Johnnie Cruise Mercer presents: Process Memoirs

January 18, 2021  | emily  | General

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Process Memoirs from Black Artists Space to Create Artist,

Johnnie Cruise Mercer

Process Memoir 1: plunge in/to 534

Plunged into the spirit, the body reacts and finds joy in exhaustion. It clings to the acceptance of weight. Pain becomes the inspiration for continuation. Exhaustion. Sweat. Blood. Your (our) fluids become the call to conjure figures that linger in the darkness. The audience, I, we all are transported into an exorcism, a ritual of containment, of freedom, of war between realism, and deep trance. Our poly-centric origin is given permission to possess us- as our people, we are called upon. Something responds. Deep. Inside, it responds. Conceptualized through the lens of Johnnie Cruise Mercer’s black southern queer-baptist roots, plunge in/to 534 initiates a ritualistic ceremony (a practice) that calls/responds to the need for emotional, spiritual and generational release.

Shared: April 22, 2018 @Fusebox Festival (Austin, TX)

Process Memoir 2: on the action of black&white

on the action of black&white became a reflective performative practice that spilled from the stage into reality. Inspired by political images, audience expectations, and personal moments of soliloquy, The ensemble tumbles through familiar environments/modes as they comment on, surrender to, and construct a pre-mature world based on dual opinion, influence, artistic demand, proposition, and spiritual instinct.

Shared: May 11, 2018 @York College Arts Festival (Jamaica Queens, NYC)

Stay tuned next week for more process memoirs from Johnnie!

Learn more about Johnnie Cruise Mercer and TheREDprojectNYC here.

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