Dawn Kasper "Unfiguring the Body" Gallery Talk

L.A.-based artist Dawn Kasper performed her piece "Things to do when you can't sleep" to an audience of 35 people at the UAM's noontime gallery talk.

Kasper, a slight-framed woman with long, curly brown hair dressed in plaid pajama pants and a purple T-shirt, gave an emotional performance that included an organ, and an old television playing a silent Buster Keaton film.

As she manipulated the film from her seat at the organ, Kasper spoke in a free-flowing manner of her friend David, of her feelings and of her art.

Of Buster Keaton Kasper said during her performance that she "really admired him as a performer" because of Keaton's clear artistic vision.

"I am learning I have a lot to learn," Kasper said toward the end of her performance.

She left the organ seemingly crying and returned smiling and in different clothes ready to answer the audience's queries during a Q&A session that followed.

"It does affect me a great deal," Kasper said of her emotional performance.

And though she said she tries not to "dump everything" on the audience, she feels it is important to express herself.

And though she is grateful to have an audience, she said she "would probably be doing it anyway," even without one.

Kasper likened her work to a science experiment saying, "Failure's a big part of my work."

As she reflected on how her experiences shape her art, Kasper said, "I don't want to walk into a room and find my friend dead on the floor. I wanna be here with you guys. But in order to be here with you guys, I had to have experienced that."

When asked about whether or not this performance helped her insomnia, she replied, "I probably won't be able to sleep tonight."

The exhibit runs through December 14.