1st Sitting: Day 29, Portrait 9 - I look rather haughty in this photo, but this is just the way my face looks when it’s relaxed. Looks can be misleading; I was feeling the opposite of haughty. When focused like that, emotions become pure. I went from attempts at telepathic conversation to emotions of love and gratitude to being completely in the moment (even beyond emotions) back to emotions more attempts at telepathic conversation…..waves continuing until I realized that my inner left cheek was stuck to my teeth. This was an indication that I had been there for a long time. It was extremely difficult for me to leave. When I did (finally!) it felt like 40 minutes had passed. I was shocked when I looked at my watch, I’d been there 138 min. I apologized to those who had waited that day and missed the opportunity to sit because of my “seat hogginess”.
2nd Sitting: Day 35, Portrait 7 - Here, I am feeling insignificant since Paco had gone earlier that day, and I sensed that he was the “teacher’s pet”. Marco (the photographer) asked me if I would be sitting for at least 15 or 20 min., he wanted to run and get a sandwich, so I stayed for what felt like 30 minutes (I’d actually sat for 64). The sitting felt neutral and mysterious. I was angry at myself for having allowed my jealousy and insecurities to pollute the experience, I hoped that M.A. hadn’t detected any of this. I had only wanted to bring her positive energy.
3rd Sitting: Day 59, Portrait 8 - This time, I was myself without the burden of insecurity. Though this sounds like wishful thinking and delusion, I felt an intensely positive mutual connection with M.A. during those 2 minutes. While waiting that day, I had the pleasure of getting to know Dana (http://www.flickr.com/photos/themuseumofmodernart/4621349741/)! I hope she will some day have the opportunity to work with M.A. as a young performer. Not that it will necessarily happen, but I know that it would be worth M.A.’s while to get in touch with Dana and get to know her. I think that the most important purpose of art is to connect us as humans. The Artist is Present directly attempted to do that, and succeeded. Many of us were impacted in such a way that something we learned from the experience carried over into our lives.
- Janice Gossman
