JEFF PAGE

THE BLUSHING BOW EXHIBITION - 2018

ABOUT THIS WORK ///  For The Blushing Bow Performance, I transformed the entire gallery space into an evolving, "live studio" environment. Throughout the 3 hour event, were a series of performative actions in the making of bows or bowties.  The focus of this performance and installation is the transformation or reifying shame into the form of a bow. 

First, I paused a video playing the film, Dirty Dancing on  "the lift" dance scene and trace the image of the actress, Jennifer Grey's body and turn it into a bow on the wall near the projection.  

Next, I sat in a chair with a large dunce hat (that says "Dance, Dunce!" on it).  I sit in the chair and dance a little bit, then smack and smash the hat into the corner and reform it into the bow form.

Then, I took a ladder to the hole in the ceiling and pulled out a stack of black and white beefcake photos from the 1950s and threw them on the floor.  I then folded each of those photos up into a bow and set them up against the gallery walls.  

Finally, I took the beefcake bow forms and pinned them to a nightlife character known as Dutch Confetti as she lounged on an antique sofa and silently summoned participants to help her put makeup on.  When all the bows were attached to her dress and her makeup was done she stood up, spun around and left the gallery.