{"id":67474,"date":"2023-04-11T10:35:05","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T16:35:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=67474"},"modified":"2024-04-01T06:30:47","modified_gmt":"2024-04-01T13:30:47","slug":"finding-a-home-for-herself-and-for-salt-lake-citys-performance-art-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/finding-a-home-for-herself-and-for-salt-lake-citys-performance-art-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding a Home, for Herself and for Salt Lake City\u2019s Performance Art Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kristina Lenzi performing inside one of Salt Lake City Library’s elevators.<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s a worn clich\u00e9, the idea that we should think \u201coutside the box.\u201d But sometimes the metaphor rings with the sound of truth, especially when the box is an actual one. Kristina Lenzi<\/a> was, in her words, \u201con a rampage\u201d to put performance art on Utah\u2019s map, but was only able to do so when she went beyond the four wall box of a gallery setting.<\/span><\/h4>\n

A Utah native, Lenzi studied drawing and painting at the University of Utah and then pursued an MFA in interdisciplinary art from Tufts University in Boston before returning to Utah, where she now teaches at Weber State University. She describes herself<\/span> as \u201ca painter who loves performance art.\u201d And she simply wasn\u2019t able to satisfy her performance art fix when she returned to Utah.<\/span> \u201cI had left Boston\u2019s strong international performance art community and I wanted one here.\u201d<\/span><\/h4>\n

During a University of Utah faculty exhibit in 2012, she performed in the Great Hall at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. Nox Contemporary, in their original, larger space, had hosted some performance art. But Lenzi wanted a festival, a chance to bring in artists from around the world. The galleries weren\u2019t interested and Lenzi felt at a standstill. Then, over a cup of coffee, friend and artist Sandy Brunvand suggested Lenzi talk to their mutual friend, Paul Reynolds. In addition to being a talented artist, Reynolds runs the art programming at the Salt Lake City Library.<\/h4>\n

Salt Lake City\u2019s Performance Art Festival was born.\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u201cPaul and I have collaborated closely since. We have often laughed about how the day after everyone leaves the festival, we meet to start planning the next one.\u201d That planning merry-go-round has been going on for ten years now.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

What might have begun in desperation looks in hindsight like inspiration. Can you imagine a better venue than Salt Lake City\u2019s main public library to engage the public with performance art? It\u2019s a perennial \u201cfavorite building in Utah\u201d among our readers: there are five floors, a broad atrium, and a variety of nooks and crannies. Performances can happen inside or outside, viewers can watch from above or below. And there’s a built-in, ever-changing public. \u201cThe performances capture both unsuspecting passerby as well as viewers who know about the festival,” Lenzi says. “I loved witnessing passersby who stopped to watch the performances and really got into it. So many of them got on their phones and I could hear them tell their friends, ‘You have to get to the Library to check out what\u2019s going on.'”\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n
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Emma Wilson, Natalie Allsup, Molly Mostert at the 2018 festival.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Gustaf Broms at the 2015 festival.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Kristina Lenzi at the 2018 Performance Art Festival.<\/p><\/div>\n

A gallery is a reverent space, something you attend, like a church service; in a library, performance art is stumbled across. \u201cPerformance art happens in the moment. I don\u2019t believe it should be rehearsed like in theater,\u201d Lenzi says. \u201cI believe it has the power to change people by giving them a one-time, ephemeral experience.\u201d<\/span><\/h4>\n

The first festival was launched in 2013 and has been held every year since in the Spring (for 2 years of the pandemic, the festival went online). \u201cThe first year I simply invited performance artists I knew or had heard about,\u201d Lenzi says of the launch. \u201cWe brought in a Canadian couple. I invited several local artists too, as well as Marilyn Arsem from Boston.\u201d Since then, almost 60 artists, from around the world, have performed.\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere have been a lot of discoveries over the years:\u00a0\u00a0the conceptually different works ranging from funny to deeply political to durational to somber, meeting artists from different states and countries, and learning of the various sites the artists chose at the Library.\u201d<\/span><\/h4>\n

