Selected as part of the Artist-in-Residence program at Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center, POWDERBURN was first workshopped in Fall 2009. Throughout the residency, work included delving into both the slang/languages and physicality of the material. Research ranged from ethnic exogroups to exoticism; cockfight culture to postcolonialism. Daily strength and duration exercises led to the practice and performance of one individual act of aggression, drawn and isolated from within the text, per night. Those acts included, among others: Jumpen, youth-driven European form of street dance; Military drills influenced by Krav Maga, IDF’s fighting technique, Speczna, Soviet Army training system, and US Army Cross-Fit approach; Fireplay; Turkish Oil Wrestling; Backyard Deathmatches; and finally, Intros of each character to an invited audience. Throughout the POWDERBURN residency, the physical demand made upon each participant was continually increased as each act further degraded the characters being developed. The intent of the daily regimen to strengthen the dynamic between the group also blurred the distinction between performer and character, creating the opportunity to examine the larger piece and ongoingly develop POWDERBURN. All aspects of residency filmed and photo-documented for future installation and production.

Subsequent performance excerpts: public presentations of a select theme within POWDERBURN using site-specific locations. Masculinity/Esquire, a penthouse suite transformed into a highly confrontational tequila/reggaeton male strip-show, filmed in night-vision. Violence/First Fight, a six-man brawl set amidst a clusterfuck of smoke/snow/strobe machines in whitewashed concrete storefront space, filmed and photo-documented. Spectacle and Immigration excerpts upcoming.

powderburning@gmail.com | facebook.com/powderburn

Excerpt of POWDERBURN performed at:
Esquire Magazine’s Signature Space at The Soho Mews
Benefit for The Watermill Center | New York City | 29 October 2009
Performers: Joshua Seidner, Sardor Sodikov, Leif Huckman, Alessandro Magania

Excerpt of POWDERBURN performed at:
Love Contemporary Magazine pop-up | New York City | 02 March 2010
Performers: Joshua Seidner, Tom Macy, Leif Huckman, Brian Greer, Eric Goldberg,
Gadi Rouache | Video: Johnny Woods | Photo: Christopher Wilczek | Tech: Ian Sullivan

POWDERBURN video installation:
Watermill Brooklyn Gallery | Brooklyn | New York
Closing Reception 04 March 2010 Extended to 25 March 2010

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