Performance: The Reading

While working with the Tarot painting series, I reached an impasse on the “court cards”. I wanted them to refer to character types and personality characteristics, but I didn’t want them to be very gendered (King and Queen are highly gendered terms). I also wanted to avoid using specific body types. So, I decided to work with performance artists so that I could use their gestures and movements through space to represent the ideas for each card.

During our collaboration I began by reading the interpretations of various tarot cards to the artists. Their improvised movements in response to those prompts was the starting place for my paintings. As the artists moved, I read prompts and drew their movements in my sketchbook. I also videotaped the experiences so I could refer to the actions back in my studio.

In addition to providing raw material for the court cards, the group’s other intention was to build a performance piece.

We developed a work called "The Reading". In this piece, I spoke, drew cards, and circled the performers while drawing in my sketchbook. The performers each choreographed a section of the work based on one of the cards in a tarot reading that I did for the group early in our collaboration.

"The Reading" is a collaboration between eleven artists from many varied backgrounds. It is inspired by, and is an extension of, Caroline's work using Tarot Cards. And, it is an expression of her longtime dedication to art collaboration.

This piece was created within the Intersections: Inspiring Influences collaboration project. The overall project was conceived by Kelsey Trottier to bring visual artists, dancers, writers, musicians and performers together. "The Reading" was one of three collaborations created for this project.

Collaborators for "The Reading": Caroline Rufo, Raquel Kober (cello, composer), Sara Marhamo, Rachel, Emily Jawadekar, Shayne, Iman R. Louis-Jeune, Gyorgy A. Porkolab, Jessie Hansen, Ethan Pravetz, and Alice Rufo.