130 Degrees

In the desert, the human body is capable of keeping itself cool in temperatures of up to 130 degrees. Once external temperatures rise above this level, the body ceases to be able to cool itself. The body begins to shut down as your organs and nervous system overheat; as your internal temperature rises, you stop sweating, pass out, and eventually die. With the warming climate, the Tucson summers are getting closer and closer to reaching this temperature. When we do reach this point, those without access to a home or air conditioning will be unable to survive. Each year there is an increase in heat-related deaths in our state and this number will only continue to rise, significantly impacting the most venerable of our community. 130° meditates on the darkness ahead for Tucson's summers as the earth's temperature continues to rise. For this location-based performance, I wrapped myself in tissue paper and sat in the hot Tucson sun, utilizing my body and its natural cooling processes as my artmaking tool. My body baked under the heat until I was soaked by sweat, my tissue paper costume slowly saturating and melting from my body. The piece existed as a live public performance which was documented on camera and posted online as a way to leave a lasting artifact. Also documented was the aftermath of the performance's costume.