A Vulnerable Exchange

A Vulnerable Exchange is a performance that features items of significance to the artist, empty glass jars, wax, and a zine describing the assigned representation of the materials. During the performance, the artist asks viewers to write down a secret or vulnerable instance they would typically withhold. After the artist shares stories, memories, and musings in connection with oral traditions, viewers are invited to gift their written thought to the artist. The artist silently reads the note, then creates a response in the glass vessel by filling it with individualized items while reminding viewers of the material's significance. The jar and note are sealed to promise trust and intimacy between the viewer and the artist. 

This performance encompasses the bravery of having faith in another human being. It is a small act that attracts hope in a more tolerant and cooperative future society. In return for the viewers' generosity, the artist gifts them with a vessel of goodwill. The vessel can be seen as a totem of protection, a wish, a prayer, or a spiritual placebo. Ultimately, a vessel, a jar, or a container indicates value and importance, and vulnerability is just that.