Carmen Beuchat
Ice

Carmen Beuchat
Trisha Brown
Kitty Duane
Caroline Goodden
Suzanne Harris
Alex Hay
Rachel Lew
Gordon Matta-Clark
Richard Nonas
Judith Padow
Penelope
Kai Takei

This piece, performed in and around a hole between the ground floor and the basement (originally cut through by George Trakas), was performed in the morning in order to allow natural light to filter through the shaft. Trisha Brown bounced on a trapeze which was suspended in the trap between the floors. Movable flat carts loaded with dry ice were placed below the trap. Performers Gordon Matta-Clark, Alex Hay, Caroline Goodden, and Penelope bounced on these carts. Kei Takei was slowly lifted by a rope from the basement through the trap and into the ground floor space where Suzanne Harris, Judith Padow, and Rachel Lew were performing. Carmen Beuchat recalls another piece presented at this time. The piece, performed in darkness, involved a number of performers moving a ladder while Trisha Brown, holding a flashlight, attempted to hypnotize a pigeon which was flying around in the space. The piece concluded when Trisha Brown was able to successfully shine the light into the pigeon’s eyes. [from a conversation with Carmen Beuchat]

Excerpted from Brentano, R., & Savitt, M. (1981). 112 Workshop, 112 Greene Street: History, artists & artworks. New York: New York University Press.