Her favorite was a performance by Marilyn Arsem under a glass floor where she could be viewed in the Urban Room, and heard through vents in the floor, reading The Borrowers<\/em> by Mary Norton. \u201cOf couse, there were so many other fabulous performances over the years. \u2026 I think I am most proud for being able to bring in so many amazing artists, and thereby broadening the international performance art community.\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Curating the festival has been relatively easy Lenzi says. Things just seemed to fall into place. \u201cThe biggest hurdles have been bringing everyone together, all of the transportation and locating art materials for performances, and getting everyone where they needed to be at the same time.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

Those logistical challenges may become even more difficult now that the Library has announced they will no longer be able to host the festival and Lenzi will have to look for another venue. \u201cI will really miss the Library. It has been a fantastic place\/home for a performance art festival.”<\/span><\/h4>\n
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Alastair MacLennan performs outside, in Library Square, during the 2017 festival.<\/p><\/div>\n

A 10-year anniversary (might someone incorporate tin into one of their performances?) is a time of celebration and reflection. \u201cThe festival has become all I envisioned,\u201d Lenzi says. \u201cI was able to bring in artists from all over the globe.\u201d Even the pandemic-hiccup was a success. \u201cI never would have dreamed that the festival would not be a live event.\u00a0\u00a0But with a lot of help from Aleko Campos and Paul Reynolds at the Library, we were able to program it. That changed the dynamics with the viewers, but at least we kept the festival going.\u201d <\/span>And Lenzi says she plans on keeping it going for another ten years.<\/span><\/h4>\n

Keeping the festival going is important to Lenzi for both artistic and personal reasons. \u201c<\/span>I recall feeling very at home with my community that first year, and that surprised me. I lived in Utah most of my life and I had not felt so at home until the first festival. It just seemed like everyone was in sink with each other. It felt truly amazing.\u201d<\/span><\/h4>\n
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The hair of Kristina Lenzi (right) is woven with that of Eugene Tachinni, 2017 Performance Art Festival<\/p><\/div>\n

Salt Lake City Performance Art Festival, Salt Lake City Library<\/a>, Salt Lake City, Apr. 14-15<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PAF 2013<\/p>\n

Marilyn Arsem<\/strong> \u00a0 Lost Words<\/p>\n

Jeffery Byrd<\/strong> \u00a0 Cathedral<\/p>\n

Macie Hamblin<\/strong> \u00a0 Gifts<\/p>\n

Hailee Heiner<\/strong> \u00a0 Zerfall<\/p>\n

Bryce Kauffman<\/strong> \u00a0 Bear Necessity<\/p>\n

Shasta Lawton<\/strong> \u00a0 Magic Circles<\/p>\n

Kristina Lenzi<\/strong> \u00a0 Fishing<\/p>\n

Gretchen and Zoey Reynolds<\/strong> \u00a0 Watching Ourselves Always for the Return of the Italian Puffies<\/p>\n

Jorge Rojas<\/strong> \u00a0 I Could Go On and On\u2026<\/p>\n

Eugene Tachinni<\/strong> \u00a0 String<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PAF 2014<\/p>\n

Marilyn Arsem<\/strong>\u00a0 New Words<\/p>\n

Marti Grace Ashby, Erin Esplin<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Dreamscapes and Blurred Lines: A Journey through the Collective Unconscious<\/p>\n

Caroline Boileau<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 The Drawing Incubator<\/p>\n

Jeffery Byrd<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Symphony #4: Beautiful Notes for Salt Lake City<\/p>\n

Lisa DeFrance\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 Fold: Repetition and Difference<\/p>\n

St\u00e9phane Gilot\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 Station Library<\/p>\n

Bryce Kauffman<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Democracy at Work<\/p>\n

Tatiana Svrckova Larsen<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Pilgrimage<\/p>\n

Kristina Lenzi\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 Trickster<\/p>\n

Gretchen Reynolds<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Alter Ego<\/p>\n

