In Instant Narrative, part of the "Descriptive Acts" exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, artist Dora Garcia collaborated with local writers as performers in a real-time narrative performance. JD Beltran, as a participating performer, sat at a desk with a laptop in a corner of the gallery while a large screen projected everything she typed onto a nearby large white wall. The writing was updated in real time as the performer described as much as possible what was occurring in the room. If there were no visitors, then the performer wrote about the ambient sounds from within and outside the gallery. Visitors were described as they wandered in and moved around. There were startling moments of recognition as visitors suddenly realized the room was being observed and described in real time. Some found this fascinating and lingered in the space, others engaged and even questioned the performer, and others did not stop to read the text or notice what was happening at all. As everyone was observed, everyone became a participant in the performance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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