Performance Art…Green Shopping…

For my performance art piece I wanted to go to a place that had a large audience doing something else, and act as a distraction to what was already going on.  My friends had told me of an open air market that occurs on the first Sunday of every month, in Hyde Park Village square.  That’s where I headed.  I also decided to bring balloons with me just as something extra to attract attention, and I thought that the extra prop would more accepting than just wandering aimlessly around…

I suited up in a full body “second skin” green suit, which is definitely odd enough to attract a lot of attention.  The green suit was also assuring in that I was completely anonymous.  I did post on Facebook that I would be there, hoping to get videos from my friends that I could incorporate.  That didn’t happen, but just as well because the footage was really unnerving to me afterwards, and I’m okay with my friends not participating in my spectacle.

My wife filmed, and as she was filming she picked up a lot of comments, mostly from men, and mostly derogatory…”creeper” and “awkward” and “weird.”  I did think about handing out my balloons to kids along the way, but after a few shrieks, I thought otherwise.  The women in the crowd seemed to be much more accepting.

For the most part, folks just went about their own business, some waved, a lot laughed, shook their heads or other…no one was aggressive or threatening.

While I was walking around I felt a bit odd, but also comfortable and somewhat liberated in doing something that was so completely out of the ordinary.  Now that I’m done with this piece, however, I really feel like I need to get back into the shape I was when I was much younger.  The green suit was wholesomely unflattering. 

I hope you enjoyed the video…now I must hit the gym!  Maybe I’ll do this little exercise again when I have a better physique.