Interview: Amelia Winger-Bearskin (April 2011)

What draws you to performance art as an artist?

AWB: Performance art, for me, is the study of the body in space and time.  There are a lot of ways to make art using the body in space and time; I hope to find many more.

Which artists/ artistic theories do you feel influence your work the most?

AWG: Augusto Boål. The first time I ran my own performance 'company' was when I was based in San Jose, Costa Rica. The ideas of a social practice-based performance had a strong tradition in Central America. That’s when I first came across Augusto Boål's work; it seemed to be the most connected to the way in which I first encountered using the body in time and space, while interacting with and creating work with audience participants.  

In your opinion, what is the importance of art to the average viewer/consumer?

AWB: Art is just another way of working out ideas; ideas are what makes us human, and comprises our world.  Just like anything else there are many types of ideas good/bad, big/small etc... Thinking creatively is important. Art can be a way for people to see their own ideas manifest in a new way or acknowledge the creative person they are.