Starring and produced by John Beck
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This performance was created for my Video 1<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The performance itself was far more challenging than it appears on video. There were no grips for my hands, no footholds\u2014aside from the narrow edge of a window sill\u2014 I used no harnesses, ropes, or support systems. Every movement relied solely on raw physical effort and balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What you see is the final take\u2014achieved 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n