Purge Installation

Brian Lobel

On his 30th Birthday, Brian Lobel performed PURGE, witnessed by over 5000 people internationally. Brian Lobel spent one minute describing and defending his 1400 Facebook friendships to strangers in a public space. At the end of each minute, three people from the audience voted on who would be KEPT and who would be DELETED. The deleting was real, the pace was maniacal, the results were final. The installation of Purge addresses where online friendship stops and real friendship begins (and if this is a distinction that is possible or important).

PURGE will be repeated by two Austin-based performers in April 2015 as part of Fusebox Festival. Kymberlie Quong-Charles and another guest purger will use their real group of friends and will be responsible for KEEPING or DELETING them based on your vote.

Visit Sa-Tén anytime from 1-7pm from Tuesday April 7 – Friday April 10 to watch or participate.  Stay a short time, or grab a coffee or your lunch and settle in!

blobelwarming.com/purge

PURGE INSTALLATION ARTISTS

JEFF MILLS:  Tues 7 & Wed 8 Is an interdisciplinary theater artist living in Austin, TX. Over the last 20 years, he has worked as a writer, director, producer, and performer with the Rude Mechanicals (ATX), Salvage Vanguard Theater (ATX), The Jim Henson Company (NYC), Zach Scott (ATX), Fusebox Festival (ATX), Breaking String Theater (ATX), Physical Plant (ATX), Think Tank (ATX), and St Idiots Collective (ATX). Jeff is currently touring internationally with the live action graphic novel, The Intergalactic Nemesis, as well as The Hidden Room’s Der Bestrafte Brudemord, and is the head writer/producer of INdustry Night, a live old school variety show shot in Austin, Texas.

KYMBERLIE QUONG-CHARLES:  Thurs 9 & Fri 10     For more than a decade Kymberlie has organized in movements which envision a world that is abundant in resources, makes space for everyone to thrive, values everyone’s story equally, elevates the importance of aesthetics for wellness and healing, is not punitive, and keeps everyone safe from harm. Grounded in these ideals, her current focus is addressing our nation’s over-reliance on criminalization and immigration detention. As a collective member of INCITE! Women and Trans People of Color Against Violence and its Austin, TX affiliate Mamas of Color Rising she is also fighting for reproductive autonomy for poor and working class women of color in her local community. A coalition-builder and facilitator by nature, Kymberlie’s work emphasizes human connection and the role of relationships in struggling toward shared visions. When not organizing she is supporting the dreamworld of her eight year-old who is well on his way to solving our world’s most pressing challenges!

With special thanks to Sa-Tén for their support in hosting the Austin edition of Purge, the Installation.  Check out Sa-Tén’s delicious Japanese-inspired menu of coffee and eats HERE

Brian Lobel will also be performing a 60-minute stage show based on PURGE at The Off Center on Wed April 8 and Friday April 10.

Purge the installation was originally developed for motiroti (London, UK) and ANTI Festival of Contemporary Art (Kuopio, Finland).