Day 6 > Christopher Kojzar

A Walk Alone – TRT 9:11

When I created “A Walk Alone”, I wanted to explore the idea of being alone in the city, a feeling of alienation that urban walkers know well. In Wanderlust, Rebecca Solnit writes very plainly that “there is a subtle state most dedicated urban walkers know, a sort of basking in solitude … It is an observer’s state, cool, withdrawn, with senses sharpened, a good state for anybody who needs to reflect or create.” (Wanderlust, 51) For me, the method of reflection lies within my ingenuity to be introspective amid urbanity. “A Walk Alone” is also a way for me to feel more comfortable with myself amid the surroundings. I don’t necessarily have any agenda in the video performance except to show the viewer that no one is in my vicinity. I think when we imagine cities, we think of crowds, and although I believe that Baltimore is a lively city, the population has declined to the point that some refer to the buildings as abandominiums. It’s hard to take into account the richness of some enclaves when there is such a stark and noticeable characteristic of desertion.

CHRISTOPHER KOJZAR — received his B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University and his M.F.A. in Intermedia and Digital Arts from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. A list of residencies includes the Creative Alliance in Baltimore, Crosstown Arts in Memphis, the Seventh Wave Residency in Rhinebeck, NY, and the Truth and Reconciliation Residency at Santa Fe Art Institute. Christopher researches and creates art in response to interactions he has with other people when he enters active public spaces and openly engages in artistic practices such as drawing or recording with wearable technology. Prompted by interactions with security personnel, bystanders and the spaces themselves, his work explores the increasingly troubled phenomenon of observing and being observed in an era of escalating surveillance and mistrust—complicating it further by signaling his identity as an artist. His website features drawing, video installation, publication, and performance collaboration.

http://www.chriskojzar.com