WE ARE KAREN FINLEY

Based in Providence, RI, zany performance artist, choreographer, dancer Paula Hunter returns to the midtown windows where she first unveiled her hilarious piece known as, I AM KAREN FINLEY. Inspired by Karen Finley, who covered herself in chocolate during an infamous performance piece, Hunter along with two other dancers use all kinds of brightly packaged commercial food products to create an infinitely evolving dance work that begins with the Stepford Wife portrait of three brides in a window surrounded by Cheeze Whiz, Hershey's Syrup, and long loaves of factory-produced white bread. Hunter and her collaborators dance in robotic precision as they relish lathering their entire bodies, from her hair to toes, in foods that ring the average super store. By the end, the dance reigns as the dancers disappear underneath the transforming guise of processed foods. 

 

PAULA HUNTER is a Providence-based performance artist/choreographer who began dancing in windows in downtown Providence in the 90's. Her work combines installation, movement, and text, producing a bittersweet swirl of quirkiness. She's been produced by all the major NY venues. Highlights include: Hunter was twice an Artist In Residence at Movement Research; she founded THE WORDS AND MOTION series at Dixon Place, was a member of one of the original WORKING AT THE KITCHEN groups. She's been produced at DTW as part of a SPLIT STREAM season and in the now defunct CARNIVAL series. She's been Guest Artist at Interlochen Arts Center and has performed throughout the U.S.. Her teaching background includes Brown, RISD, Hamilton College and other institutions. She is founder of the unique JUMP! Dance Company whose mission is to empower young artist to make their own choreographies.