“The Picnic: Harvest of the Zephyr” is the largest iteration of my series of picnic performances. This work is made from colorful tablecloths that are collaged into a giant quilted picnic-blanket dress structure that I wear while parading into a park site with co-performers wearing matching costumes. Co-performers are servants who accessorize my dress structure with wicker baskets filled with local and exotic fruits, and water. The goal of this work is to create a shared multi-cultural dining and leisure experience where people from all walks of life are invited to gather and converse harmoniously.

Our costumes were primarily made of vinyl tablecloths, and match my dress made of the same materials. We began at our starting location with my co-performers holding and steering the train of the dress in front of Grace Exhibition Space, 182 Avenue C at 2:45 pm. From there, we paraded northbound to 14th Street and Avenue C and headed westbound on the north side of the street, making one stop for a short break and display at Union Square. We then continued west towards 14th Street Park on 10th Avenue, completing the two mile journey. After arriving at our destination at 14th Street Park by the Hudson River, we unfolded the train of my dress to reveal a 40 ft by 40 ft picnic blanket for the public to convene on and share the eating of fruit together. I used the act of carrying natural food from East to West to spark conversation between people from different backgrounds. The fruits I provided also tell the story of migration, imported here and brought to the table. The blending of people from many geographic locations occurs on one blanket as we become one human family, as one body. The performance concluded at around 6 pm, and ended sweetly with the remaining fruits being happily accepted by passersby who missed the actual picnic performance.