DENIAL, 2019

DENIAL was performed in 2019 at Resonant Frequencies (West Oakland, CA), 3 days after Southern California’s strongest earthquake in 20 years (magnitude 6.4, epicenter: Mojave Desert). It features the voice of natural disaster researcher Mika McKinnon acknowledging the patterns of humanity’s interdependence with earth systems and marveling at its simultaneous repudiation of them. Also using live footage of smoke and improvised visual and audio feedback, DENIAL comments on human-driven environmental feedback loops occurring at the global scale (our fossil fuel use warms the planet, begetting fires that release more carbon into the atmosphere, which contributes to more fires).

  • DENIAL
  • Expanded cinema performance
  • Allison Leigh Holt: videosculptures, smoke, live camera; Kit Young: live video synthesis; Dorien Gunnels: live sound; Bill Wiatroski: feedback samples (19:00, excerpt: 02:53)