Megan Pitcher has just been awarded a space residency to develop her work-in-progress entitled Watching Brief: A Living Immersive Performance Project, at the Chicago Cultural Center. The residency begins April 15 and runs through May 4, providing the artist and her company the opportunity to test out the performance and interaction of the piece, in a dedicated space, for three weeks. The performance event blends movement, relaxed conversation, and interactive provocation. The work exposes, then excavates physical and mental boundaries, contexts, and movement artifacts for an intentionally small gathering of guests.

Pitcher’s project is also being supported by the Albert P. Weisman Award through Columbia College. With the backing of these two important artistic development grants, Pitcher will be ready for her upcoming public presentation of the work at Links Hall the weekend of May 17–19.

“I’m delighted to share this experience with two if my Columbia MFA colleagues,” said Pitcher. Leo Selvaggio (InterArts Media) will be collaborating with Pitcher to develop the Max software-based interactivity, and Chelsey Shilling (also InterArts Media) is on board to create video and photo documentation of the event. “I plan to use what Chelsey documents to create a video artifact for presentation in the fall 2013 Weisman Exhibition,” Pitcher added.

Additional performers joining with Megan in the event include Performers Allison Anich, Angela Luem, Caitlin Rafferty, and Kelly Skala. For more information on the artist and the project, and to see video footage (taken at a recent work-in-progress showing through the Fraction: Dance in Progress Series at Links Hall), click here.