Performance PIEce

 For this project, there was the set goal of embodying generosity in a performance piece and an accompanying artwork. I had a number of ways that I wished to express generosity in the era of a pandemic, but eventually I came to realize that the way I best liked to give to others was by baking them a pie. The gift in baking a pie, for me, has always been in the process of making it, and for some reason baking pies has been something that I have drawn a great deal of joy from. Therefore my goal for the art piece was to in some way allow others to feel the same joy that I got in the process of baking a pie. 

I chose a chocolate pecan pie, as it has always been my most popular recipe. It is largely a recipe of my own creation, and I have it had it documented better in my memory than in any physical place. To ensure that everyone would enjoy the pie that I baked, I woke up early on the morning of the performance day and closely documented every step in making the pie, so that while I was cutting and serving it, everyone could watch as I walked them through how it was made. The performance, I think, was only an embodiment of the larger art piece, as where the generosity lay was in the act of making the pie, the smell of it as I sliced it into servings, the eating of it, and the insight into the recipe used. I also think it calls into question whether the larger experience I have had in learning this craft of pie baking becomes part of the art piece as I am merely showing this point in a skill that I have been practicing for a while now, that I could share with everyone at this point in my life. 

Having a pie at this time is seasonal and brings a simpler level of enjoyment to our day, and has obvious appeal as a comfort food as well as its deeper meaning of sharing a part of myself. I didn't initially think of it as an art piece as baking pies has always been such a personal pleasure for me, but in the end I am glad I chose this method of delivering the art piece. Walking everyone through my documentation and showing them the ingredients I used as almost a therapeutic reminder of when I made the pie, and my hope was that some feeling of that could transfer over to the audience.