Joanne Rice<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Seven Mile River<\/p>\n

Jorge Rojas<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Slow Dance<\/p>\n

Tony Schwensen<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 REAL<\/p>\n

Eugene Tachinni<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Next<\/p>\n

Paul Waddell\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 Untitled<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PAF 2015<\/p>\n

Gustaf Broms<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Am I an immaterial BEING having a physical experience, or am I a \u00a0 \u00a0 physical BEING having an immaterial experience?<\/p>\n

Daniel Embree<\/strong> \u00a0 \u00a0 Translation: A Curious Work<\/p>\n

Macie Hamblin<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Listening<\/p>\n

Bryce Kauffman\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 Globe<\/p>\n

Shasta Fletcher Lawton<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Shoot Me a Text<\/p>\n

Kristina Lenzi<\/strong> \u00a0 \u00a0 Clans<\/p>\n

Dawn Oughton<\/strong> \u00a0 \u00a0 Grandmother and Wolf<\/p>\n

Gretchen Reynolds<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Tray Thoughts<\/p>\n

Jorge Rojas\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 Tortilla Oracle<\/p>\n

Sandrine Schaefer<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Wait\/Weight<\/p>\n

Tony Schwensen<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 23 20 17 25<\/p>\n

Heidi Somsen<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Portage<\/p>\n

Eugene Tachinni<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Have a Seat<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PAF 2016<\/p>\n

Marilyn Arsem<\/strong> \u00a0 Under the Floor<\/p>\n

Keith Beard<\/strong> \u00a0 Choose to Elevate<\/p>\n

Gabrielle Civil<\/strong> \u00a0 . . . hewn & forged . . .<\/p>\n

Lisa DeFrance<\/strong> \u00a0 Fold: Repetition and Difference<\/p>\n

Macie Hamblin<\/strong> \u00a0 Listening II<\/p>\n

Lexi Johnson<\/strong> \u00a0 50 Year Address Check<\/p>\n

Anna Kosarewska<\/strong> \u00a0 DISSOLVING<\/p>\n

Kristina Lenzi<\/strong> \u00a0 Crumpled<\/p>\n

Tanya Mars<\/strong> \u00a0 Homage to the City of Women:\u00a0 Leaves of Gold<\/p>\n

Jorge Rojas<\/strong> \u00a0 Hands Up, Don\u2019t Shoot!<\/p>\n

Heidi Moller Somsen<\/strong> \u00a0 Self-contained: The Anti-Social\u00a0 Performance Artist<\/p>\n

Eugene Tachinni<\/strong> \u00a0 First Impressions<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PAF 2017<\/p>\n

Marilyn Arsem\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 Don\u2019t Look!<\/p>\n

Shannon Cochrane<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Performance for a Reading of La Joconde<\/p>\n

Lisa DeFrance<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Fold: Repetition and Difference<\/p>\n

Macie Hamblin<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Listening III<\/p>\n

Chris Irving<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Untitled<\/p>\n

Kristina Lenzi\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 Almost 51<\/p>\n

Alastair MacLennan<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Bust\u00a0 As\u00a0 Dust<\/p>\n

Dawn Oughton<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Untitled<\/p>\n

Gretchen Reynolds<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 The Basket<\/p>\n

Tony Schwensen<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Once Upon A Time<\/p>\n

Julischka Stengele<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 flesh and bone, glass and stone<\/p>\n

Eugene Tachinni<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 When I Have Time<\/p>\n

Kristina Lenzi, Eugene Tachinni<\/strong> \u00a0 Grafting<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PAF 2018<\/p>\n

Marilyn Arsem<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 DON\u2019T THINK!<\/p>\n

Jeff Huckleberry<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 BRIDGE<\/p>\n

Lexi Johnson<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 If I Had A Nickel<\/p>\n

Kristina Lenzi<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 How I Learned to Paint<\/p>\n

Alastair MacLennan<\/strong> \u00a0 \u00a0 BUST AS DUST<\/p>\n

Dawn Oughton<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Trees and Displacement<\/p>\n

