Starring and produced by John Beck
This performance was created for my Video 1 class at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). As part of the course, we were shown a series of clips featuring early video artists exploring various forms of artistic expression. I chose to engage with endurance art, drawing inspiration from the physical intensity and symbolism found in Matthew Barney’s work.
The performance itself was far more challenging than it appears on video. There were no grips for my hands, no footholds—aside from the narrow edge of a window sill— I used no harnesses, ropes, or support systems. Every movement relied solely on raw physical effort and balance.
What you see is the final take—achieved only after an exhausting practice session and countless falls. The piece became not just a study of endurance, but a meditation on persistence, vulnerability, and the tension between control and collapse.