OUR LADY OF DETRITUS
In five public, outdoor NYC sites, August-October 2009  

A portable, interdisciplinary performance installation about trash and transcendence; a traveling grassroots campaign fueled by experimentation, green energy sources and community interaction.



We asked audience members 'What have you thrown away?' This is what they said:
  • Corn husk
    tissue (nosey snot filled)
    lavabar wrappers
  • granola wrappers
    plastic cup
    ear swap
  • toilet paper
    pinapple lind (compster)
    platano peel (composted)
  • peanuts
    my uncle
    a paradigm
  • used tea leaves
    cotton balls
    My little fish
  • An unopened container of sour cream
    A plastic container pesto sauce I made
    old tights
  • plastic wrappers
    Dunkin Donuts coffee cups
    paper
  • plastic garbage bags
    dried up paint containers
    old fan
  • clothes
    shoes
    plastic food deliveries receptacles
  • plastic bags (garbage bags)
    cans
    bottles plastic + glass
  • magazines
    newspapers
    Plastic Bottle
  • useful and unuseful things alike
    plastic
    yogurt
  • container
    Today: plastic tags from new clothes
    paper towels
  • a q-tip
    stickers
    rubber bands
  • wilted scallion pieces
    This piece of paper is much too small for a comprehensive list.
    I often throw away cafeteria containers/cups. Which is stupid because I have a cup + plate at my desk…
  • coffee grounds
    water bottle
    PLASTIC BOTTLES
  • CLOTHES,
    JEWELLERY,
    PAPER CUPS
  • TOOLS,
    FOOD,
    BATTERIES
  • NAPKINS,
    OPPORTUNITIES,
    MONEY
  • MOUSE TRAPS,
    TOYS,
    THINGS I DIDN’T WANT ANYMORE
  • PHOTOGRAPH,
    SHOES,
    SO MANY THINGS…
  • stuff I didn’t need or want from my childhood and moldy food
    a cracked yogurt container I had reused several times but doesn’t qualify in NYC compost collection
    All that I have disowened and forgotten
  • Many many things.
    paper,
    glass
  • metal,
    clothes,
    shoes
  • bottles,
    food,
    water bottles
  • I regret
    I throw
    spoil fruit,
    and old underwear
  • PLASTIC BAGS
    PAPER CUPS
    PLASTIC BOTTLES
  • FOOD
    PAPER TOWELS
    Too much!
    enough said
  • a handful of years
    Old Newspapers
    & News Week Magazines
  • MY BASKET BALL
    A FRIENDSHIP &
    A 2 LITER BOTTLE OF WINE
  • Today – garbage (FROM OUR MEALS)
    - old books – displayed (HOPEFULLY TO BE RECYCLED)
    (old newspapers – in RECYCLING BIN
  • things I could have used again if I had the time
    and this pen!
  • NOTHING this is mathematically and also in addition logically demonstrated (c.f. ethics, Aristotle 43)
  • What haven’t I thrown away?!
    Too much!
  • Spiritually not enough
    pen doesn’t work
  • colillas de cigarillo
    Too much!
    Things I can’t recycle
    The last thing was a cigarette butt
  • Plastic Shopping bags
    gum
    cups
  • sheets,
    clothes,
    relationships
  • energy,
    food,
    food,
    food
  • mail,
    clothes,
    food
  • bottles
    batteries
    paper
  • shoes
    paint
    stereo
  • clothes
    records
    magazines
  • food
    friedships,
    plastic – utensils, bags
  • packaging,
    opportunities
    catalogs
  • unsolicited cds,
    jewellery my grand mother gave me,
    old clothes
  • cheap shoes,
    sugar packets,
    take out containers
  • unrefrigerated eggs
    recyclables
    bottles
  • sun chips bag
    plastic wrap
    tin foil
  • kitty litter
    the anxiety about composting
    EGG SHELLS
  • HALF AN ORANGE
    AN EMPTY CHEE-ZITS BOX
    stupid junk mail!
  • NYT
    smelly stuff
    bad friends
  • grocery bag
    too much plastic
    a five year relationship
  • cans of out of date baked beans
    My life…HA!
    Umm… everything I’ve ever owned. Except my Prada bag.
  • paper
    envelopes
    plastic cup
  • ALL MY TOYS
    Several years of my life
    A chain
  • wood
    dead flowers
    clothes
  • mail
    photographs
    Bubblegum, & Cigarettes for good
  • Unfortunately – Almost everything you can think of.
    napkin with smushed ants
    chewed gum + wrapper
  • used cheetos
    #s plastic tubs
    shoes
  • thoughts & others
    some bad work habits
    a piece of bread
  • old school notebooks
    Fear of the Future
    paper towel
  • plastic container
    post-it
    wrapper
  • yogurt container
    plastic spoon
