Joan Jonas on Mirage Performances

Interview

Joan Jonas on Mirage performance interviewed by Kristin Poor, April 19, 2019

Transcript

• “Joan Jonas on Mirage performances, interviewed by Kristin Poor, April 19, 2019 (Interview Transcript).” Joan Jonas Knowledge Base, Artist Archives Initiative, 2021.

Abstract

In this interview, Joan Jonas discusses the origin of Mirage and how it evolved from her piece Twilight [00:18–02:54]. Jonas also goes into detail about some of the sources and inspirations for Mirage including a Maya Deren film that she saw at Anthology Film Archives [03:08–07:41]. Poor then asks if there are some other works from the same time as Twilight that Jonas considers as part of the process of developing Mirage [07:42–09:11]. From here, Jonas begins speaking about how she developed other components of the performance [09:23–12:42] such as the movable screen at Anthology Film Archives in 1976 [10:25–11:23] and the score that was published in 1983 for Mirage [11:25–12:42]. Jonas then talks about what it was like to perform Mirage over the years and how the piece changed at each venue, specifically in Philadelphia and Basel [12:54–14:37]. This conversation turns into Jonas describing what it was like to rehearse for Mirage [14:39–15:22]. For the benefit of future curators and performers, Poor asks what kinds of directions and instructions Jonas gives to her collaborators for Mirage and other performances [15:47–16:49]. From [16:51–19:20] Jonas shares her thoughts about the strengths and weaknesses of the changes she made to Mirage while performing it in various institutions, specifically focusing on the Tate performance. From here, Jonas speaks about what it was like to travel and perform the work regularly over the first four years after its creation; she mentions not being able to bring performers abroad with her and having to recreate props on site [19:37–21:13]. Poor names some of the performers that were enlisted at various locations, which leads Jonas to recall the technical mishaps of her performance of Mirage in Kassel [21:18–22:43]. Jonas then tackles the film components of Mirage and what she remembers about making or acquiring the footage used in the piece [24:11–27:48]. From [28:05–29:00] Jonas analyzes the kind of reception Mirage has received over the years. Poor also asks Jonas if she has made new observations about the performance in the process of restaging it at the Tate and if the piece has specific qualities that make it so interesting to return to [29:04–31:09]. The interview then turns to the objects and props used in the performance [31:11–35:52] and how Jonas recreates them if they are no longer in her possession [33:47–34:20]. The interview ends with a discussion about the possibility of restaging Mirage with performers other than Jonas herself [35:56–38:00] and with Jonas suggesting curators and collaborators the Joan Jonas Knowledge Base should interview about the piece [38:29–39:12].