Fine arts student aims to evoke

By Abby Wisemen [co-ordinating]

Suspended over shards of broken glass by two ladders, a chair and a piece of rope, Daryl Markiewicz observed the reaction of unsuspecting Kwantlen students wandering into Surrey Main library before the holiday break.

Markiewicz, 28, is a Kwantlen fine arts student with a penchant for performance based art projects. He once sat through an entire class and a work-shift on a hammock while a friend photographed him and the reactions of others.

“I like it because it interrupts space in ways that people wouldn’t expect, and I like to do things that are minimal but evoke emotion out of people,” says Markiewicz. “Making it art in the fact that if people weren’t reacting to it, and I was just sitting there, it wouldn’t be art.”

Markiewicz dangled over the glass for over four hours, trying to convey the emotion of being stuck, something that he says he felt before he decided to get into the arts.
The more interesting part of the performance for Markiewicz was the reaction of passers by.

“Some people thought I was going to hang myself and hurt myself, because I had ropes on the chair. I did explain that I’m very much a happy person, not suicidal by any means,” says Markiewicz.

Performance art has also captured his imagination because of its unpretentiousness, unlike static art like painting or sculpture where interaction is frowned upon. It forces people to react to the unexpected invasion of personal space and provokes critical thought.

“When you see someone who is helpless, you want to help,” says Markiewicz. “But in an art gallery everything is sort of revered and you don’t interact with it. So, even though this person might be needing your help, you don’t help them.”