The Drip
Amalia Pica
- Presented by — Koenig London
- Amalia Pica, The Drip, 2018, performance at Koenig London, part of Performance Exchange July 2021. Image Courtesy Performance Exchange and Koenig London. Photo: Damian Griffiths.
A person has a small bag of confetti. They stand in one spot and throw confetti into the air with a certain enthusiasm. They throw one piece of confetti at a time and watch it fall to the ground before throwing another one. Once they are done with all the confetti, they pick piece by piece off the floor, placing it back in the bag, and once they are done picking it up, they start again in a loop.
Pica’s work deals with the complex mechanisms of communication and social interaction, as well as with social systems, bureaucracy and civic participation - themes shaped by her experience in the Argentine military dictatorship in which she grew up.
Pica works in a variety of media, including sculpture, installation, photography, drawing, and performance. The Drip is one of a series of performances that reflect on fleeting moments of shared experience, often incorporating the signifiers of celebration and communal gatherings with fiesta lights, party bunting, and confetti; confronting scarcity with resilient hope. As she explains: “It’s about treating joy as something too precious to spend all at once.”
Conditions of Production
The work can be performed in any space large enough for the performer to have sufficient space to complete the task unhindered by other artworks or audience. The work can be in a fixed position or roam through a public space.
Material
The material elements of the work are confetti and a brown paper bag. The confetti should be round, multi-coloured and each piece should be roughly 2 cm in diameter. Approximately 100 pieces of confetti should be placed in the brown paper bag.
Duration
The performance is durational but flexible — the full task should be repeated a minimum of twice during any presentation, with no maximum number of repetitions. The performer can take breaks as they need.
Performer
The performer does not need to be a trained actor or performer but they must be comfortable and relaxed in their performance task. They can be any age, gender or background. Their clothing should be plain and casual; no high heels or ties. Trainers or boots are fine. No branded clothing. No slogans. No excessive make up.
Silence and absorption in the task is best, but if the audience attempts to interact with the performer, they can say: “This is a performance by the artist Amalia Pica. It is called The Drip”
Rules of Documentation
Photography and video image of the work can be taken and used as documentation of the work. These may not be shown as alternatives to the work itself but can be used for PR/comms, documentation and archive.
Collectables
- A sample of confetti and a brown paper bag from the artist are supplied with the acquisition, but can be replaced by any standard, large confetti and similar sized bag when required
- A document setting out the core rules, and structure for the performance
- Certificate of authenticity