HABITABLE BILLBOARD

Arch 301 Professor Anna Aversing

THE HABITABLE BILLBOARD PROJECT STARTED WITH A RANDOMLY ASSIGNED CHARACTER OCCUPATION. I RECEIVED A VENTRILOQUIST. THE BILLBOARD HAD TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING NEEDED TO PERFORM AND PRACTICE FOR THEIR FINAL PERFORMANCE AT LEDGES

STATE PARK IN IOWA

THE LORE BEHIND VENTRILOQUISM WAS FAR DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE THINK OF TODAY AS STAND-UP VENTRILOQUIST PERFORMANCES. THIS ART WAS USED TO TALK WITH THE GODS. ONE OF THE EARLIEST RECORDED GROUPS OF PROPHETS TO USE THIS TECHNIQUE WAS PYTHIA, THE PRIESTESS AT THE TEMPLE OF APOLLO IN DELPHI, WHO ACTED AS THE CONDUIT FOR THE DELPHIC ORACLE HAVING A PRESENCE IN NECROMANCY WITH ITS TRAPPING OF SOULS INSIDE DOLLS. EVEN WITH THIS UNUSUAL PAST, VENTRILOQUISM IS A MODERN PERFORMING ART WHERE THE CONDUITS USE THEIR STOMACH TO SPEAK ALLOWING FOR THE MINIMAL USE OF MOUTH MOVEMENT SEEMINGLY THROWING THEIR VOICE INTO THE DOLL AS THEY MOVE THE PUPPET’S MOUTH.