LETTER TO 14 YEARS OF LIVING ART

A LETTER TO MY PERFORMANCE: 14 YEARS OF LIVING ART

Dear 14 Years of Living Art,
This letter is an apology to you.You, the biggest,longest,most transforming,most encompassing,most generous,and most complex performance of my life.I can't sing your praises here. Why?
Because there are not 34874878 pages in this book, I will not be able to tell the reader about Dr. R.S.Mishra and the way he introduced his students to the chakras, day after day,year after year using color charts,chants,meditations and art practice.
Because there are not 276767673 pages in this book, I will not be able to include the essay Moira Roth wrote which describes 7 Years of Living Art. Everyone who visited me for seven years at The New Museum where I performed Art/Life Counseling, was given a copy of the essay which was printed on paper the color of the clothes I wore that year.
Because there are not 57873877 pages in this book,I will not be able to include the year-end reports I wrote for the first 7 Years of Living Art.
Because there are not 958487875 pages in this book,I cannot include Jennifer Fisher's essay from Parachute magazine.
Because there are not 94885775 pages in this book,I will not be able to describe the Summer Saint Camp I held each year for 2 weeks,or name the participants and first meetings with subsequent friends Annie Sprinkle, Veronica Vera and Barbara Carrelas.
Because there are not 48746746 pages in this book,I will not be able to tell Tehching Hsieh that he is an important influence on my work and has enriched my love of endurance.
Because there are not 485787576 pages in this book,I will not be able to tell the reader about the syncronistical aspects of the performance:that I completed menopause at the end of 7 Years of Living Art(1984-1991), and completed teaching in Texas at the end of Another 7 Years of Living Art(1991-1998).
Because there are not 587857 pages in this book,I cannot tell in detail that I am continuing this performance and it is titled,21 Years of Living Art(1998-2019),asking three people to perform for seven years in any way they wish.
Because there are not 597857875 pages in this book, I won't be able to include a chart created by Caroline Myss(ex-nun), who interfaces the Kabbalah,Catholic Sacraments and Chakras in a brilliant way .Her chart helped ease my return to Catholicism.
Because there are not 8758587 pages in this book,I will not be able to talk about the website the Robert Shiffler Foundationproduced.(WWW.LINDAMONTANO.COM)Peter Huttinger curated the site and it includes many images from 14 Years of Living Art.
Because there are not 45987587587 pages in this book, I will not be able to talk in depth about the courage of Marcia Tucker,director of The New Museum at that time, and her willingness to include a seven year installation-room at the museum where I performed Art/Life Counseling once a month for seven years .The space was painted a different color each year.
Because there are not 549858757 pages in this book,I will not be able to describe in detail the way I drew one image each year and limited myself to one drawing a year for seven years,drawing with my right hand ,year 1-7;and then for the next seven years of the performance I drew the same drawing with my left hand.
Because there are not 98498494 pages in this book, I will not be able to talk in detail about the two retrospectives I had of relics from 14 Years of Living Art. One, was curated by Carolyn Eyler in Maine; the other, by Jennifer Fisher, in Montreal.
Because there are not 948944787 pages in this book, I will not be able to describe the photo images Annie Sprinkle took of me imitating the seven mudras from the seven drawings.
Because there are not 487985787 pages in this book, I will not be able to fully describe Martha Wilson's report of going to "see" me at the United Nations Chagall Chapell , where I had donated my invisible self as a Living Sculpture for seven years during Another 7 Years of Living Art.Seasonally I "appeared"there for seven years,having "really"appeared at The New Museum for the first seven years of 7Years of Living Art.
Because there are not 5489587587587 pages in this book,I willl not be able to talk about the joys of making endurance vows.
In conclusion,14 Years of Living Art,my champion,my secret one, this is the last time I will write about you for seven more years.It is now January 10,2004. My new no-writng vow begins January 18,2004.With more space around you,maybe you will learn to fly by yourself!
Love, thanks, do you best and good luck,Linda.