Modern Day Caveman, 1998, Performance/Mixed Media Installation

In Modern Day Caveman, I lived in the Islip Art Museum's Carriage House Space twenty-four hours a day, for nine days. I was dressed in caveman attire and did not shave, shower or talk to museum visitors for the duration of the performance. For food I ordered take-out ribs and drank Budweiser beer. I chain-smoked Marlboro cigarettes and obsessively watched a video of the musician PJ Harvey on the television in my cave. I drew cave paintings of PJ Harvey, the Whitney Museum and Thelma Golden, who was slated to curate the next Whitney Biennial at the time.

Modern Day Caveman relates to the basic instincts, sexual desires and everyday living practices that humans continue to exhibit, despite emotional, psychological and physical health problems. I placed contemporary objects such as a television and a VCR in the space where I performed to provide further contemplation on how modern life relates to a more simplistic and primal one.