Katrina Chamberlin and James Kubie: the Body Parlor July 3, 2009

As part of MCA's summer performance art series 'Here/Not There', Katrina Chamberlin and James Kubie will present 'The Body Parlor.' The live performance features rituals of animal husbandry re-enacted and their relationship to present society examined. Ten actors disguised as laborers and sheep re-enact milking, skinning, and slaughtering to portray a sense of survival within a community. Milk is collected in pails; wool socks are removed from the actors' (sheep) feet and their feet are washed with milk and lye soap made from sheep fat; and neck hair is shaved to symbolize shearing. After Tuesday night's performance, the gallery presents collected materials from the performance (wool socks, hair, milk, and soap) along with a video of a performance.