Image: https://walkerart.org/magazine/william-popel-will-exhaust
It took me a few times to watch Pope.L’s four minute video by MOMA on his performance “Crawls” to have a thought of discussion. I think to me because it was different and with that difference I question, how does this make me feel? I am watching a man deliver a performance by crawling on the the New York City’s streets in tuxedo while holding a dandelion, or wearing a superman suit with what looks like a skateboard strapped on his back. First of course I question, why? Even though he does provide explanation in doing so. As I just finished watching him again, I started questioning myself on how being different or doing an unconventional act can make people feel uncomfortable. This is a man protesting peacefully through the act of crawling. The video shares clips of people staring, asking for help, security asking him to stop, and so forth, but why? Why not just let him crawl? In life when witnessing someone doing something different, in any regard that is out of the status quo, it may be questioned. It is like we have grown up with a rule book of how to be but is there an actual rule on being human? Pope.L questions about space: “Where are you in space? And who owns the space? How you behave in space? How can you own that space?…”. Space… space can be shared, owned, dominated, etc.. and within that space we observe on what is the manner of being during that moment. But is there a manner always? If a shared space is shared and not owned, therefore there should not be a formula of act especially if it were peaceful. Pope.L’s bravery on performance publicly has revealed how being different can trigger uncomfortability by watching the clip. On an end note, how fascinating to have gotten to know NYC from the ground actually looking up, crawling in alignment on the thousands of footsteps passing by.