Foxy Production presents Dare # 1 by Tara Mateik, a performance taking place December 11th, 16th and 18th. Dare # 1 inaugurates The Dare Series, a program of new performance curated by Lauren Cornell.

Dare #1 assumes the form of an orientation meeting for the organization SBI (Society of the Biological Insurgents). Though SBI’s mission – “to overthrow institutions of compulsory gender" – implies a certain gravitas, the actions waged by this self-described “embryonic cell organization” are equal parts critical consideration and humorous send-up of historical standards of sexual normalcy. Tara Mateik, SBI’s founder, will deliver a performative lecture that integrates power point with performed examples of SBI interventions both live and on video. These interventions range from Situationist inspired pranks, as in SBI’s sandpaper book-marks equipped to erase all textual references pathologizing gender deviance, to revivals of outmoded sexual innuendoes such as the infamous “Hanky Code”. Each commands a moment of rupture in popular views of gender and sexuality to question the influence of clinical and biological discourses.

Tara Mateik (1974, Leominster, MA) holds a BA in Film and Video from Hampshire College and an MFA in Integrated Electronic Arts from Rensselaer Polytechnic. Selected exhibitions include: FACT/The Liverpool Biennial, UK (2004); Laboratoria Arte Alameda, Mexico City (2004); Participant, New York; Women In the Director’s Chair (WIDC), Chicago, IL; Anthology Film Archives, New York (2003); Center for Contemporary Art, Vilnius, Lithuania (2003); and Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York (2003). Publications include: GRIP: Society of Biological Insurgents (SBI) Code of Operations (RPI Press 2004); LTTR: A Feminist Art Journal (LTTR 2001); and FELIX: A Journal of Media Arts and Communication (Semiotext(e) 1999). Mateik was the Coordinating Director of Paper Tiger Television (1998-2002).

Photo by Adam Reich.