Cavity Search Questionnaire
Responses to the following questions will remain confidential.
Name:
Age:
Highest Level of Education:
Major or Primary Focus at School:
What do you do for work:
Do you feel fulfilled at your job (please explain):
What is your dream job:
Why don’t you have this job:
Parents’ names:
Please describe your relationship with each (give at least 1 positive and 1 negative):
Do you have any siblings:
Please give names of each sibling and describe your relationship (give at least 1 positive and 1 negative):
Where did you think you’d be 5 years ago:
What are you most proud of achieving:
What are your biggest regrets:
What are some words you know exist about the following (socially acceptable and derogatory):
Jewish people:
Do you know any Jewish people?
Black people:
Do you know any Black people?
Asians people:
Do you know any Asian people?
Disabled people:
Do you know any disabled people?
Homosexuals:
Do you know any homosexual people (closeted or out)?
Have you ever had a homosexual experience and please say what it was (crush, kissing, sex, etc)?
What are you most afraid of?
Tell me one secret you haven’t told anyone else.
Give an instance where you remained silent and did not act on what you felt was a moral obligation:
Give an instance where you stood up for what you felt was a moral obligation:
Where would you like to be in 10 years:
Cavity Search
Happening July 21st @ Kronika Center for Contemporary Art in Bytom, Poland
Cavity Search is a dinner made up of 10 dessert courses going from savory to sweet with paired beverages. The guests agree to follow some basic guidelines during the Dionysian style meal, but also act as free participants for the duration. Some of the expectations of the guests are the following: they wear the shirt-like garment provided; they eat and drink everything; they fill out the questionnaire prior; and they give consent for Gabe Flores to create personalized messages to them individually throughout the meal based on their answers on the questionnaire. Cavity Search explores themes of pleasure, free-will, and endurance.
In many ways Cavity Search is a tactic of stepping into Gabe Flores for a few hours. Making deserts has been a major part of Gabe’s narrative since he was 9 and is still one of his primary ways of practicing how to balance information. The personal messages placed under the desserts are a mild reenactment of the voices he alone could hear a little over 8 years ago. The individualized messages follow the narrative arc of what he calls his alternative perceptions to the statistical norm. Also, being raised as a Jehovah’s Witness Gabe often wonders about the power of the hive mind. Given the right setting, guidelines, and expectations people often possess the ability to excel farther than they might have been able to all on their own.
Warning: If you have dietary limitations or a medical condition (high-blood pressure, diabetes, etc) then this socially engaged work might not be the best for you to participate.
CubFluffer (Mark Martinez and I) chatted with art critic and poet Matt Stangel about how class and occupation informs his identity.
CubFluffer (Mark Martinez and Gabe Flores) sat down with Matt Stangel and enjoyed his approach to identity focusing on class and occupation.
Had so much fun on Art Focus chatting about the Settlement gallery spaces in Pioneer Place mall. Always enjoy talking about Place’s relationship in a very unusual location for a a gallery.
We loved chatting with the insightful Tonisha Toler. Her thoughts regarding visibility/invisibility really got me thinking about the ghosting of others when we wish not to see them. Thank you Tonisha!!!
CubFluffer interviewed the effervescent Tonisha Toler the Outreach Specialist at the Regional Arts and Culture Council. We loved her examination of East Coast/West Coast, race, and how she supports the arts. Thank you Tonisha!!!
Nick is a very good friend and I’m so glad he was able to make time for a little CubFluffing while he was visiting from Poland.
CubFluffer sat down with Nicolas Reibel to discuss how being an American in Poland has affected how he views access and identity. Really loved hearing him talk about who he considers to be his audience. Nick is currently working on projects with Kronika Center for Contemporary Art.
My Little Boy Pussy: Like a Stump
A piece I recently created for Cascade AIDS Project’s annual Art Auction.
Statement:
Even when no one is looking, it feels like everyone is. As a gay male the sexual part me is what people notice and they may even image/wonder “How does that work exactly?” In art crowds or I suppose most crowds someone who is gay is either neutered or hyper-sexualized, funny thing though not this crowd as much. Due to political tensions my sexual practice ends up being a political one, yes straight folks’ sexuality is also political but the conversation hasn’t been framed that way. It is impossible for me to not carry the audience to the bedroom. Sometimes it takes a bit more focus for me to explore my sexual self so I find I have to remain in the character, “Gabe as sexual being.” It is sometimes difficult to practice safe sex because that often means becoming aware of a world beyond the moment. Yes, I know protection can become a part of the play, but if it’s a kinkier desire I don’t always want to leave my character, my other protection.
My Little Boy Pussy: Like a Stump refers to the stunted grown/deadness that I feel sometimes when I compartmentalize my sexual self, but the “:” or (colon) being referred to as a stump suggests use, experience, and exploring sexual boundaries.
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The work changed incredibly from my initial intent, which is totally ok by me. I created a sphincter camp fire (insert burning std here). People began to sit and I loved that it became interactive and once it did I put on my performance hat and began to be a part of the piece. Conceptually it worked well because the chairs were in reference to the audience that is always there in the sexuality of homosexuals. So, I loved that they had assumed the right to be in a space that was not really theirs, but because of their assumed authority of the space they sat. Once they entered my personal space (installation) they became of a part of the piece and I was able to require a performance (reading the statement) out of participants. I extended this to a couple of others who were simply looking at it close up, including Mayor Sam Adams (oops) and asked that they/he read the statement, that may have been taking it to an extreme because I created something that asked to be examined in a very visual way. To require that they be informed to an extent that I desired was maybe me being a bit flamboyant in my role. I think Sam thought it was funny and was great to chat with. I stopped doing that portion of the performance when I realized that was overstepping. Overall, the piece was great to have in a large event based space and seeing how it had transformed in the evening and with people sitting in it. Thank you CAP goers for collaborating on My Little Boy Pussy: Like a Stump.
CubFluffer sat down with JP Huckins one of the curators/directors over at RECESS to discuss some intersectionality. Thoroughly enjoyed JP’s analysis of privilege, Pippi Longstocking, and interactions with the police.
CubFluffer sat down with JP Huckins, one of the curators/directors at RECESS, to discuss privilege, gender bending, and how identity informs his process in his most current work.
The video still from this episode of CubFluffer pretty much sums up Gwenn Seemel and myself when we get together. Mark Martinez and I loved learning a bit about the Gwenn backstory. I’ve known Gwenn since I curated ”Boredom: I Learned It by Watching You” at the Portland Art Center and we’ve been playing games ever since.
CubFluffer chats with Gwenn Seemel about how her identity informs her process in both her portraits and her more conceptual gallery work.
Here is an interview with Julie Perini from CubFluffer, my collaborative project with Mark Martinez. CubFluffer is a videocast dedicated to finding out how identity informs the process and work of people involved in the arts. On the CubFluffer site you can also get the podcast version.
CubFluffer interviewed Julie Perini who is a new media artist and professor at Portland State University.
We look forward to your discussion 34 Years of Whiteness: Race & Ethnicity in the Work of Julie Perini coming up at Place on April 14th at 4pm.
