Sunday, January 30, 2011

copy cat style

Ever since I was little, I’ve always been a copy cat. Just ask my older sister. I learn best from watching other people and trying on their clothes, their ideas, their movements. I find much inspiration from work that’s been copied. Whether its a mash up, a collage, a pastiche, a remix, a mixtape, a photocopied ‘zine, I’m inspired by the magic of anything involving the process of copy, cut, and paste.

For the styles project, I’ve projected images and shamelessly danced with the styles of other members of MomoButoh company.

Copying another’s style in this way may seem absurd. I could never really copy the dance of Momo or Lee or Rev or Carolyn no matter how hard I tried.

Still, when I dance with you, and try on your style, something appears in the dance as unique, distinct, original and authentic. In my awkward attempts to look like you, to mimic your moves, to dance your dance, an original style peeks through. My original voice can’t help but sing loud and clear when I copy you.

And when I appear in your style, I get out of my own way. Style becomes the container for the singular voice I may not have known that I had.

In this way, I participate in your act of creation and you in mine.

Style becomes the container where I can create. Even when the style is copied.

In container of your style I get a chance show up as real.




Camera by Heidi Madsen Music for Violin by Liz Landis

5 comments:

  1. what a great exploration...
    love watching you climb down the stairs, into your atmosphere, with the image of 'copying' style in front of the giant screen! beeeautiful, made my eyes light up.
    .. and what you're saying about finding your own moves and style within others..
    your posts get me thinking.. opening new doors for me
    thank you!

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  2. fantastic concept for use of space/technology! that is so your style as well--to innovate with inspiration of others and what already IS....then as often is the case YOU disappear, YOU are in the shadows...and then YOU...who?....shows UP all the momo more. i wanted to see more of our members pieces and how you would copycat them. i want to read/hear more about how this helps YOU to "show up as real" I am so curious about this. this type of immersion and transformation/integration is what i first imagined ....you devised a way to do it at a distance--with us....so cool.

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  3. This made me want to dance with you!! A wonderful way to combine your style with others. Would love to see what/who else you would blend with. It is lovely to see your emerging, undoing of 'getting out of your way'. You have made a bridge here in momobutoh with all of us, thank you Patricia! Mmmmmm...more please ; )

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  4. how beauty-filled, dear patricia!! i love your perspective of how other's style can be the container where original style can appear... and it was so wonderful to see you emerge from there in this film...
    it was so lovely to see the projection of misty eve's dance and you dance your style with her - yes! it made me want to dance with you and all of you that way, too!! to dance with THAT technology together - extraordinary!

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  5. Wonderful Patricia, to see your style, which is definitely yours! Of course our styles are in a dynamic state of evolution. I have received so many gifts from everybody out here and have shamelessly adapted some other styles into my own ever more eclectic one.

    And I really love the ways that you have found to join in our dances from a large physical distance but a close space.

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