Critical Correspondence

MR Festival 2009: Catalogue of Engagement: OBSERVE/ REFLECT

by Maggie Bennett

MR Festival Spring 2009: Roll Call

I Heart Judson
Monday April 27, 2009, Judson Memorial Church, 8:00 pm

Personal Reflection:

I was sad not to see dance. Lately, I’ve doubted contemporary dance’s effectiveness as a means of expression and communication. Why are we yoga crazy and not dance crazy? Moving towards thinking that how dance is manifested in theaters right now is not a very effective use of the form, for our culture right now. But being at Judson, and not seeing Dance, evoked such a deep sadness, sense of loss, my mirror neurons craved any sort of movement experience, I could, for the first time in months, experience a deep reverence for dance. For the lineage of human expression held in our bodies. Even the space needs dance to celebrate its awesomeness. A Judson without dance reminded me how much we need dance to celebrate our own awesomeness.

Critical Reflection:

The Hannah Complex, Patrick Davison and Mike Rugnetta

Left brain get to work! grasping onto images and language that resonate, that poke into equations of meaning already in my head. Explanation of universal truths about construction of self/identity, very male-moral-development — external universals rather than more female interpersonal/relationship driven. Hannah Montana Complex — machine of hyper reality, which goes beyond multiple realities like that which is created through works of fiction.

The piece was direct, a proof, of sorts, and logically led to the conclusion it was set up to prove. Graphic images projected on overhead revealed logic through symbols for our brains to hold onto when the spoken language rushed by too quickly. It was exact. It was effective.

“But wait!” I wanted to yell. “Yes, she is a machine, and has in a way brainwashed millions of adolescent girls, BUT!!! Behold! Our brain’s amazing ability to comprehend a hyper reality!!! Hurrah for human beings.” That’s right. We are ALWAYS projecting/creating/manifesting reality. Our entire conception of reality is not what is in the world, but rather what our little brains MAKE of what’s out there. It’s all just particles attracting or repelling each other. Hannah Montana, as a collection of particles, repels the collection of particles that create Maggie Bennett’s brain, but Maggie Bennett can hold the awareness that Hannah Montana simply exists, and it is how Maggie chooses to perceive her that creates an experience with her.

Hannah Montana might push the faculty of perception in the opposite direction of enlightenment — towards false perception, rather than clarity. But those of us who can see, can see. And we are artists. So with our art, we get to utilize that same faculty, towards creating experiences of the imagination that reveal clarity of perception, truth of existence.

By just explaining the amazing stunt she has pulled and presenting her as a monster for it, I feel just validates her as a reality I must accept, rather than one that reminds me how I can play with our perception of “real.” I want work that facilitates unknown experiences of my human existence. Open pockets of unknown for me, rather than make me afraid of those that already exist!