"Current" Performance Art
Saturday October 29, 2005
Chinese Performance artist He Yun Chang, who can be forgiven, maybe, because he's from China and not Buffalo, New York, made a lightning decision during a visit to Buffalo that tying a rope around his waist and wading into the Niagara River would be some kind of idea for a Performance piece. Couple of problems: (1) The rope's knot came untied, (2) the artist, who was nude (Hey, it was pertinent to the piece. Somehow.) was left to fend for his nude self and wade back to shore (about 40-50 yards above the brink of the American Falls) and (3) passers-by saw a nude guy wading in the rapids about 40-50 yards above the brink of the American Falls and immediately dialed 911 thinking, "Suicide!" Fast forward to a wet, tired Chang being advised of his rights, photographed (two views) at the police station and informed of his upcoming court dates.
Note to the Artist: Chang! Chaaaaaaang, buddy - did you happen to notice there's quite a current in that river? That's on account of the 176-foot drop you were 120-feet from discovering. It only would've taken you about one second - a mere 70-foot drop - to experience it first-hand, due to there being about one hundred solid feet of rocks piled up at the base of those particular falls. Which, for your future reference, we sane people guess is the main reason insane people go over the OTHER, Canadian, Horseshoe Falls. You ever hear the saying, "Life is short, but art is long?" No need to speed things up, my friend.
Note to the Artist: Chang! Chaaaaaaang, buddy - did you happen to notice there's quite a current in that river? That's on account of the 176-foot drop you were 120-feet from discovering. It only would've taken you about one second - a mere 70-foot drop - to experience it first-hand, due to there being about one hundred solid feet of rocks piled up at the base of those particular falls. Which, for your future reference, we sane people guess is the main reason insane people go over the OTHER, Canadian, Horseshoe Falls. You ever hear the saying, "Life is short, but art is long?" No need to speed things up, my friend.
Comments
Who the hell are you to jump to assumptions regarding someone’s sanity. Your comments on this person’s work are rude and ignorant. There is plenty of BAD art in the world – get used to it.
“Person with an opinion about the laws of physics” would pretty much cover “who the hell” I supposed I was while marveling that the artist had not been killed. Unlike your “BAD,” I had no opinion on the quality of a performance piece I did not see; rather, my opinion – with which you disagree, as is your right – was that it’s stupendously “ignorant” to wade in the 55 m.p.h. Niagara River current directly above the brink of the American Falls. My most recent opinion about “rude” is almost certainly something you’d not enjoy reading, either.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts, Linda.