Sheryl Oring and Tom Geoghegan

It's amazing what a single person can do with a typewriter. Sheryl Oring has many performance pieces in which she dresses the part and dictates letters of those who stop by. This included creating a birthday party feel and typing up letters to the President for his 60th birthday, going to German cities and asking people what they would do if "they were chancellor" while dressed in a formal secretary outfit, and the infamous "I Wish To Say" performance that led to over 2,000 postcards being sent to the White House from concerned citizens who approached her and her interesting piece. "Writer's Block" is one of Oring's artpieces that really took my breath away. Collecting donated vintage typewriters, Oring caged them as a symbol of the caging of free expression. Originally shown off on the anniversary and same place as the "Nazi book-burning" in Berlin, the piece really spoke of censorship, especially during that era in Germany. I would love to be able to experience this piece myself, as while it may seem simple, the point that it expresses really amplifies the piece. Through Oring, the typewriter lives on, even in our growing digital world that we sometimes take for granted.

Now, Tom Geoghegan on the other hand, was a bit more difficult to find than a simple Google search. This is a classic example of just how new and unique performance art can be. Other than the documentary that we saw in class, Geoghegan's work seems to be limited to those who are able to actually experience it themselves. His pieces are very interesting, especially "Hanging Fruit", and it really is a shame that unless a conscious effort is made to seek out his work, many may never get to view Geoghegan's pieces. It really takes commitment to the craft and a peaceful mind to do what he does, staying still for hours on end for the sake of art. Here's hoping that he never stops what he is doing and continues to share his performances that perhaps eventually we will all be able to view and appreciate.