During the first three months of 2012 Kelly Alison worked tirelessly as the Event Organizer and Administrator of Houston’s first International Performance Art Biennale. Held March 8 thru March 11, 2012, the four day festival, called “Lone Star Performance Explosion” brought in over 20 artists from around the world.
Tija with Non Grata doing Force Majeure at DiverseWorks March 8, 2012, photo courtesy of Herb Melichar
Among the artist were Al, Tija, 1KA, and Orion Maxted with Non Grata from Estonia, France and Berlin, Elena Nestorova from Finland, John G. Boehme from Vancouver, Nyugen E. Smith from New Jersey, Jill Pangallo and Rodney Dickson from New York and Gim Gwang Cheol from South Korea.
Gim Gwang Cheol at notsuoh March 10, 2012, photo courtesy of Alex Barber
Alison created and maintains the website for this and future Performance Biennales’s at Lone Star Live. She worked directly with Sixto Wagan and DiverseWorks handling the City of Houston’s Mayor’s Initiative Grant, coordinating the curators, Nestor Topchy and Myk Henry’s vision, working with Heidi Vaughan and the umbrella non-profit HIVE.org, with Mariana Lemesoff from Avant Garden handling the festival donations, tickets and bookkeeping, the PR team, Julia Clair Wallace and Jonatan Lopez, notsuoH propriator Jim Pirtle at notsuoH, Jay Mays with Production Management and Cressandra Thibodeaux and Ben DeSoto as event photo and videographers.
Alison also organized the accommodations, transportation and meals for the visiting artists, including an Opening Dinner at Wayne and Beverly Gilbert’s house, a Mexican Fiesta hosted by Sharon Kopriva, Kelly Moran and Alice Tutt, and a closing Brunch held by the collaborative group BCCKT. Currently Alison is working with Michelle Engleman to create a catalog and with others to edit the some 14 hours of video.
“My two cents: I got a little glimpse here and there of the inner workings of this festival and I just want to say: Kelly Alison is the arms and legs of this operation and this festival never would have happened without her, If you see her there, give her a big high five!!”
Julia Claire Wallace from an Interview of Emily Sloan and Jonatan Lopez at Performance Art Houston
