Valerie Wedel

Hangman, Art Inside the Park, Jefferson City, Missouri, 2008

James Calvin and Valerie Wedel created and performed Hangman - a participatory tongue & cheek exploration of the criminal justice system. One artist, acting as the prisoner, navigated through a series of hangman games in an attempt to escape prison life. The only means of communication was through semaphore flags – spelling out guesses one letter at a time. The other artist, the judge, painted the proceedings on the prison wall. Starting with the scaffold, the prisoner was painted out with each incorrect letter. But, with each correct letter the prisoner guessed, he/she was one step closer to release. Comprehending distance transmission was difficult and the chance for miscommunication was high.

vawedel@gmail.com

©2016