The Office Assistant - Performance and Installation

The "Office Assistant" performance and installation in the Portland Building is under way. Thanks to Steven Nehl from the Oregonian, the attached image appeared in the Metro section today, Tuesday October 11, on page 2. For those of you on this list that are non-Oregonians, this daily newspaper is "the big one" for Oregon, USA. Thanks Steven for making the space look so cool and very hip. And thanks to RACC for making this experience possible.

The performance/installation runs from Monday October 10 until Friday November 4, and the goal is to crochet 60 afghan (granny) squares, then assemble them into a large quilt. Each square measures about a meter on each side. The premise behind the installation is simple - there is something very comforting about having the Office Assistant around - they always know how to do things that the rest of the organization might not know so well.

It won't be a surprise to draw a large generalization that most people stay with a job because of their perceptions of security and comfort at the expense of what they 'really' want to be doing. Fear is a great manager!! They come to their place of work each day at about the same time, and stay for a predictable number of hours, performing a variety of tasks. Most people in this City of Portland building, so far, have found it difficult to answer the basic question of "what do you really want to do (rather than coming to work at the job you currently have!!!)
The dialogue goes deeper -
Do you know what you would do if there was only one day left?
Would you come to the office??

This large afghan rug is a symbol of that security (blanket) and comfort afforded with having regular employment (or even an Office Assistant around most of the time) - but at what price? I am sure that many of us know friends and colleagues who 'wrap' themselves up in their job too - doesn't it make you wonder if they have anything else in their life that interests them?

This is my job for a month - just being here and making this blanket - from about 8:30 each morning of the work week, until around 4'ish! Each square is crocheted from plastic - which offers no warmth and little comfort - perhaps underscoring the real or perceived value of a job.

At the end of each work day, can you honestly answer the question "are you doing what you truly want to be doing today?"
My question to you is, if not, then why not?
What is your excuse??

from Zen,
Office Assistant
www.ovoo.com