PERFORMANCE INTERVENTION PROJECT- Milene Tapuy

 PERFORMANCE INTERVENTION PROJECT

    My final performance project, The Line, is a simple but powerful way to show how people experience different levels of safety, money, and support in life. I created a long tape line on the floor in a public space. One end of the line was labeled “Safe,” and the other end was labeled “Struggle.” Everyone started together in the middle, which represents the idea that people think everyone begins life the same way. The goal of this project is to help people see that this is not true and that our different backgrounds and resources affect us more than we realize.
During the performance, I read statements out loud, and people moved based on whether the statement was true for them. If it was true, they stepped toward “Safe.” If it was not true, they stepped toward “Struggle.” Some of the statements were: “My family never worries about paying bills,” “We always have enough money for food,” “I can go to the doctor whenever I need,” “I can buy new clothes when I need them,” “I can try new hobbies without money being a problem,” “I can buy medicine without worrying about the price,” and “My parents don’t have to work multiple jobs.” These may sound like simple things, but they show big differences in how people grow up. As the activity went on, people spread out. Some moved closer to “Safe,” while others stayed near “Struggle.” This created a clear picture of inequality that everyone could see.
My project connects ideas from The Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell and Adrian Piper’s Catalysis series to show how people can appear side-by-side but still live very different lives. In Freedom Writers, many students face danger, fear, and a lack of support, while other students their age grow up with safety, resources, and opportunities. Adrian Piper’s Catalysis performances also explore how society reacts to people based on assumptions about their identity, behavior, or background. The quotes like “My family never worries about paying bills,” “We always have enough money for food,” “I can go to the doctor whenever I need,” “I can buy new clothes when I need them,” and “My parents don’t have to work multiple jobs” help highlight what everyday privilege can look like. These simple statements show the difference between living with security and living with constant stress. By bringing these ideas together, my project uses the body, just like Piper, and real experiences, like Gruwell’s students, to show how people start in the same place but move apart because of inequality. The goal is to help others see these differences clearly and build more understanding and empathy.
To reach people, I performed The Line in my job, where anyone could join. Some people participated but didn't want to be shown in the camera. I recorded the event with photos and video and then posted everything on the class blog. Many people told me that the activity opened their eyes. Some said they didn’t realize how privileged they were. Others said it felt uncomfortable to see themselves so close to the “Struggle” side. These reactions showed that the project worked and made people think about inequality in a new way.
This project aligns with my goal of creating art that addresses social issues and engages people. I want to make work that connects with real people and starts important conversations, and The Line shows that I can do that. Overall, The Line helped me grow as an artist by showing me how powerful it can be when art, people, and real-life experiences come together to spark reflection and change.

 link: Presentation 2.pptx