Rose/Mary
A childhood memory is transformed into a spellbinding ritual involving audience participation in a shared olfactory experience.
“Rose/Mary” was a site-specific performance piece for the opening reception of the LGTBQ group exhibition “My Youth” at TAG Gallery. The performance related Jenn's childhood experience of talking to a witch who lived inside the rosemary bush in the house across the street. She taught him spells involving placing rose quartz, rose petals, and rosemary branches in water under the full moonlight. The piece explored the confusing realm of living as an adult in a confounding world and the memory of transforming childhood trauma through ritual. The sensory performance included passing along a rosemary branch dipped in rose petal & rosemary-infused water amongst the crowd to inhale so that all could share in the fragrant experience and be transported.