Eyes of the Soul Painting

i am a visual artist, and performance artist (new to it) my visual work is solely based on Women, female empowerment themes and ''heroines'' my childhood hero is Tina turner, i grew up watching an listening to her music and following her avidly, to me she was an indomitable survivor of domestic violence (i saw her life story at 7years old) and the majority of my visual work is based on her fiery spirit and determination. this year i was approached by the west tennesse delta heritage trust, to submit an art piece to the TIna turner nutbush Tennessee museum, tina turners home town -school was converted into her own memorabilia museum, being asked to submit a piece to the museum was a great honor for me, it was like having elvis' Graceland ask me to give something to heroine history. So one day i hope to be able to go there to see it hanging on the walls, my performance art is based upon domestic violence in the home. and bringing light to the issue, i create a homely installation within a gallery setting, have wall paper and furniture donated and then destroy it making it appear as if a domestic violence incident has just occurred, punched holes in walls, blood smears, broken furniture etc violent audio rec's echo around the installation to give a haunting effect, and i have an assistant physically attack me to make my bruises quite real, i thought of having prosthetics to play it safe but infamous performance artist marina abramovich says that in a theatrical performance the dagger is always fake and the blood is ketchup, but in performance art the dagger is very real and the blood is real -and its yours, and so it is. so trying to stay true to the all round theme of the piece and to the memories of my childhood and my mother, i allow myself to be beaten before taking up my place within the installation. -ie : lay on the floor from 9am to 5pm gallery closing time. and people just walk in and around me and i just lay there hoping i dont get stood on or nobody kicks or prods me, some people will lay down on the floor with me and look into my eyes during the performance ...........and they cry? the 1st time someone did this to me i freaked out because i had thought maybe it would happen but i didnt really think it would, but when it did then everybody started doing it, so i had to be there an stare back at them for how ever long they were there with me.