Text-based collaborative performance
David Howard / Scott Saunders
Location: Quinpool Rd / Robie St intersection
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Completed: 2014
Word pairings: Text/Terror, Arson/Art, Fascism/Fascination, Pogrom/Poetry, Gestapo/Gestation.
Performers: Scott Saunders/Angela Penton.
Photography: Todd Maclean.
This project involved the selection of five distinct word pairings, which served as the foundation for a unique performance. Over the course of one hour, two performers—one moving clockwise and the other counterclockwise—navigated Halifax’s busiest intersection during the afternoon rush hour, each carrying one of two signs.
At random intervals, the sign-bearing performers would overlap, pausing side by side for a brief moment before continuing their respective journeys around the intersection. This method of presentation draws heavily from David Howard's radical quotational strategies, extending his concepts into a live, dynamic context that engages with the themes of allegorical poetics.
By situating the performance in such a bustling urban environment, the project not only highlights the interplay between language and movement but also invites viewers to reflect on the significance of the chosen word pairings in relation to their surroundings. The performers’ synchronized yet divergent paths create a visual and conceptual dialogue that resonates with the rhythm of the city, transforming the intersection into a stage for exploration and contemplation.