“The Wall” explores isolation, self-discovery, and fear around the metaphorical barriers created during COVID-19

Cleveland-based performance artist Ray Caspio’s “The Wall” reveals
the artist’s inner struggles in quarantine
while challenging participants to confront barriers constructed by society and self.

Cleveland (March 1, 2023) – Isolation. Fear. Mortality. As a global society, we faced these challenges head-on during the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic. While these are universal concerns, the pandemic only further separated society - creating walls between each other and within ourselves. Cleveland-based performance artist Ray Caspio explores these themes in “The Wall,” a portrait of self, society, and confronting hidden truths, in which the artist dissolves their walls through visual art and durational performance.

“The Wall” is centered around a 6’4” x 6’4” wall of text from Caspio’s studio composed of automatic writings recorded during their 18-month isolation. The result is a dreamlike meditation on loss, Self, sexuality, and memory inviting participants to face the walls we erect around ourselves. “The Wall”'s raw vulnerability and immersive reflection in a time of lies, chaos, and fear of "the other" is a journey of acceptance toward the wholeness of ourselves, and each other, before our time is through. 

"The space and performance will evolve throughout the seven-week process,” said Caspio. “It will be an organic performance as I respond to who and what is in the space each time, culminating in a nine-hour performance to close the installation."

WHEN/WHERE:
Performances: Fridays, April 14, 21, 28, May 5, May 12, May 19, 6-9 pm; and Saturday, May 27, 11am - 8pm 
1300 Gallery at 78th Street Studios, 1300 W. 78th Street, Ste. 101, Cleveland
Performances are ticketed and Pay-What-You-Can, with a suggestion of $25 via
https://www.raycaspio.com/thewall

Free, limited parking is available onsite. N95, KN95 or surgical masks required at all performances. Ages 18+ due to subject matter.

Created, designed, written, and performed by Ray Caspio, with space construction by Bobby Ayala Perez, “The Wall” brings the story to life through paintings, audio, video, and automatic and homoerotic drawings, with performance uniting all of the elements. Those present are encouraged to witness, reflect and leave their mark on the space.

“The Wall” is supported by The Satellite Fund, administered by SPACES, and funded by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Regional Regranting Program. It is co-produced by Caspio and Ohio City Theatre Project.

About Ray Caspio:

Ray Caspio (b. 1979, they/he) is a performance and conceptual artist, painter, and teaching artist. Their art is one of exposure. Caspio creates atmospheric works ranging from confessional to comedic in an inquiry into memory, Queer identity, loss, the grotesque of society, and profound emotion. They possess a visceral vulnerability and irreverent humor that opens an authentic conduit between the artist and their audience collaborators. Their performances have been recognized as “magical” and “intensely honest and unflinching,” with Ray being called “a shapeshifter” and “one [person] tour de force.” Caspio’s creations have been performed at The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA), BorderLight Fringe, Theater Ninjas, and Cleveland Public Theatre’s Pandemonium. Caspio’s work appeared on “Best of” lists for Scene Magazine and WCPN’s The Sound of Applause. Ray was profiled by Scene as “The Thespian'' of 2014. Caspio founded Michael Chekhov Center Cleveland to share their understanding of Chekhov’s psychophysical performance principles with Northeast Ohio artists. Ray received a 2016 Creative Workforce Fellowship for their performance work. Through the revealing of cathartic truths of their inner life, Caspio inspires the questions: Who am I? Who are you? Who are we? What is this space we inhabit, together? And what does it mean to be alive?

About Ohio City Theatre Project:
Actively involved in the Cleveland area since 2012, Ohio City Theatre Project (OCTP) strives to create world class theatrical experiences that are experienced intellectually and touch the heart. OCTP uses creative innovation to drive civic dialog about contemporary issues and connects with regional partners to develop synergistic opportunities for local artists to produce new theatrical work and impactful education programs.

OCTP is led by Executive Artistic Director Pandora Robertson. OCTP has produced the premieres of new works by Northeast Ohio artists, which include the film But to work! (2021) as well as the plays Central Concern (2019 premiere, 2022 Borderlight Festival Producer’s Choice Award), Incendiaries (2016 premiere, 2018 Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award for playwriting), Snake Oil (2015), Free Radical and The Late Night Sketchbook (2014), Summer Storefront (2013), Living Storefront: A Night of New Theatre (2012), as well as productions of Eugène Ionesco’s The Bald Soprano (2013) and Matt Larsen’s Kid Mystery (2012).

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James Kopniske

Freelance Writer