Juried Performance: A triptych and UN-Juried Exhibition, 2016-ongoing

“Juried Performance” multi-part project created by Phillip Mudd and Peter Christenson. The first is a video triptych of three performances that question the validity of a system of power structures designed to keep things exclusive. Decided by absentee juries. These supposed “masters” we “submit” our work to for validation and acceptance is a not so accepted process that is suppose to determine what exactly? Who is an artist and who isn’t? What is art and what isn’t? Who has agency and who doesn’t? Who is worthy and who isn’t?

comprised of 3 HD films documenting 3 unique yet simultaneously connected un-commissioned performances. The second component of JP revolves around an ongoing postal mail and “institutional intervention”aimed at “inviting” key curatorial players to “jury” the video performance series. To date (2/20/17) 9 USB drives have been loaded with a Quicktime video file of the documented performances and strategically sent to 9 well-known contemporary art institutions across the United States and Europe via post. As this project is technically un-commissioned and “un-juried,” it “forces” institutional review and participation by delivering the packages to the museums, moreover generating a discussion related to the submission of artist works, the jury process, and ultimate validation (or discredit) based on acceptance or denial.

A website has been built to track these “UN-juried” exhibitions, the date the packages were shipped and received, and to whom at the institutions the USBs were addressed (i.e. curator, director, etc.). The act of “selecting” these institutions and “jurors” strives to reverse and deconstruct the power dynamics and customary roles of maker and master. Are we only to submit to the all-powerful juror with the hope of one day being named master? Are there any gestures left that are just too powerful to ignore? Can we demand that a jury take notice? (Collaboration with Peter Christensen) More Here.