Many exhibits consist of photographs, sculptures, paintings and other pieces of art hanging on the walls. Visitors to share their own ideas about the pieces and the meanings behind them. Other than that, there is usually little interaction between the art and the viewer. 

The “I Am Chris Purdie” art show at the Sego Arts Center has a different kind of art, performance art, which creates a high amount of interaction between the visitors to the gallery and the pieces of the show. This is the first exhibit the artist, BYU student Chris Purdie from Pleasant Grove, has done featuring performing art. Purdie hopes this exhibit will help visitors rethink the concepts of self-portrait, conversation, art and performance.

“I multiply that possibility of people talking to the artist to the point that this concept becomes the art,” Purdie said in a press release. “The viewer will come in and have a literal dialogue with the art and the artist at the same time.”   

Instead of art found on the walls of the gallery, live actors are used as the exhibit. These actors all wear the same uniform of black beanies, jackets, square-framed glasses and brown pants. This is Purdie’s everyday attire for work and school. Of the 35 actors involved in the show, many are friends and family of the artist. They walk around the gallery talking with each of the visitors as if they are Chris Purdie.

“The idea is to visually and conceptually illustrate a conversation, since the way the actors know me is through the conversations we have had,” Purdie said. “They will share that information through conversations with the audience.” 

An opening reception for the show was held Friday. All actors were present and talked to the many visitors that came as part of the monthly Downtown Gallery Stroll. A documentary about the exhibit played in the lobby. It provided information about performance art and prepared visitors for what they were about to experience.

“I felt very overwhelmed walking into the show,” said Melanie Green, an exercise science major from Centerville. “I didn’t understand what was going on. As soon as I walked in the room all these Chris Purdies came towards me.”

Many visitors tried to pick out the differences between the actors each time a new one would approach them to talk. Dara Peterson, a human development major from Harford, Wis., had a hard time differentiating between the actors.

“I asked all of them if they were Chris Purdie and they all answered yes,” Peterson said. “It was like talking to the same person because they all had the same answers.”

This exhibit will be at the gallery through March 28, available for viewing from noon to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and Mondays by appointment. More information is available online at chrispurdie.com or at segoarts.org. 



Copyright Brigham Young University 9 Mar 2009