Tina Girouard
Four Stages

For her first one-person show, Tina Girouard installed four architectural pieces, which she intended to be activated by performers. Wall Space Stage consisted of layers of printed cloth hung parallel to the ceiling. Floor Space Stage was a construction of boards and slats which could be arranged in variety of ways. Air Space Stage consisted of pipes and boards hung at various levels. Sound Space Stage consisted of invisible piano wire strung along the floor. Various tapes were played and numerous “continuous performances” occurred.

The artist explained, “What mean by perform’ is, the door was open, people would come in, take their shoes off, and get to work. None of the other performers sent out an announcement; it was just clear in my announcement that there’d always be something going on in the space for the two weeks that was there.”

Performers included members of Mabou Mines, some members of Grand Union, Barbara Dilley, Suzanne Harris, Tina Girouard, and Richard Landry. The materials for Floor Space Stage and Air Space Stage were movable allowing the performers to alter the stages to suit their needs. Material for Wall Space Stage was from “Uncle Solomon’s Lot,” the legacy of an Arab dry-goods salesman who had been married to Richard Landry’s aunt. Material for Air Space Stage was refuse found around the artist’s Chatham Square loft. Floor Space Stage and Wall Space Stage became elements in the set for the Mabou Mines production “‘B-Beaver Animation.” Tina Girouard recalls, “Things that did then would never have been possible for insurance reasons. If I had tried to install this set in a regular gallery or museum, the architects would not have permitted me to.”

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