[spectre] Announcing The Exchange Program and The Essential Guide to Performing Michael Mandiberg

[Michael Mandiberg]

Beginning April 20th, 2002, eight collaborators will switch places 
and props - essentially, switch lives - for ten days, and 'play' each 
other. The collaborators will each create instructions on how to "be" 
or "perform" themselves, turning personality into character, and 
foregrounding the performativity of daily life.  This project was 
conceived and organized by Michael Mandiberg in collaboration with 
the participants; the following eight  artists will be realizing this 
collaborative project in Los Angeles, and Toronto: Heather Cassils, 
Lauren Hartman, Sara Jordeno, Curt Lemeiux, Michael Mandiberg, 
Melanie Nakaue, Amy Satterthwaite, and Haruko Tanaka.

The participants will go into this exchange with a group suspension 
of disbelief, occupying the other person's name, space, friends, 
family, jobs, and possessions, and letting go of their own. The goal 
of the project is to create a space of experiment and adventure for 
those who interact with us and thus with our replacements. Rather 
than approaching the project aiming to achieve a specific controlled 
goal ("to achieve slippages where we pass for each other," "to create 
repeated moments of rupture, where it is clear that this is a 
performance, even a charade," "to make people aware of their own 
gender, or racial performativity," etc.) the participants will 
approach the performance as an improvisation where many things will 
happen - probably different from what might be predicted, but no less 
exciting or productive.

To facilitate these exchanges, each person has created a set of 
information or instructions for the person replacing them; some of 
these will be available on the website.  Each participant will be 
documenting their experience, and the collected documentation will be 
available on the website http://ExchangeProgram.org, and on an 
interactive DVD which will be released in July.

***

In conjunction with The Exchange Program, Michael Mandiberg announces 
the launch of The Essential Guide to Performing Michael Mandiberg. 
(http://turbulence.org/Works/guide)  Part users manual, part 
experimental self-portraiture, The Essential Guide to Performing 
Michael Mandiberg is an on-line tutorial to teach his collaborator 
the details of performing his persona.  The Essential Guide to 
Performing Michael Mandiberg inserts biographical information into 
the structure of a user manual, turning personality into procedures, 
situations, and props.   Well illustrated with photographs and 
diagrams, the guide moves from the early skill building chapters 
Character Traits and Social Behavior, to the important Friends 
chapters, and on through functional  Physical Presentation.

The Essential Guide to Performing Michael Mandiberg is a 2002 
commission of New Radio and Performing Arts, Inc. for its Turbulence 
web site. It was made possible with funding from the Jerome 
Foundation.

***

http://exchangeprogram.org
http://turbulence.org/Works/guide

For information please contact either Michael Mandiberg at 
Michael@Mandiberg.com or 661-257-2376, or all of the participants at 
all@exchangeprogram

--