Patch Blog: IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE!

Rebecca Totman brought her second show over to Eagle Rock this past weekend. You missed it? Be sad. Still interested? Be glad, I was there and I've got a few pictures to share with you.

Titled “It's Already Been Done,” the show, held at Darring Studios on York Boulevard, represents a quick and easy method for instant shelter: Take a plastic form, use a fan to fill it with air, and you have an area to watch a short video about how cats dominate the Internet.

Totman has brought together a wide variety of work to showcase the many ways artists are inspired by the past—be it in art, history, or art history. Take a look and click the links below that read “IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE” to see the inspiration for each work—or at least what I guess is the correct inspiration:

IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE

Lincoln's Cabinet, Sean Patrick Riely

IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE

Starry Night, Alex Ruiz

IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE

Invention of Radio, Mike Battle

IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE

Warnica, Patrick Treanor

A performance by Hobo Circus, an anarchist performance troupe, caps off the event. Inspired by The Cockettes they show us how chaos can spawn true beauty. Watching them rehearse together I could not imagine nor predict just what sort of performance would follow. I suppose that's intentional. Hobo Circus includes some of the members of local band The Freedom Ledges.

Their performance begins with music and a quick shout ordering everyone to make room for them. Then they infiltrate the gallery exploring it like mice in a maze. When they find their places wherever those places may be, they dance. In rehearsal it was more synchronized; in performance they just try to follow along with whoever they can see at any given time. Following that bout of dancing, they proceed to interact with the gallery; inviting anyone in arms length of them to dance with them, they twirl and spin each other around.

Then the music stops and they quote lines from famous movies. All these short bits end with a loud shout of “It's already been done!” Then they conclude their act with more dancing. Listening to them do their postmortem, I note how disorganized they are. It's not surprising they are newly formed after all. But they talk of their future plans: How they will stage their performances at any sort of event with or without invitation, their future song choices Chevalier's Thank Heaven For Little Girls, or their plans for wardrobe in the future.

I slowly disengage then leave them to their plans. It's been a wild evening of art and performance and I leave the event satisfied and happy.

Editor's Note: Rebecca Totman's was incorrectly spelled in the second reference of this blog.