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Ethel

Ethel

Live Interactive Documentary Performance (2007)

Created with Ethel Greenbaum, 89 years old.

Viewers enter a room where Ethel sits quietly at a dining table. Raising her hand, the table becomes a projection surface. Her movement triggers snippets from her life story. The audience is invited to use their hand movement to hear additional stories.

The memorabilia of Ethel’s life fades away. 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 and passes out chocolates and copies of a love letter she wrote to her late husband.


Please also see Belle, Al, Turing Machine

Created (program/camera/edit) by Ruth Sergel
Performer Ethel Greenbaum

Thank you Fay Greenbaum & Luke DuBois.

ITP Spring Show 2007

Created (program/camera/edit) by Ruth Sergel
Performer Ethel Greenbaum

Thank you Fay Greenbaum & Luke DuBois.

ITP Spring Show 2007

Alchemy of Light

Alchemy of Light

Interactive Installation with Live Performers (2010)

Alchemy of Light melds 19th century illusionism with current interactive technologies to depict the life of the legendary magician Torrini as a parable from a time when our lives first became mediated by machines.

In the 19th century the legendary Torrini, always at the forefront of technological development, was reknowned for his astonishing illusions. One evening during a performance he accidentally killed his own child. Torrini spent the rest of his life vainly trying to conjure back his lost family. Alchemy of Light guides the audience through a series of 7 interactive installations which use live and virtual encounters with representations of the Torrini family to explore the seduction and limits of technology.


Please also see: Magic Box, Boo!