Hassan's Work

When I saw your piece at the opening, it was scary and overwhelming. I could hear the dramatic music, so loud the floor was vibrating, from down the hall. It was a great way to draw us into the room, but creepy all the same. When I watched it in the packed room or people constantly talking or moving, all I really got from it was a feeling of sharing a very personal moment with you, while you maintained a piercing stare with the audience. I was a little uncomfortable with the stare and that's all I could really focus on. A few days later, on Monday, I went back to Anderson. I felt like I hadn't really seen all I could have from that gallery during the opening because of all the people. I went back and saw your piece again and got a completely different feeling. It was hot in that room, I mean really humid, making it feel like the bathroom after a shower. When watching it the second time, I felt like you were really brave for exposing your true self to the audience. From this viewing, I got the sense of humbling oneself and bringing yourself down to the basics; showing your true colors. You shaved your whole head and everything the camera could see, took out all your piercings, and sat their humbled and vulnerable at the end. The stare was suddenly an honest reflection instead of a scary element. I really enjoyed going back to watch it the second time and learned a lesson about art viewing at openings.