What if you could exist in the world without being directly subjected to the gaze of others?

Through various theatrical modes, this performance challenges concepts of exposure, empowerment, and in/visibility. You will be invited to take a journey with a performer. You will be invited to wear a costume, a traveler’s garment and a mask. Inspired by masks used in Venetian culture, this mask will relieve you from social conventions and markers of identity. Along the way, we may share moments of silence, engage with others, or simply converse with each other. At the end of the performance participants will be invited to write their reflections on the costume they wore. 

To Be Seen & Unseen is a performance that challenges the control and surveillance of female bodies. It premiered at the 24th Iranian Women’s Studies Conference in Florence, Italy. The performance was also presented at the opening of Akt III ich/io/me at Museion Atelier in Bolzano, South Tyrol. This was part of a group exhibition called 1+1=3, curated by Elisa Barison and supported by GLURNS ART POINT. To Be Seen & Unseen was commissioned by Mare Culturale Urbano in Milan, Italy. The performance and installation was included in the group show, Subterranean at Mesa Art Gallery in San Diego. The costumes, set, and videos for To Be Seen & Unseen were featured in the group exhibition Fear No Art: Civic Engagement, Histories, Currencies, curated by Dr. Lara Bullock at San Diego Central Library Art Gallery. Guests read writings from previous performances aloud in Farsi, German, Italian, Spanish, and English.

Costumes by Kristina Foley  

Masks by Anna Rose