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  1. I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 7 minutes excerpted from 80 minutes, SVA Silas Theatre, New York.

  2. For Performa 11, Liz Magic Laser presented a new mixed-media performance, I Feel Your Pain, that restages America’s recent political contests as romantic drama. Staged in a movie theater, I Feel Your Pain takes place simultaneously in the midst of the audience and on the cinema’s screen. Eight actors perform a sequence of scenes tracing the progression of a relationship using dialogues adapted from political interviews with figures such as Glenn Beck, Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, and John Boehner. As the actors perform, selected footage from three cinematographers is projected onto the screen in a continuous live-feed while Laser acts as real time editor to produce a live film. Drawing on a variety of agitprop theater tactics, particularly the Russian Constructivist idea of a “living newspaper,” the performance examines how emotion is used to establish authenticity on America’s political stage. Borrowing elements from historic “living newspaper” productions, the performance features live voice-overs, pantomime fight scenes, and mute commentaries by a clown.

    Credits:
    Featuring actors Lynn Berg, Audrey Crabtree, Ray Field, Annie Fox, Kathryn Grody, Rafael Jordan, Liz Micek, and Ryan Shams. Video made with Producer David Guinan and Cinematographers Matthew Nauser, Collin Kornfeind and Alex Hadjiloukas of Polemic Media; Costume Stylist: Felicia Garcia-Rivera; Still Photographer: Yola Monakhov; Technical Crew: Will Chu, Brandon Polanco, Irwin Seow and Tristan Shepherd; Production Assistants Jamie Kelly and Lucia Hinojosa. The script includes editorial contributions from Scott Indrisek, Wendy Osserman, Jess Wilcox and Tom Williams. Co-presented by the School of Visual Art’s Visual and Critical Studies and BFA Fine Arts Departments. Performed and filmed at the SVA Silas Theatre on November 13th and 14th, 2011. Supported by Performa Curators Circle member Joanne Cassullo/Dorothea Leonhardt Fund, Esther Kim Varet and Joseph Varet, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and The Dedalus Foundation.

  3. Related Material+ Liz Magic Laser Feeeeeeeeeeeeels Your Pain, Art21, June 2012 Liz Magic Laser, LA Weekly, May 2012 Muse: The Interview, Art in America, March 2012 Liz Magic Laser, BOMB Magazine, November 2011 Performa 11: Liz Magic Laser Feels Our Pain, Even if Politicians Don't, L Magazine, November 2011 Liz Magic Laser’s Political Theater of the Absurd, nytimes.com, November 2011 Performa Playbill: Liz Magic Laser, artinamericamagazine.com, November 2011 Endless Love: Liz Magic Laser’s ‘I Feel Your Pain', artfcity.com, November 2011 Performa 11 Additional I Feel Your Pain Press

  4. I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, installation view "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (2013), Künstlerhaus Bremen, Germany.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, installation view "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (2013), Künstlerhaus Bremen, Germany.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Ray Field. Photo: Paula Court.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Ray Field. Photo: Paula Court.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, video still. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, video still. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan. Photo: Paula Court.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan. Photo: Paula Court.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan. Photo: Paula Court.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan. Photo: Paula Court.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Ray Field and Kathryn Grody. Photo: Kasper Akhøj.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Ray Field and Kathryn Grody. Photo: Kasper Akhøj.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Ryan Shams. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Ryan Shams. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Photo: Paula Court. 

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Photo: Paula Court. 

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Audrey Crabtree. Photo: Paula Court.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Audrey Crabtree. Photo: Paula Court.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Audrey Crabtree, Ray Field and Ryan Shams. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Audrey Crabtree, Ray Field and Ryan Shams. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, video still. Featuring Ray Field and Kathryn Grody.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, video still. Featuring Ray Field and Kathryn Grody.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    I Feel Your Pain Poster (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, silkscreen on paper, 24 x 36 in.

    I Feel Your Pain Poster (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, silkscreen on paper, 24 x 36 in.

    I Feel Your Pain Collage #1 (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011-12, photographs and colored pencil on bristol board, 16 x 20 in.

    I Feel Your Pain Collage #1 (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011-12, photographs and colored pencil on bristol board, 16 x 20 in.

    I Feel Your Pain Collage #2 (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011-12, photographs and colored pencil on bristol board, 16 x 20 in.

    I Feel Your Pain Collage #2 (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011-12, photographs and colored pencil on bristol board, 16 x 20 in.

    I Feel Your Pain Collage #8 (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011-12, photographs and colored pencil on bristol board 16 x 20 in.

    I Feel Your Pain Collage #8 (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011-12, photographs and colored pencil on bristol board 16 x 20 in.

    I Feel Your Pain Collage #10 (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011-12, photographs and colored pencil on bristol board 16 x 20 in.

    I Feel Your Pain Collage #10 (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011-12, photographs and colored pencil on bristol board 16 x 20 in.

    • 1

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, installation view "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (2013), Künstlerhaus Bremen, Germany.

    • 2

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Ray Field. Photo: Paula Court.

    • 3

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    • 4

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, video still. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan.

    • 5

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan. Photo: Paula Court.

    • 6

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan. Photo: Paula Court.

    • 7

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    • 8

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Ray Field and Kathryn Grody. Photo: Kasper Akhøj.

    • 9

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Ryan Shams. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    • 10

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Photo: Paula Court. 

    • 11

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Audrey Crabtree. Photo: Paula Court.

    • 12

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Audrey Crabtree, Ray Field and Ryan Shams. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    • 13

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, video still. Featuring Ray Field and Kathryn Grody.

    • 14

      I Feel Your Pain (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, performance and single-channel video, 80 minutes, production still, SVA Silas Theater, New York. Featuring Annie Fox and Rafael Jordan. Photo: Yola Monakhov.

    • 15

      I Feel Your Pain Poster (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011, silkscreen on paper, 24 x 36 in.

    • 16

      I Feel Your Pain Collage #1 (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011-12, photographs and colored pencil on bristol board, 16 x 20 in.

    • 17

      I Feel Your Pain Collage #2 (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011-12, photographs and colored pencil on bristol board, 16 x 20 in.

    • 18

      I Feel Your Pain Collage #8 (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011-12, photographs and colored pencil on bristol board 16 x 20 in.

    • 19

      I Feel Your Pain Collage #10 (A Performa Commission), Liz Magic Laser, 2011-12, photographs and colored pencil on bristol board 16 x 20 in.