Suffering for their art

The Red & Black | 'Performance art' hits Wal-Mart
The Oconee County Wal-Mart was under siege Friday night by a guerrilla performance art project staged by University students for their Studio Art 2810 final.

The students, who call their group "Private Agenda," held a rave in the family bathroom and a fashion show in the electronics department before being asked to leave by Wal-Mart staff, who warned participants over the store's public announcement system that they could be arrested.

...The group documented their performance with photographs, video tape and audio recordings, and will put material on a Web Site for their final grade.

"It was an anti-control statement," said Sam Marks, a senior from Atlanta who wore a black dominatrix outfit Friday night.

Marks said her friends have been kicked out of Wal-Mart for things like hacky-sacking in the store.

...When asking students to leave, a Wal-Mart staffer referred to the event as a "feminist protest."

This may have been because of Natalie Gazaway, who wore a tiny white nurse's dress while being pushed through the store in a shopping cart asking people to take surveys.

"Would you try feminism even once?" Gazaway asked Wal-Mart customers with confused looks on their faces.

So, I'm guessing the assignment was, "See how disruptive you can be without actually doing anything you can be arrested for."