FANZINE

We’ve not ignored this event, Performa – perhaps New York’s most exciting new biennale, founded by RoseLee Goldberg in 2004, and focused on performance art – we just couldn’t decide whether to do 3000 words a week on it (as Thom Donovan did a superb job of writing about the first week on his blog, WHOF) or blogging about it more briefly here. Alas, before the whole shebang comes to an end, here are four performances to check out.

Brody Condon: “Case”
For one of his two Performa pieces, Condon has taken William Gibson’s cult novel classic “Neuromancer” and created a performance around it. Ray Radtke and Sasha Grey, as well as other notable people, will perform in a reading based on the book. This is your only chance to catch “Case” in New York. However, Missourians are in luck! If you live in Missouri, the performance will be coming to you in the summer of 2010. “Case” will be performed at the New Museum (235 Bowery) on November 22nd at 12:00 PM. It costs $12

Katie Paterson: “Ancient Darkness TV”
On November 22nd, at 11:59 PM, Katie Paterson and the Manhattan Neighborhood Network will help you take a glimpse into the deep, dark depths of space with Paterson’s minute long broadcast. Amazing and you don’t even have to get off your couch. “Ancient Darkness TV” takes place at the nearest television set, on November 22nd from 11:59 to 12:00 AM. It is free.

Mike Kelley: “A Fantastic World Superimposed on Reality: A Select History of Experimental Music”
Mike Kelley, artist and founder of “Destroy All Monsters”, has curated a two-day experimental music festival within Performa. With an emphasis on the avant-garde and atonality, the festival will unite both the past and present of experimental music. “A Fantastic World” includes presentations of works from John Cage and Bruce Nauman, as well as performances by Genesis Breyer P. Orridge and John Zorn. “A Fantastic World” takes place at the Gramercy Theater (127 East 23rd Street) on November 20th to November 21st, from 6 PM to 12 AM. It costs $50 for both days, $30 for one.

_{Mike Kelly}

Christian Tomaszewski and Joanna Malinowska: “Mother Earth, Sister Moon”
Artists Christian Tomaszweski and Joanna Malinowska have teamed up to create a stellar installation that blends Soviet-era space exploration and science fiction. The installation includes a gigantic space suit sculpture that viewers can go inside of. The space suit is an epic recreation of the suit worn by Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space (way before Sally Ride). The installation includes three fashion shows held inside of the space suit, though it the suit itself is open for viewing and exploration until Performa ends. “Mother Earth, Sister Moon” takes place at Chashama 679 (679 Third Avenue) from November 4th to November 21st. The installation is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 12 to 6 PM and is free. Tickets to the performance on November 21st at 8 pm cost $12.

For more information about these and other events, as well as Performa ’09 in general, check out their website: http://performa-arts.org/

-Alyssa Bianca-Pavley…