Blair Bogin

In Residence: March 14 - May 6, 2016Social Practice: The Human Condition

Blair Bogin generates documentary-based performance, photo and video that imparts poetic humor into topics of esotericism. With influences from Humanistic Psychology, Eastern Philosophy and Astrology, she measures the facts about individuation against its lesser quantifiable absurdities. Based out of Chicago, she conducts pop-up art spaces and runs Wax Long, a monthly full moon performance event. She recently received her MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

During her time at PlatteForum, Bogin plans to immerse herself in the symbolic language, history and contemporary use of birthdays. She seeks to entertain the yearly fete as a paradox, both a glorification of the ego as well as a destabilization of identity in its overlapping with others who share the same date or archetypical categories.

For her Learning Lab series Blair plans to create workshops structured by improvisational prompts, writing and group play, each designed to give freedom to creative impulse that challenges barriers of self-censorship. Focusing on thinking on your feet, on trusting one’s instincts, a “first thought, best thought” meditation on the lessons to learn from what is automatic, flowing and at times, nonsensical. This will culminate into a student produced variety show, a mix of scripted text, improv, installation and audience interactivity that re-imagines the collective symbols of the birthday ritual.