An Extraordinary Rendition was commissioned as part of the project Goat Island Archive – we have discovered the performance by making it, a celebration of the work of the highly influential performance company Goat Island.

Digging deep into the archive, the work was conceived as a response to Goat Island’s first work, Soldier, Child, Tortured Man (1987). Unearthing an architecture of athleticism, spectacle and domination, the original work explores the militarization of daily living on an individual and societal level.

hancock & kelly’s response investigates power structures and points of resistance in relation to gender, toxic masculinity, complicity, and the devastating white liberal project of cultural guardianship; exploring notions of systemic violence through diverse references to militarization, spectacle, fraternity hazing rituals, and abstracted cheerleader routines.

50 minute performance with white cotton towels, blonde wigs, white paper, flashlights, white latex balloons, pink fake Chanel suit, and custom built steps.
Commissioned by the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, IN>TIME, and 6018North for Goat Island Archive – we have discovered the performance by making it.