The durational performance and installation work “Treehouse” is part of an exhibition by the same title. This is my response to a major fire in my family’s home and my art studio. The fire led to substantial loss of possessions, temporary displacement, prolonged restoration, testing my sense of security and familial stability.

The performance was conceived as a gift for my son Ajax and an act of rebellion against a society that tends to undervalue personal time. The installation for the performance is a triangular-shaped wood structure elevated on tree stumps with chalkboard paint on its interior walls.

I proposed an alternative world inside for playing games, making art, and enjoying each other’s company free from fears and distractions. This was both immediate and seemingly distant. I was present in the space throughout the exhibition and at times accompanied by my son. I invited the public to join me in setting aside time for meaningful endeavors and to contemplate love and compassion beyond their clichés. In the space were games and books for children and adults, as well as chalk for audience members to draw or write their reflections upon the interior walls.

Going through the fire reaffirmed my belief that our real lives are what matter most, and we can achieve our highest selves when, no matter the circumstance, we find the courage to be who we truly are and share with those around us.

I agree with Nietzsche, art should be the erstwhile improvisation of a god, and my work harkens back to the Dada movement with its celebration of play, curiosity, and wonder in art.

This state of mind is natural to the child, but if we don’t take the time to nurture it, it could get lost in the shuffle of schooling and careers in our current late-capitalist system that appears more focused on products than people. “Treehouse” draws from my on-going performance “Raising Baby X,” involving my daily experiences of motherhood as performance art. In this case, it is surviving a fire with my family and dealing with the psychological effects of its aftermath by creating an installation and performance as a site for shared rejuvenation and the triumph of love over adversity.