besenkopf's activities

#30

2010-08-12T02:27:00.003-04:00

ONE HOUR IMPROVISATION

One person writes the names of six painters on six index cards. The first index card is shown to the performer, and the performer is instructed to create a painting in the style of the painter listed on the first card. After ten minutes, the painter is shown the second card. The performer immediately stops work on the first painting and begins work on a painting in the style of the most recently named painter. The process is repeated until one hour has elapsed.

Notes:
--The performer may use any materials that are on hand
--If the performer is unfamiliar with the work of any given painter, the performer must stop painting for ten minutes. The surface meant to be painted at that time must be left blank.
--Variations are encouraged.

#29

2009-07-06T14:41:00.001-04:00

Put up garage sale flyers in your neighborhood. However, instead of leading people to a garage sale, the flyers will lead people to an art installation/exhibit/performance.

#28

2008-11-13T17:42:00.000-05:00

Find the score to a piece of music. Read all the notations aloud: time signature, key signature, notes, durations, dynamics, etc. Do it with or without an instrument in your hands.

#27

2008-08-07T02:25:00.000-04:00

Spend a day saying nothing but negative things to everyone you encounter. Spend the next day saying nothing but positive things to everyone. Repeat, reversing order.

#26

2008-05-07T22:55:00.000-04:00

Go to New York State during "Regents Week." Go to a high school and demand to take several exams. Demand that your scores be sent to "state ed." Contact "state ed" and ask to see your exam. Document your experiences.

#25

2006-08-14T01:35:00.000-04:00

Move all your belongings from your current residence to another location (a house, apartment, condo, public park, street corner, etc). Once all your belongings have been moved, move again. Repeat this exercise until you are tired of it.

#24

2006-04-05T00:58:00.000-04:00

Write down the name of every individual who comes off as an arrogant ass. Put them in categories such as "Poetry Bloggers," "Hollywood Types," "Indie Musicians," etc. The category with the most names wins.

#23

2006-03-27T00:35:00.000-05:00

Collect garbage. Package it and mail it to somebody. A good way to begin would be with Sotheby's Head of Contemporary Art, Tobias Meyer. Include a note that states, "Make this expensive."

#22

2006-02-26T22:39:00.000-05:00

Collect all the paperwork produced by "the management," "administration," or any other higher-ups at your place of employment. When a year has passed, bundle all the materials, give them a title, and display the package in a prominent place.

#1-#21

2006-02-04T01:55:00.000-05:00

#21
Create an amusement park of computer destruction. Fill it with old computer components and have a variety of ways guests can destroy them. For example, they can be smashed with hammers, buried, submerged in liquids, run over with cars, dragged by ATVs, thrown from heights, crushed with weights, etc. Guests could even bring their own computers.

#20
Go to an art museum and study the works on display. Use the simplest materials possible to create replicas of the works. For example, copy a painting using a single piece of paper, or copy a sculpture using a pipe-cleaner, toothpick, or paper clip. Title them and set up a display outside the museum. Sell the pieces or note that they are "Not For Sale."

#19
Observe people in a public area. Set a specific length of time you will stay and observe them. Keep a running journal of what the people are doing. Type up the results and call it a "happening." Repeat. Then, compile all the collected "happenings" and publish in book form or on the internet.

#18

Write a poem in the form of a meatloaf. Place the poem on an actual meatloaf.
OR
compose the poem directly on meatloaf
OR
create a piece of environmental art by crafting giant words out of individual meatloaves.

#17
Pretend you are a toaster for an hour. Then select another appliance, and pretend you are that item for another hour. Continue until you have completed a twenty-four hour cycle.

#16
Become a runner. Race anyone who will take you on: joggers, children on tricycles, people walking dogs, horses, mopeds, taxis, police officers... Keep track of your wins and losses.

#15
Videotape yourself sleeping. Send it to a major television network as the pilot for the next hit reality series.

#14
Dress up like a chimpanzee, set up a typewriter, and start typing. After a while, begin retyping Hamlet.

#13
Sign up to read at a poetry open mic night; when it is your turn to read, go to the microphone and say nothing. Whenever anyone says anything, cough. When your allotted time is up, quietly return to your seat-- or tell the audience you have a chapbook available.

#12
Go in a public place and make wild “creative” gestures; when people ask you what you’re doing, tell them you’re sculpting. Then give your sculpture a pretentious title (or a nonverbal title) and make a placard for it. Be sure to post your asking price.

#11
Propose marriage to people you have never met; publish their responses in book form or online.

#10
Plot out the forms of several triangles in a large, open area. Point a video camera skyward and walk the perimeters of the triangles. Broadcast the results. Repeat with other shapes.

#9
Use the word “Potatoes” in place of any noun or pronoun you use. Do this for as long as you like.

#8
Write the worst blog possible. Write it in a secret code only you understand. Publish it every minute so it shows up on the blogger homepage. See if people leave you comments. If they don't, fill the blog with insulting messages to those who don't leave comments.

#7
Find a good special effects makeup artist, and give yourself horrific injuries. Dance, sing, and act happy for an entire day while wearing the makeup.

#6
Think of the most obscure artists (of any field) you know, excluding yourself. Make a list. Recite the list in an area heavy with foot traffic.

#5
If you are of average size, have a makeup artist dress you up in a "fat suit." Hide a video camera on your person. Videotape individuals' reactions to you. The next day, at the same time, and the same place, walk around as you normally are and do the exact same things. Videotape this as well. The day after, at the same time, play a video of what you witnessed.

#4
Go to several bookies and find out what the odds would be if YOU were an entry in the 4th race at Aqueduct on any given Thursday. Do something (anything) with the sequence of numbers.

#3
Have a barbeque in a fast food restaurant parking lot. Better yet, barbecue outside, then eat the food inside.

#2
Send a random videocassette (from your own collection-- or someone else's) to a film festival as your submission. Blank videocassettes are also acceptable.

#1
Apply for a job for which you are vastly under/misqualified.

For example, if you have an English degree, respond to a classified advertisement that is looking for an OB/GYN. Or, if you have a good deal of experience in retail sales, apply for a job as an assistant professor in an Ivy League English department.

All activities should (but don't have to be) documented.