A silhouette of three people jutting through a white, stretchy material caught many students' eyes Wednesday afternoon.
Cara Judea Alhadeff presented "Collaborative Viscera," a performance art piece featuring Alhadeff capturing two of her models' images under the cloth that hung from the Browsing Gallery's ceiling.
Also included in this presentation were slides of the artist's photographs projected onto one of the walls and a video from other sessions.
"The elements may appear to be scattered fragments, but they fall into an unanticipated order," said Alhadeff, a University graduate.
Students and other passers-by witnessed models Julia Davenport, a University graduate, and Emanuel Pangilinan (senior-fine arts) in various positions with their feet, hands, knees, legs and elbows peering out under the elasticity of the sheet.
"I wonder how long (the model) can actually stay in that position without feeling a lot of pain," said Shenu Gupta (junior-philosophy).
Alhadeff chose the enclosed atmosphere because her subjects are normally photographed in a similar environment. For instance, she has taken pictures of her subjects in the small corners of her apartment.
"It's a porous boundry," Alhadeff said, adding that she calls the object a membrane.
Dispersed around the "membrane" were corn husks, dentures, film, a mirror and other oddities.
Amy Anderson (graduate art-education) said she thinks the performance piece was a more conceptual way of viewing an artist's work.
"I think it's interesting how we get the process of the slides and video while the process is going on right here in front of us, "Anderson said.
Alhadeff's unique images have enlightened and agitated many of its viewers.
Anything from a piece of string to a rubber glove can appear on an ear or a mouth, even glass tubes between one of her model's leg can surface in one of her photographs.
"When you see a picture that's so close up, you have to think about what it can be -- provocative and disturbing," said Michael Perloff (senior-microbiology).
