The Pain Project
In January 2018, I started a journaling process to try and understand my daily physical pain. Each pain is represented by an impression of the body using black face paint. As I laid my spine down on the paper, I felt relaxation and relief. These paintings are how I am honoring my pain. One year and three journals later, I have made lifestyle changes and have connected with more people wanting to talk about their pain than I could ever have imagined.
For this performance I made a reprint of each day's journal entry onto a single canvas. A recording played in my ears telling me the date and the body part to paint, occurring every 15 seconds for 2 hours. The performance didn't demand spectatorship, simply existed within the gala environment. The result of the performance is a painting.
The Pain Project - Performance III
April 2019 ChaShaMa Gala
One World Trade
Duration: 4 hours
Photo credit: Dawn Rueda
