Johannessen

#Order is a series of performances that explores the very meaning of simple, everyday rituals, utilizing simple materials with relevance to both our daily lives and nature. Actions are deconstructed, the power of definition challenged, and the roles of both performer and spectator collide. The performances are often durational and repetitive in form, where presence and purity is sought after. The individual exercises explore relatable patterns and systems, but when the role of the spectator dissolves the exercises themselves, they are forced to develop new identities. #Order brings forth discussions about identity, senses of belonging, and adaptations.

“Order#7” is a durational performance, repeated up to three times.

The materials were gathered from surrounding building sites, gardens and landfills. In total, 350 mortar bricks from different time periods were dusted and brought to the studio. Despite cleaning them, the distinctive smell—a combination of old mortar, wet wood and rot—still clung to them. The bricks were then placed in a giant, organized pile in the middle of the room.

I started placing batches of six bricks—all of the same kind/production year—in front of the audience in a pattern, the form of which was not decided prior to the performance. Instead, the distinct features of each brick decided how the pattern would evolve (cracks, color, size, et cetera). In the end, I had created a structure that ran through the empty void of the studio, resembling a wall, a ruin, or even a bridge. This structure served as the basis for the next performance where the old order was deconstructed so that something new could arise.