day one

day one
My name is Jo Nasvik and The Missoula Dress Project is a one-month performance art piece as part of my BFA thesis. As an artist I am interested in the intersection of street art, performance art, and drawing. During the month of February I have committed to wearing this wedding gown daily and will be sewing and pinning onto the dress the evidence of my consumption. Such as coffee cups, wrappers, plastic bags, paper scraps, aluminum cans.....and so on. It is important to me that my art has cultural meaning, so I chose a wedding dress to indicate the excessive "marriage" between consumers and industry.


Saturday, February 4, 2012


   
     So, I'm sorry that I did not check in last night....I was too busy out parading around town and dancing at the Little Smokies show. First Friday Art Walk brings in a lot of folk and good weather on a Friday ensured that my downtown public debut would not go unnoticed. I actually had a really fun night, I was able to forget that I was wearing this giant gaudy wedding dress a few times. I must be aware of the scissors though when I'm dancing, I cut myself enough times just sewing the dress together. I am starting to realize some things that are going to come along with this project. I have never been so aware of my consumption before in my life. I spend quite a bit of time cutting and sewing up every piece of evidence that I cant help but start to change the way I do things. I have to keep up with my own consumption, so I always have to be working on this dress. If I drink a PBR because I'm stressed out working on the dress, I get mad at myself when I have to cut it up and sew it on when I'm all done with it. I directly pay the price for everything that I would waste/recycle. Also some people treat me differently because of this project. If something is uncomfortable for some people to acknowledge it is easier for them to look away, pretend it is not there. But I am here, and I'm going to be here all month, reminding myself and my viewers of the commitment we have with the industry.
Highlights of the Day
1. I can still dance in the dress
2. Haven't fallen yet
3. Hanging out with friends that aren't weirded out by the dress or me 
4. Realizing Valentines day was this month.

Lowlights of the Day
1. Spending 8 hrs. sewing on my second day's worth of evidence
2. It is only day 3....
3. Realizing Valentines day was this month.
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1 comment:

  1. MeFebruary 7, 2012 at 9:35 PM

    You are just so dang cool!! I want to meet you. (random viewer in southern California!)

    ReplyDelete

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