Katya Grokhovsky, Invitation to slow dance, 2010 (Dancing with Patrick 'Q' Quilao)photo Andrew Green
Reconstructed and remixed from stage directions in "DOG", a play by Valentin Kransogorv translated by Benjamin Sher.
Performative Text.
"A woman.
A dog
her role.
Somewhere in Russia.
WOMAN. Whispers under her breath. Spitefully.
The woman makes a vague gesture.
The puppy.
Expressive gesture.
The howling grows louder.
The woman shrugs her shoulders.
She inhales deeply.
Momentarily silent.
reaches into pocket.
This procedure is repeated three times.
Rubs her nose.
The woman. Again reaches into pocket.
Hands the money.
Silence.
The woman makes her way slowly.
WOMAN. with icy contempt.
Shakes her head.
WOMAN. Confused."
Red trench coat. Black tights. Gold stiletto heels. A large fur bean bag in a shape of a cute puppy-bear-creature on a bloody leash tied to the woman's hand.Dragging the bag behind her, her puppy, she shushes it softly, putting her middle finger to her lips. I think it's howling, ever so slightly. Sculptural. aware of the vast space around her. Conjuring up the absurd. The bizarre. She is far.
Somewhere in Russia.
Colder than here.
Now, she flicks through the latest Italian vogue.
Treadmill. 2 hours. Shower. Lotions and makeup. Gold heels. Red coat. Black short dress. ready to leave his apartment.
He is still breathing softly and heavily on that wide comfortable bed.
She glances at him, turns around, inhales the smell of fresh blood. deeply. swiftly walks towards the door.
Exit woman.
Exit man. He stops breathing.
bloody sheets.
his dog.
Also dead.
all dead.
she.
Woman confused
Icy.
lethally aware.
red.
lips.
roses. have some whiskey honey you are tense.
she is tense. the howling grows louder.
licking. smelling the blood.
Woman inhales.
she changed her clothes.
red black and gold
her favorite combination.
Craving blood.
once again.
woman shakes her head
makes a vague gesture.
expressive.
Gone.
This procedure is repeated three times.
Recently. Performative texts and increased sensitivity to light. perform it perform it.What a woman what a woman what a woman what a woman. Theories and metal thinking. Slow slower slowing down. my heart beats faster, strong coffee and organic espresso chocolate. 3 am. studio. I am essentially trying to think . Thinking hard. Who tells you? who talks to you. Russian play list building up, one life, one life one chance.Gender gender make gender art art systematize ephemeral permanent versus public private discoursing through planet orbiting sleeves sleeves . 13 new fashion garments an unwearable collection for us for you for her and him. Moscow nights, Moscow doesn't believe in tears. last drop, sweat bring us your sweat and tears. Blood. we want your blood. Bleed for us. and we will follow. Lead us. I will lead. I shall lead you into the heavenly skies of stars and at the top of that tallest hill I will slash your throat with my paper knife. My paper knife. Towards you.
Borscht Dinner. Coming right up. 13 guests.
13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13
repeat and think.
drink that vodka.
whiskey and cigarettes.
Americana. Americana. Wanna be Americana.
He will never be back.
Sophia....
Dance and drink smoke and think love and twirl around. Proposing. Posturing. MALE action. To propose to act to male it out. Boys complain they are sometimes the only ones in their classes. They are outnumbered, outsourced and hunted down. Rarity.
eat some meat and behave. collect some bones. drink red wine mix it all up and sing me a song.
Salsa your way out of there..dance down that corridor. Put on your tulle skirt . Gender and love, food and sex, dreams sleep, dirt and lust. do it for all of them. for him. Cook something.Dream big. Moralito. Baby, how long has it been. Little bit of summer, write me a poem like you used to. Throw it down be mine.
the melting ribs and marinted steak. the new family. don't let me let go. ice cream root bear float?
chewing gum
butterfly
hold it!
I will bow to each one of you.
Thank you.
Katya Grokhovsky, artgreed, 2010
