more prayingproject

As I usually note when blogging, it is so difficult to quickly compress an experience into these posts. There is so little time in life to process -- we're on to the next thing in a blink.
And so it was with prayingproject. For three days we were in what now seems a bubble away from the world. Contained in picture windows where the outside world looked in on us, we were protected from the profanity of life and yet part of its fabric. The pane of glass between us and the world provided a kind of safety. And yet there was an aspect of voyerism. Many visitors entered the gallery, walked around, sneaked up close behind us for an intimate view, peeked around corners.
And in the sacred space we held, life did unfold within and without us. As I noted in an earlier post, the personal experience was challenging, and metaphorical for the spiritual journey.
Most of us experienced some kind of pain on Saturday: emotional, physical, psychological difficulties with the process and the performances. Friday had been fresh with the promise of possibility. Sunday was transcendent.
Everyone at Exit Art took such good care of us. It was a 3 day embrace. Interns picking up our props and putting them on stage for us, sharing with us their personal experiences of our work. Camilla, assistant curator, continuously asking if we were alright, if there was anything we needed, calmly keeping us on schedule, leading the way, finding us an extra performance in the constantly evolving line up. And finding the time amidst the frenzy to actually watch the performances. Exit Art founders, Colo and Jeanette, the visionaries, documenting the days, giving us thumbs up, looking like proud god/goddess parents the entire time. Toby, the gallery manager, videotaping and interviewing us. Ifema live-streaming us to the universe.
The performances came to a crescendo on Sunday night, then the artists and their mates were treated to a fabulous Indian feast at tables running the entire length of the huge gallery space -- and handmade matzo from Brooklyn.
More reflections and photos to come. Stay tuned. Also coming up - info on two benefit fund-raisers: Exit Art and The Matzo Files.