Gretchen Reynolds<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Little Tiny Ridiculous Circles<\/p>\n

Jorge Rojas<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 tether<\/p>\n

Tony Schwensen\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 Talking to the Tax Man about Poetry : Brag Version<\/p>\n

Eugene Tachinni<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 BLUE<\/p>\n

Emma Wilson, Natalie Allsup, Molly Mostert\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 The Spectre<\/p>\n

Rosalie Winard<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 Play with Pelicans<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PAF 2019<\/p>\n

Marilyn Arsem<\/strong> \u00a0 Don\u2019t Speak?<\/p>\n

Chelsea Coon<\/strong> \u00a0 Phases of the Imminent<\/p>\n

Lisa DeFrance, Steve Creson<\/strong> \u00a0 Middleman<\/p>\n

Nora Lang, Tanith Benedick, Amy Cox, Eliza Kitchens, Tori Meyer, Aileen Norris, Ellen Weiler<\/strong> \u00a0 A Six-Sided Argument<\/p>\n

Kristina Lenzi, Macie Hamblin<\/strong> \u00a0 Bruce and Christian<\/p>\n

Sin\u00e9ad O’Donnell<\/strong> \u00a0 hidden<\/p>\n

Joseph Ravens<\/strong> \u00a0 Defying Duality<\/p>\n

Gretchen Reynolds, Kristina Lenz, K Stevenson<\/strong> \u00a0 One<\/p>\n

Jorge Rojas<\/strong> \u00a0 cage<\/p>\n

Eugene Tachinni<\/strong> \u00a0 Reminded<\/p>\n

Emma Wilson, Natalie Allsup-Edwards, Molly Mostert<\/strong> \u00a0 Shm00fi3zZ<\/p>\n

Rosalie Winard<\/strong> \u00a0 PELICANS ON PARADE<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PAF 2021<\/p>\n

Marilyn Arsem<\/strong> \u00a0 Signs of Spring<\/p>\n

Alexandra Barbier<\/strong> \u00a0 Tell Me Something Good!<\/p>\n

Lena Chen & Michael Charles Neumann<\/strong> \u00a0 Crosswind Landing<\/p>\n

Gabrielle Civil<\/strong> \u00a0 Jupiter<\/p>\n

Alexander Del Re<\/strong> \u00a0 Exercises of Reality<\/p>\n

Lisa DeFrance & Kristina Lenzi<\/strong> \u00a0 Press: Four Arms Ironing<\/p>\n

Sam Forlenza<\/strong> \u00a0 At the Creation<\/p>\n

Cynthia Post Hunt<\/strong> \u00a0 Untitled<\/p>\n

Myriam Laplante<\/strong> \u00a0 You have to be there<\/p>\n

Guadalupe Neves<\/strong> \u00a0 Memory of Body<\/p>\n

Gretchen Reynolds<\/strong> \u00a0 The Shower<\/p>\n

Eugene Tachinni\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 Untitled<\/p>\n

Emmett Wilson<\/strong> \u00a0 Take care to take care<\/p>\n

Paola Paz Yee<\/strong> \u00a0 Untitled<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PAF 2022<\/p>\n

Alexandra Barbier, Samuel Hanson<\/strong> \u00a0 Tell Me Something Good!<\/p>\n

Jeff Rufas Byrd<\/strong> \u00a0 Sensory Monotony<\/p>\n

Sam Forlenza<\/strong> \u00a0 The Palermitan<\/p>\n

Kristina Lenzi, Lisa DeFrance<\/strong> \u00a0 Mending<\/p>\n

Caitlin Mary Margarett<\/strong> \u00a0 100 Days V.III (live)<\/p>\n

Gretchen Reynolds<\/strong> \u00a0 I Was Here<\/p>\n

Jorge Rojas<\/strong> \u00a0 Wish you were here<\/p>\n

Eugene Tachinni<\/strong> \u00a0 Where They End Up<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n