Dallas-based photographer and new media artist, doctor Erica Felicella, turned her gaze inward and found the inspiration for her upcoming performance art piece, “Visible Shell.” On Friday, May 11, at 5:00 p.m. Felicella will step into an inhabitable clear shell made of Plexiglass located on the green space adjacent to 502 North Clinton Road in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas. For 48 hours straight she will remain on public display. While she will be visible to the world around her, Felicella will use the inner sanctum of her “Visible Shell” to contemplate and freely experience her emotions without interacting with the outside world.
“Visible Shell speaks to the way we function as a society,” says Felicella. “Expressing your emotions is considered a weakness. As a whole we don’t take the time to sit still and experience our emotions anymore. It’s something I want people to reconsider.”
A round-the-clock team of observers and a medical team will be on-site to preserve the silence around the Visible Shell and ensure that Felicella remains healthy.
While in the shell, Felicella will write one sentence over and over again and the Shell will begin to fill with crumpled pieces of paper. Once in the shell, she will not leave until her 48-hour stretch is complete. Felicella is an artist with a passion for community collaboration. In addition to her extensive body of solo work, she organizes and curates numerous art exhibits and mentors young artists. She is one of the key artists who help operate Kettle Gallery in Deep Ellum and she is one of the leaders of Art Conspiracy, a collective that brings the creative community together to raise money for arts and music-related charities.
For more information visit www.ericafelicella.com
