Marcy Freedman’s ‘2020 vision’

Marcy B. Freedman, the Croton-on-Hudson performance artist, shares details of a recent project – and of her next interactive work.

It’s always exciting to hear from Marcy B. Freedman, the Croton-on-Hudson performance artist.

She’s been in touch with WAG, sharing details of a not only a recent project but her next interactive work, too.

First up, Freedman recently participated in a collective performance called “Conquest” in Manhattan, conceived by Pope L., a performance artist with a national reputation and known for his projects in which artists, literally, crawl.

As Freedman described it, Pope L. “selected more than 100 people – of various ages and abilities – to crawl through 25 city blocks in lower Manhattan, in a relay format.”

Freedman’s assignment took her through Washington Square Park, where she crawled, as directed, wearing protective gear, a “semi-transparent blindfold” and just one shoe – while carrying a flashlight. She followed a volunteer who was sweeping the pavement ahead of her, all the while receiving encouraging words from onlookers.

When it was all over, Freedman says: “I know that the extremely long and grueling solo crawls of Pope. L have been physically and emotionally challenging, because they were intended to symbolize the plight of the most unfortunate members of our society.  In contrast, my experience of crawling for a short distance under perfect conditions, in the company of helpful volunteers and enthusiastic participants was quite different. There was a sense of camaraderie among the crawlers and warm support from perfect strangers. In short, I felt uplifted – despite being on the ground.”

And next up for Freedman is “Do you have 2020 vision?,” another interactive performance, from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 2 at The Black Cow Coffee Company in Croton-on-Hudson.

She tells us that a year in advance of the next presidential election, Freedman wants to chat with people about “the future of our nation.”

While Freedman’s own politics, she says, lean to the left, she is anxious to engage with people from all parts of the political spectrum, including those whose views may differ from her own. 

Her goals, she shares, are two-fold:

“As a rule, I present interactive performances in order to remind everyone of the beauty and power of old-fashioned conversation – without the intervention of devices! In this particular case, I also want to learn from my neighbors. What do people think will happen in 2020? What do people want to happen in 2020?”

For more, contact Freedman at mbf@bestweb.net or 914-271-5891; or visit marcybfreedman.com.

– Mary Shustack

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