Scott N Andrew

Fail-Safe

2019

Fail-Safe was a recurring variety performance show that invited artists with works-in-progress to present new performances in a supportive environment. The curated performance series was created with the intention to become a safe space for failure - a safe space to perform works across fields that may not be fully figured out yet. In addition to presenting live performances in their early stages, Fail-Safe incorporated conversation about performance into the framework of the event itself. In a true variety show fashion, performances spanned the fields of performance art, cabaret, experimental sound art, interdisciplinary theater, digitally mediated performance, readings, dance and more.

This fourth edition of Fail-Safe created a dialogue about performance between Los Angeles and Pittsburgh. Fail-Safe: Los Angeles x Pittsburgh comprised of two evenings of new and in-progress performance works by interdisciplinary musicians, performance artists, and dancers from these two cities. On both evenings, visiting artists were preceded by a lineup of Pittsburgh-based artists whose practices shared affinities.

On November 11th, Los Angeles-based artists Young Joon Kwak and Kim Ye presented a new experimental performance work from their series Rites of Matrilineal Dissent. The digitally mediated performance took audiences through a journey of failure and discovery, of new selves and new bodies, and new forms of love and kinship. Pittsburgh artists included Caroline Yoo, Goofy Toof, London Williams, and MICHIYAYA Dance featuring Anya Clarke-Verdery.

On November 12th, visiting artist duo Xina Xurner (Marvin Astorga and Young Joon Kwak) presented their cathartic music performance combining DIY and power electronics, mutated vocals, and bad drag to expand ideas about queer and trans bodies. Pittsburgh artists included Swampwalk, Samira Mendoza + The Universe Online, and Davine Byon. The performances will be followed by a dance party hosted by Formosa (Jellyfish).

This event was co-organized between Fail-Safe and the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, with financial support from the The National Endowment for the Arts, Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry, and the Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts.

Previously featured artists include Anna Azizzy, Tsohil Bhatia, Gladstone Butler, Lena Chen, Jesse Factor, Samir Gangwani, Molly Huey + Olivia Nellis, Jackson McKeehan, Nathalie Moreno, John Musser + Scott Andrew, Sadie Powers, Nathaniel Sullivan, U+1f440, and Audra Wist.

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Gallery

Close-up of a person singing into a microphone, bathed in red light. Black streaks run from their closed eyes. Background is a blur of green and purple. Gymnast in blue leotard on balance beam, arms outstretched, pink hearts projected on blue background. Performer with glasses plays upright bass with bow and mallet against a purple and pink background. Performer in a shiny black bunny mask and sheer red top, singing into a microphone on a dark stage with a laptop. Dancer in white shirt and dark pants mid-movement on a dark stage, with a large blue projection screen behind. A woman with long, wavy hair sings into a microphone, illuminated by a dramatic blue light against a dark background. Woman with long dark hair, wearing a flowing red dress, singing into a microphone against a dark blue background. Female DJ with silver hair and blue dress, adjusting headphones while mixing on a console under bright pink light. Person in blue wig, red shirt, and blue pants kneels, singing into a microphone against a blue-green gradient background. Performance art scene: Bald person in yellow jumpsuit holds a microphone and phone receiver. Stage cluttered with toys, flowers, a goose statue, and miniature figures on stacked crates. Dark background. Man ties red rope around woman in black bodysuit. Dark background. Four dancers in various poses on a stage with a bright blue background, one in foreground is blurry. Two figures in dark setting. One with black hair, bright pink blush, and patterned black top. The other has long blonde hair and a textured neon yellow dress. Silhouette of a person kneeling behind a table with laptops, against a vibrant blue background. Dancer in white, curled on a reflective surface under a spotlight, against a dark background. A dancer with dark skin and curly hair, wearing a shimmering top and light pants, leaps against a black background. Close-up of hands manipulating a DJ mixer under vibrant pink and green lighting. The mixer features numerous knobs and buttons, with blurred cables and background elements. Man in dark suit at a table with a laptop and framed photo, against a blue and purple digital projection. Black and white photo of a drag queen singing into a microphone next to a guitarist on a stage. Performance art: a drag artist in black dress stands before a projection of a face with purple hair and open mouth. Performer with long blonde hair, wearing a neon yellow top with breasts and a matching textured skirt, smiling. Performance art: person in yellow jumpsuit plays violin against projected green/black foliage. Night shot of ornate building entrance with blue neon sign, crowd of people, and purple interior lighting. Performance shot: Bald person in yellow jumpsuit kneels, singing into a microphone. Stage cluttered with objects: goose, flowers, dollhouse, toys. Dark background with blue light. A person in white clothing stands on stage with a black background, shielding their eyes. Monochrome photo of two faces close together, one singing into a microphone, the other wearing glasses. Performance art piece with a projection of "amazon Prime" logo and a bald man's head. A performer stands to the right in blue lighting, with audience silhouettes in the foreground. Figure in white robe, partially obscured by a grid of reflective blue-white lines. They hold a small bowl and brush, against a dark background. Two figures in dim light hold hands against a dark background. One wears a light top and pants, with a jeweled arm piece. The other wears a white, long-sleeved dress. Installation featuring a person with long dark hair and a black outfit in the foreground, with a large projected face with dark hair and hands with rings in the background, bathed in blue and purple light. Performance art on stage: a woman in a red outfit and bunny mask stands at a table with a laptop, microphone and water bottle. Behind her, a large screen displays a close-up of a person in a white ski mask with an open mouth. Performance art with a person in a bunny mask and orange outfit at a table with a laptop. Behind them, a large screen displays blue text on a black background. Performance art piece with a figure in a yellow jumpsuit mid-jump, arms outstretched, against a black backdrop. Blue text and a timer are projected behind them. Below, a collection of objects including crates, dolls, and plants are arranged. Installation featuring a person in a bunny mask at a table with a laptop, set against a large projected image of an open mouth with a nose ring, lit in blue and purple. Presentation in dark room. Speaker stands at laptop under blue light, beside screen showing anatomical diagrams. Silhouetted audience in foreground. Dark room with audience watching a video projection of a bright white, abstract form. A figure stands to the right, illuminated by a laptop screen. Man with beard in light blue shirt and beaded necklace holds a microphone, speaking against a dark blue background. Blue lighting illuminates the scene. Performance art piece: a figure in white bends backwards on a wood stage, holding a red object. An audience sits in the dark, watching. Spotlight on the dancer. Darkly lit stage with a presenter standing near a laptop. A projection screen displays a row of bald male heads. Silhouetted audience in foreground. Blue lighting on stage right. Monochrome artwork shows a figure dissolving into pixels against a dark, speckled background. The figure is light gray, composed of small squares, and appears to be disintegrating. Dark room with silhouetted audience watching a projection of two portraits framed by brick and lightbulb patterns. The portraits feature two figures in retro attire. A woman in a green patterned dress speaks into a microphone on stage. Behind her, a light blue and green backdrop with a pink shadow of her. Silhouetted heads of the audience are visible in the foreground. Dark stage view of two performers; one with pink hair at a mic stand, wearing a red sequin top and galaxy-print skirt, and one playing a keyboard. A white screen is behind them, with a silhouetted audience in the foreground. Performance art piece: A woman in a black dress and boots stands on stage with arm outstretched, mouth open, against a projection of a face with red lips and a large ring. Predominant colors are black, purple, and red.