The Roof Is On Fire Suzanne Lacy

Performance june 4 1994 city center west garage oakland.

The roof is on fire suzanne lacy. Suzanne lacy annice jacoby and chris johnson the roof is on fire 1993 94 from the oakland projects 1991 2001. The roof is on fire reflected the crux of those discussions as well as lacy s decades long mission to counter misleading media images with empowered community oriented actions. 220 high school students in oakland ca sat in parked cars on a rooftop garage and talked to each other about violence sex gender family and race. It offers one of the most important models we have of a practice that explores complex social dynamics and.

Since the 1970s she has created performances that offer alternative narratives and interpretations of news coverage. There was no script and students spoke openly. Suzanne lacy s career as an artist educator and activist spans multiple decades and major movements in contemporary art history feminist art new genre public art a phrase coined by the artist and more recently social practice. Suzanne lacy she is a theorist of public art and a pioneer in community development through art.

Lacy is the executive artistic director of team an organization she founded in 1991 with photographer chris johnson and producer annice jacoby. She has worked in a variety of media including installation video performance public art photography and art books in which she focuses on social themes and urban issues she served in the education cabinet of jerry brown then mayor of oakland california and as. Suzanne lacy born 1945 is an american artist educator and writer professor at the usc roski school of art and design. Gary nakamoto if this sounds like a difficult curatorial task i m fairly certain it was.

The roof is on fire performance with 220 teenagers talking in parked cars oakland ca 1994 suzanne lacy.