Ethel

a live performance/interactive documentary created with 89 year old Ethel Greenbaum.

video documentation of ETHEL

Viewers enter a room where Ethel sits quietly at a dining table covered with a white table cloth. With the raising of her hand the table becomes a rear projection surface and a series of short clips of Ethel talking about technology appear. The next section of the work revolves around the romantic story of Ethel’s courtship with her future husband. Moving her hands across the table activates video clips audio recounting their long courtship by mail during world war II. At the culmination of the story – their first meeting at the old Penn Station.

A collection of images, like scattered memories appear on the table – photographs, political buttons going back to the teens, video. The audience is now invited to participate. As they place their hand over a projected item it enlarges & a short video clip plays revealing some aspect of Ethel’s life.

The memorabilia of Ethel’s life fades away & spinning sufi dancers appear. Ethel stands & for the first time directly addresses the audience:

We’re all human beings. We’re all one. You have to keep your spirits up. Without love a person cannot live. Its just beautiful to be here and see this crowd of people. Young ones and an old one like me and a middle-aged one and a baby that is the most precious thing of all. I see every color here, every nationality here, and that’s what this world needs. Love in many many ways. You can love a husband. Partners can love each other. You can love an animal but the basic thing of a life is to love and be loved by a human being and to love them in return

Ethel thanks the audience for attending. She passes out chocolates and a love letter she wrote her husband.

Thank you Fay Greenbaum & Luke DuBois.