Adams State presents An Evening of Performance Art

The Adams State University Performance Art class presents “Whatever, Whatever: An Evening of Performance Art” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 5 in the Xperimental Theatre, located in the Theatre Building. Because there will be adult content including language, subject matter, and nudity, it is for mature audiences only. Seating is limited with no advance reservations. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Featuring performances by art, music, and theatre students, audiences should expect entertainment that is engaging, controversial, whimsical, personal, political, and more.

The students’ work is the result of a semester long course co-taught by Eugene Schilling, professor of art, and John Taylor, professor of theatre. In the class, students explored the history of performance art and created their own examples of it.

“The course is a collaboration of student artists who come together to create new works, challenge personal and artistic boundaries, and expand their understanding of what art is and can be,” said Taylor.

The Performance Art class was first offered in 2009 after Schilling was awarded the 2008-09 Adams State Presidential Teaching Award and was given the opportunity to teach a class of his choosing. He asked Taylor, a 2009-10 Presidential Teaching Award recipient, to co-teach a course on Performance Art. The course is now a regular offering and an example of the theatre and art departments expanding their curriculum to meet the needs of students.

Schilling says, “Each year, we never know what our students will create. This year is no different. Their performance art pieces are diverse, provocative, experimental, and always entertaining.”