Great Wall Response

Performance art can be a very unusual and interesting medium for art, especially since it is often very concept based.  In his piece," A Great Wall,"  Carr reflects on the conceptual art of a particular couple, Abromovic and Ulay.  Both individuals did many conceptual performance works together, with the goal of achieving tasks that were physically difficult, mentally draining, and/or pushing the limits of the human ability.  Carr reflects on this perseverance, determination, and willpower in their works, including one in particular: their journey across The Great Wall of China.  Each individual started on opposite ends of the wall, and their journey was supposed to end when they met in the middle.  The piece was originally meant to show the power of love, as both artists wanted to demonstrate the strength of their bond by individually conquering obstacles and then coming back together to share their journeys.  However, this original concept fell apart, and the piece became much more about struggles and individual journeys.  Carr emphasizes how both individuals approached the task in different ways, and completed the task of conceptual art: choosing and idea and following it through.  Interestingly, both people disliked each other by the end of the journey, but it was the concepts of the piece that made them finish and brought them through.  In the end, their love came from the love of their work, and not of eachother.