Moving Possibilities
If you felt limitless, what would you do? That question is central to the Moving Possibilities project. Many of the answers involve social change. Create world peace. Start a school for poor kids. Save the planet. Out my girlfriend.
To make any change manifest, one must first be able to imagine it. That's the essence of the Moving Possibilities project-to provide that kick start to the imagination via a multi-arts exhibit and improvised performances available for traveling to your community.
The project invites people to step out of their habitual ways of seeing their life choices, and to expand their perception of what's possible. Ultimately, we hope that the various paths of inspiration demonstrated in these works of art will exhort viewers to take action on behalf of their own dreams, moving from a perceived state of limitation into a place of action and exhilaration. It is in that state of mind that all progressive social change is born.
An Evolving Project
In the summer of 2007, improvisational performance artists Rhonda Morton and Peter Chwazik produced a two-minute videotape of three audience-interactive performances they staged on sidewalks in Corning, Elmira and Watkins Glen, NY. The performances were based on a poem Rhonda wrote called "Moving Possibilities," which explores how our beliefs and our imaginations can limit us or set us free.
In each of the cities, on a randomly chosen day, for an hour, Rhonda moved improvisationally, back and forth, parallel with the street, never moving the same way twice-exploring the idea of infinite choice even in a "limiting" situation. Peter played upright bass for two of the events and accordion for one of them, also improvisationally.
Meanwhile, a docent gave out broadsides upon which the poem "Moving Possibilities" had been incorporated into a two-dimensional work of art by visual artist Amelia Harnas. In addition, they had recorded Rhonda's reading of the poem, and passersby were encouraged to push a button on a tape player to hear it while watching the performance. Set up on an easel nearby was a flipchart with this question written along the top: "If you felt limitless, what would you do?" Markers were provided for onlookers to write their answers to that question on the flipchart.
A Video is Born
Corning videographer Dave Rochelle videotaped all three performances and the audience reactions to them. He then created a video montage from the footage while Peter scored a soundtrack for it out of recordings of his live performances and the street sounds. The poem, read by Rhonda, is narrated throughout the short film.
Meanwhile, Rhonda recruited 15 regional visual artists to create work inspired by the poem, and curated an exhibit of that work at the Palace Theatre Gallery on Market Street in Corning for November and December 2007. The "Moving Possibilities" videotape was a part of the installation.
Read an article in the Elmira Star-Gazette about the Moving Possibilities exhibit.
What's Next?
We will be performing Moving Possibilities at regional arts festivals in the summer of 2008. We also hope that we receive funding to loan the exhibit to six member libraries of the Southern Tier Library System. Each library would house the exhibit for two months. At the opening of each exhibit, Peter and Rhonda will perform for an hour.
We are also seeking galleries in the region to be hosts of the exhibit. Please contact us if you are interested.