    plastic tab from 2 water bottles
  • plastic bottles
    shredded paper to recycling
    non recyclable
  • staples from paper to be recycled
    bottle caps
    3 ring notebook
  • apple cores
    peach pits
    swordfish skin
  • dog poup
    wee wee pats
    plastic checkhook cores
  • cucucumbers peels
    used tissues
    non recyclable boxes
  • plastic lunch containers form deli
    Today? A granola bar wrapper,
    a plastic bag,
    an empty juice container
  • I had four glass bottles in my car that I had been planning to recycle. But then one day I was cleaning out my car and there was no recycling bin near by – so I threw them out! I am burdened with guilt.
  • plastic soda bottle
    clothing
  • I threw away
    gum
    plastic to go container
    green tea plastic bottle
  • TIME
    mail
    food scraps
  • paper
    dirt & dust
    Paper Holder to a doz eggs
  • old tapes, none of which containing anything particularly important that could not be found elsewhere
    endless moments of potential love
    spam
  • chip bags
    food scaps
    opportunities
  • chances to be/make friends
    old video tapes of dance pieces
    pocket books
  • costumes
    art work
    lost loves
    stories
  • I recycle newspapers, mail, cans, containers, bottles, used old clothing. I don’t throw things away.
  • My life
    plastic container for salad
    soy milk
  • tissues,
    leftover food,
    Styrofoam containers,
    broken glass
  • the tags from my new sunglasses + new sweater
    eggshell,
    teabag
  • q-tip,
    tissues
  • I used to have mountains in the palm of my hand
    Rivers would run through every day.
    I must have been mud
    I never knew what I had
    and so I threw it all away.
  • I once held her in my arms
    she said she would always stay
    But I was cruel
    I treated her like a fool
    I threw it all away
  • My teddy bears…
    gone but not forgotten
  • Garbage
    old clothes
    trash
  • gold fish
    pudding
    ribbon
  • stickie notes
    leftovers
    a cotton-headed-ninimugins
  • !Mi Corazón!
    a granola bar wrapper
    my orange juice
  • My Virginity
    A tissue
    trash
  • LIFE
    Clothes
    pennies
  • gum
    a paper towel.
  • used condoms,
    dildos,
    vintage pornos
  • A wrapper
    Everything
    (Todos)
  • Plastic
    Dignity
    Paper
    Because I got money to blow!
  • old undershirts
    Mornings when I sleep in.
    my dignity
  • El Pasado
    cachews and stuff
    Matt’s shoes once
    (by accident)
    We grow and throw
    crecemos y tiramos.
  • a chance for the future
    paper
    garbage
  • clean paper
    old tests
    old books
  • I am about to throw away this piece of paper
  • a banana peel
    this paper
    My virginity
    (oh yah!)
  • My life
    A Gatorade Bottle
    My Gum wrapper
  • sleepless nights Plastic Water Bottles
  • magazines
    Card Board Boxes
    Garbage
  • paper
    my virginity
    spoiled Food
  • friendship
    small clothes
    yo-yang
  • garbage
    food pkgs
    baby stuff
  • Aligator
    GARBAGE
    STUFF
  • Jordans
    a tissue
    food wrappers
  • OLD TEST GRADES
    my soul
    paper
  • shoes Empty Gatorade bottle coffee cup
  • my dignity
    Garbage
    Only the best love I ever had.
    ººº those are tears
  • This
    garbage
    banana peels
  • my coffee
    garbage
    clothes
  • A tag from my shirt
    2 receipts
    tissues
  • food,
    tissues,
    pens
  • check list
    My cup of water
    tv madre
  • plastic bottles
    My broken shirt
    My rice crispies
    this morning
  • A bottle
    Food,
    garbage
  • Garbage
    Food wrappers
    old stuff
    useless stuff
  • cynicism
    ONE BAD HABIT
    My middle school self
  • wrapper
    apple
    Food – and I regret it.
  • MY DOG
    a gum wrapper
    I threw away garbage and some food.
  • Money
    My trash
    Aluminium foil
    Glass bottle
  • money
    The shrink wrap that Halo 3 = OPST came with.
    My Apple Core
  • old books last year trash
  • Travel Opportunities
    Garbage
    Banana peel
  • bottles
    My dear turtles body.
    Boxes (Amazon deleveries)
    Recycled
  • Garbage
    my breakfast
    An old couch
  • Love
    I have thrown away clothes
    The trash this morning.
  • A shirt
    (camisa)
    mi zapato
    cat litter
  • A Bear
    a tissue
    I threw away a high school at stuy
  • iced coffee cup
    una persona
    garbage
  • my homework
    Paper
    Stuff
  • a lot of paper
    napkin
    My old Converses
    my life
  • Coffee Filter + Grinds
    Conditioner Bottle
    Tissue Paper
    Sugar Pack Paper
  • My napkin from breakfast this morning
    paper
    I have thrown away old clothes
  • Food
    Shoes
    Dog Toys
  • certain relationships
    old clothes
    plastic
  • Friendship
    El amor
    This piece of paper
  • Nothing
    Food
    paper
  • Garbage
    Food,
    Food wrappers,
    garbage
  • Food
    Paper
    plastic
    Aluminium Foil
  • Gum Wrappers
    paper
    clothes
    starbucks cups
  • paper
    clothes
    papel
  • Thousands of pounds of garbage, but hopefully not all my idealism.
  • Garbage
    I’ve thrown away many things
  • garbage
    dvd player
    old boat
  • Garbage
    these two pens
    My Pride
  • paper towel
    old shirts
    Recycled plastic
  • recyclable
    paper
    plastic metal
    also garbage
  • pair of old shoes
    Garbage!
    clothes
  • Mr. Vance
    Kleenex I have blown my nose into
    the potential to beam eth dealer
  • recyclable
    paper
    plastic metal
    also garbage
  • food
    trash
    my life
  • trash,
    candy wrappers
    gum wrappers
  • clothing
    food
    Nicole Colandrea
  • Uneaten food
    Milk cartons
    Trash/paper
  • Saturday night
    Garbage
    Shoes
  • Trash!
    awful food
    Why so oh ma?
  • my virginity!
  • bottle
    the trash/recycling
    my old mattress
    old computer
  • Your mother!
    pretzels
    Dog shit
  • Religion
    +
    deez nuts
  • Adam’s virginity.
    My dog’s feces
    My cd covers!
  • apiece of paper
    My garbage
    old baseball
  • sprite
    clothes,
    shoes,
    garbage
  • trash/garbage
    clothes
    Things I don’t need
  • Garbage
    Drama form last year
    plastic
  • food
    clothes
    garbage
  • unwanted stuff
    garbage
    I’ve thrown away my old Barbie dolls.
  • (used)
    Kleenex super soft tissue w/ lotion
    Paper
  • Garbage
    Trash
    Garbage
  • I have thrown away many opportunities in life. I have also thrown away mad stuff that should go in the recycle.
  • plastic
    My dignity
    food
  • diapers
    baseball mitt
    garbage
  • Paper
    Garbage
    all self respect
  • Garbage
    sole less shoes
    sneakers
  • paper
    an apple
    my life
  • unusefull things
    Garbage
    Trash/junk
  • The evidence
  • things that aren’t useful anymore
  • my schedule for school so I had to get another one
    old clothes
    Garbage
  • MY LACROSSE STICK LAX!
    old sneakers
    Garbage
  • paper
    This stupid piece of shit!
    TRASH!
  • A lot
    paper
    text books
  • my happiness
    Empty Bottle
    bottles
  • trash
    clothes
    Apple cores
  • candy wrappers
    bad food
    love
  • leftover food
    clothing
  • trash
    plastic
    cans
  • TRASH
    my life
    poopy
  • gum wrappers
    My chance at Harvard
    childhood toys
  • corn
    food
    tissue used
  • An old phone book
    Trash
    my friends…
  • uncomfortable shoes
    my life
    Garbage
  • Old clothes
    a can of soda
    Lots of paper
  • OLD TOYS
    Trash
    Old tests
  • Garbage but not recyclables
    a tissue!
    my heart
  • non recyclables
    papers like this
    being straight
  • my faith in the human race
    my dignity
    my social life
  • paper,
    food,
    banana peels,
    napkins
  • Childhood
    That piece
  • OLD BOOKS
    OLD HABITS
    OLD SHOES.
  • anything I don’t use!
    Playboy collection…
    My childhood
  • my hopes and dreams.
    And a desk
    chair
  • my dignity
    Mike Spinelli
    my virginity
  • dead babies
    Garbage
    Food
  • Opportunities
    Clothes
    Q-tips.
  • I’ve thrown away uneaten food,
    pens w/no ink,
    bottles and
    my notebook at the end of the year.
  • tissues
    PAPER
    An opportunity
  • Things that destroy the environment
    my life
    Everything that is able to be recycled (bottles, paper etc.)
  • my faith in the human race
    my dignity
    my social life
  • hope
    dreams
    dignity
    pride
    life
  • My life
    Paper
    watermelon rinds
  • Trash
    +
    Pointless relationships
  • This paper
    nothing
    C’mon son!! WHY YOU GOTTA KNOW WAT IM THROWIN AWAY SON!!



