What We Talk About When We Talk About Play

Mr. Performance Art (Ken Bullock)

Years from now, when you talk about 6X6 Play, and you will talk about 6X6 Play, you'll say, "you just had to be there." Or maybe "I was there." Lots of us were, including the mayor, the managing editor of our local alternative rag, and international art star Paul Thomas. Curator Didi Dunphy ran the show like a playground impresario, and made everyone play by her rules. In fact, she selected 7 pieces, two of which were performed live. Ken Bullock had the place in an uproar, morphing from OCD talk-show host to ax-wielding, slip-wearing, birth-giving, Gina-calling maniac in his piece "Mr. Performance Art At it Again." Who's Gina? Who cares? It was sublimely ridiculous. Then Leslie Burns plunged the room into darkness for her performance of "Playtime with Subterranean Termites." Described by one attendee as "elegant," her piece involved a blacklight under which glowing termites arranged themselves around a pheromone-traced heart, like a miniature Busbee Berkeley musical. Haunting, mysterious, hushed.

What a night -- artists from all over, audience of artists, fans, and friends, the Ciné crew helping put it all together in the wonderful lab, and over in an hour. Fast, fun, and free!

Selections for Play:

• Squirrels in the Land of Sweatered Rabbits and Lost Socks: David Waddell, Houston, Texas. Stop-action animation. Video.
• Antics of Thursday: Vienne Chan and Joas Sebastian Nebe, Berlin, Germany. Video.
• Trust Exercises for Lovers: Brian Hitselberger, Athens, GA. Video.
• Mr. Performance Art at it Again: Ken Bullock, NY and Athens. Performance, live.
• Playtime with Subterranean Termites: Leslie Burns, Athens. Performance, live and video.
• Folly & Error: Michelle Handelman, NY. Performance, video.
• Imaginary Friends: Christine McLoughlin, Newcastle, UK. Video.

Coming up next: 6X6 Nature, curated by Kim Kirby. Be a part of it! Submit by April 21!