Six evenings of performances featuring 24 participants

October 7, 2015, 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Directions given and taken by: Jose Figueroa, Laetitia Sonami, Brett Cook, Sofia Cordova, Anne Walsh, Jim Melchert

Join us for the final evening of directions given – directions taken! Jim Melchert, the first person to issue instructions at the first performance evening in April, returns to close the circle. The evening will also serve as the release of a publication compiling all directions in the series.

directions given – directions taken invites 24 people to design instructions or parameters for the creation of new artworks. Each participant writes a prompt and receives a prompt, to be interpreted and enacted at one of six evening performances. The series creates a daisy chain of directions given and directions taken, with the first person to issue instructions returning on the final evening to read or perform those of another participant, thereby closing the circle.

directions given – directions taken is instigated by Michael Swaine. Based on Jim Melchert’s techniques for generating work and inspired by a Bay Area community of makers and thinkers, the project follows a lineage of instructional artwork from artists like Allan Kaprow, Yoko Ono and Sol LeWitt. All the directions will be published online and in a printed volume at the end of the cycle.

Participants include Binta Ayofemi, Paul Benney, Sita Bhaumik, Brandon Brown, Kevin Chen, Ishan Clemenco, Brett Cook, Sofía Córdova, Stephanie Ellis, Arash Fayez, Bean Gilsdorf, Vernon Keeve, Jim Melchert, Christian Nagler, Yasi Pereira, Kate Rhoades, Mike Shoun, Laetitia Sonami, Heather Smith, Anne Walsh, Jenifer Wofford, Sherri Lynn Wood and artists from Southern Exposure's Mentorship Program.

From the October 7, 2015 performance, directions by Sofia Cordova, enacted by Anne Walsh: