The Kamerick Art Building was filled with unique performances on the night of Thursday, April 19. This semester’s “VertigoMini: A Night of Performance Art” brought in over one thousand spectators to view 32 students’ performances that were scattered throughout the building.

VertigoMini was a collection of bold and evocative performances, many of which were featured in the glass display cases along the walls.

Some performances, however, were in larger rooms or right next to the spectators’ feet as they walked throughout the building.

VertigoMini was hosted by performance art professor Aypryl Pippert. According to Pippert, the show was a great success.

This year’s group consisted of experienced performance art students, as well as alumni, which Pippert takes as a compliment, describing them as part of UNI’s “performance art family.”

“You have an unpredictable audience. The audience is probably more of an indicator of change than any other factor,” Pippert said. “There’s a snowball effect; once people find out that Vertigo is happening, they’re like, ‘Oh it’s that crazy show!’ And then they come to it. It has its own reputation.”

One performance featured a student lying on the floor tied to a heavy suitcase. The student attempted to drag himself and the suitcase across the floor for the duration of the show.

Pippert also spoke on the video performance that addressed the issue of rape, and how performance art, as well as all art, can be a release for participants and viewers alike.

According to Pippert, art can offer a therapeutic opportunity for students to heal.

“When you have a creative outlet, you can’t help but impose yourself in it. I’m glad that there is more awareness in this generation, particularly talking about rape culture and what’s going on, so people feel they have that voice,” Pippert said. “Work like this is powerful for people who see it, because they can associate. Maybe they have their own experiences along those lines, so it’s a voice for lots of people, not just the person making the work.”

One student who attended VertigoMini was art major Kailie Hesner. Hesner attended Vertigo during the fall semester and was excited to see the new performances in VertigoMini.

“The video that was in the lecture hall was probably my favorite,” Hesner said. “It had to do with the issue of rape and how a lot of people put the blame on the victim. It’s never the victim’s fault, and it was just a super powerful piece.”

The next Vertigo event will be held during the fall semester of 2018 in the Kamerick Art Building

“Students always surprise me with how they rise to the challenge of putting together a really compelling exhibition,” Hall said. “It’s just a matter of trusting them to make great decisions and, occasionally, to intervene with new ideas.”

Hall talked about how he is able to offer more guidance to the students with emphases in painting, since they are his advisees within that discipline.

Because the students are in their final semester and preparing to graduate, Hall says that creating and showcasing work can be a daunting task.

“I hope that students will be inspired by the work they see in this exhibition. There is a wide range of media on display in this exhibition, including at least one video projection, large sculptural and found/appropriated objects, painting, printmaking, ceramic works, photographs and some pieces that almost defy categorization,” Hall said. “There’s a lot to take in, and the concepts that underpin the work are really important for our culture and time.”