Celebrated visual and performance artist Karen Finley looked back at New York City upended by the COVID-19 pandemic in COVID Vortex Anxiety Opera Kitty Kaleidoscope Disco — a moving, one-night only performance produced by Gavin Browning that “pierces the heart” with “rawness that feels like a jolt,” according to the New York Times.
Performed to mark the five-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic and the launch of Finley’s titular book of poetry, described as:
“In COVID Vortex Anxiety Opera Kitty Kaleidoscope Disco, Finley processes the pandemic in all its complexity — from the collective coping strategies during isolation and loss to the absurd new habits we acquired, from handwashing to wiping down groceries to decorative double masks and Zoom dance parties.
The New York City hotspot echoes an earlier AIDS era; that rage and sorrow remain part of the City’s DNA. During COVID, tragic historic events such as the police murder of George Floyd and the continued brutality on Black and brown bodies, challenged the nation. Revolution took to the streets. The reversal of Roe v Wade and the criminalizing of trans peoples’ bodies, mental health realities, houselessness, essential workers’ rights, and social isolation brought desperate conditions. Finley reflects on these traumas, asking how do we employ love despite the hate, to encourage humanity despite proliferating violence?”
Run Time: 90 minutes
Written, directed, and performed by Karen Finley.
Producer: Gavin Browning
Set Designer: Violet Overn
Production Management: Zack Tinkelman and Holly Ko
Stage Manager: Philip Estrera
Lighting Supervisor: Cat Foley
Digital Projectionist: Andrew Freeburg
Audio Engineer: Phong Tran