Our Lady of Detritus is art without the plastic packaging. Conceived by longtime collaborators choreographer/performer Jill Sigman and composer/vocalist Kristin Norderval, and performed by Sigman, Norderval and Mariana Ferreira, Our Lady of Detritus travels on a funky “food for thought” cart made of an orange cargo tricycle decorated with fluorescent junk foods and powered by a combination of solar panels, pedal power and rechargeable batteries. Using improvisational dance structures and an interactive sound system, Sigman and Norderval entice passersby into participating in the event and considering questions such as “What's the last thing you threw away and how long did you have it?” and “Are there things you've discarded that you regret?” Audience response in the form of written words, gestures and stories will be collected, recycled and combined with Sigman’s personal movement language and Norderval’s original score to raise questions about waste, consumption and what we value. The performance sites chosen for Our Lady of Detritus include communities with significant immigrant populations, neighborhoods that have undergone gentrification and have "recycled" their original populations, and neighborhoods impacted by trash disposal issues.

Choreographer and Visual Designer: Jill Sigman
Composer and Vocalist: Kristin Norderval (www.norderval.org)
Performer: Mariana L. Ferreira (www.myspace.com/fadavadia)
Costume: Zuzka Kurtz (www.zuzkakurtz.com)
Trike: Stephen Horcha (www.haleytrikes.com)
Project Team: Bethany Wall, Christiana Axelsen, Liz Jenetopulos, Sarah Leonard, Roarke Menzies, Alessandra Larson, Solar One

Special Thanks for their help and involvement: Dante Espinosa, Holland Hopson, Chris Neidl, Jamie Paquette, Elizabeth Ross, Abe Sigman, Scott Smallwood, and everyone at MFTA, Band of Bicycles, Chez Bushwick/Capital B, and all of our extremely supportive site partners.

Additional thanks to Manhattan Mini Storage who provided storage space for our trike, cart and production equipment and to PowerFilm Solar who supplied the solar panels for our solar umbrella!


The Border (Brooklyn)
1 Grattan St., 2nd Floor (corner of Bogart St.)
Take the (L) train to Morgan Ave. Exit by the stairs labeled "Bogart St. & Harrison Pl." Take a right onto Bogart St. and walk to Grattan St. Take a left on Grattan and walk to the entrance of the large yellow building on corner (1 Grattan St).
Saturday, August 29: 2-4PM - PILOT PERFORMANCE
www.thinkdance.org


Solar One: Stuyvesant Cove Park (Manhattan)
On the East River, near the 20th St. entrance of the park
Take the (6) train to 23rd St. and the M23 bus east to Avenue C OR take the (L) train to 1st Ave and take the M15 bus north to 23rd St. and walk along East 23rd St. M16 and M21 buses also stop near E. 23rd St. and Avenue C.
Saturday & Sunday, September 5 & 6: 2-4PM
Thursday, September 10: 5-7PM*
Saturday, September 12: 5-7PM *
www.solar1.org


Queens Botanical Garden (Queens)
4350 Main St. (inside the Garden, near the Main St. entrance)
Take the (7) train or Long Island Rail Road (LIRR Port Washington line) to Main Street/Flushing. Then take the Q44 or Q20 bus to the Garden or walk 8 blocks south to QBG.
Sunday, September 20: 2-4PM
www.queensbotanical.org


Van Cortlandt Park (The Bronx)
Near Sachkerah Woods Playground (enter at Jerome Ave. and West Gun Hill Rd.)
Take the (4) train to Woodlawn. Subway stop is adjacent to the Park. Enter park at Jerome Ave. and West Gun Hill Rd.
Saturday & Sunday, September 26 & 27: 2-4PM
www.nycgovparks.org/parks/VanCortlandtPark


Fashion Center BID (Manhattan)
Featured performance in the 2009 Fashion District Arts Festival; Between 40th and 41st St. on Broadway
Take the N, Q, R, W, S, 1, 2, 3 or 7 trains to Times Square/42nd Street and walk along Broadway.
Thursday, October 15: 12:30-2:30PM**
** Rain date: October 16
www.fashioncenter.com

CLICK HERE for some helpful and inspiring resources about trash!



jill sigman/thinkdance has received generous financial support for Our Lady of Detritus from the American Music Center, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and Mertz Gilmore Foundation. The Fashion Center Business Improvement District provided sponsorship support, and key partnership support came from Materials for the Arts. Artistic content for Our Lady of Detritus was developed at The Swarthmore Project, a residency program for choreographers and dancers sponsored by Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA. Kristin Norderval is funded in part by a work grant from the Norwegian Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Mariana Ferreira's participation is made possible through the INOV-ART internship program of DGARTES, Ministry of Culture in Portugal. Special thanks to our partners at Solar One, Queens Botanical Garden, Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy, the Fashion Center BID, Chez Bushwick/Capital B and Bushwick community members.