A site- specific, durational performance

Curated by Bernardo Mosqueira

EAV Parque Lage, part of Encruzlihada, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

May 30, 2015, between 1pm and 4pm.

Hours performed: 3

Photos by Claudio Senra, Pedro Agilson

Egoboat is a pointless boat. First of all, it has no sail, no engine, no driver and no driving force - and no way to paddle. Second of all, it is floating on the surface of a swimming pool which makes it even more pathetic. Yet it has the artist's head sticking out in the very center of the boat, and there is a 'gargalheira', a gadget known from the era of slavery in Brazil, locking the artist's neck with four cords to the sides of the swimming pool. The artist's head serves as a sail, a flag, an engine, and a figurehead – like the female figures which would traditionally adorn the prow of old-fashioned sailing ships.

The head is silent and the artist's eyes are closed. Each of the cables is connected to the wheel that allows the visitors to pull it. Visitors are invited to drag the Egoboat towards them and to play a game with the artist. Once the game starts, the artist opens his eyes and starts looking into the visitor's eyes. If the visitor blinks first, they lose, the game is over, and the boat departs. If the artist blinks first, the visitor is invited to spit into the artist's eyes (because the artist has lost the game). Immediately afterwards, the game has finished, and the boat departs.

And it sometimes happens that, nobody wins this game - a game which has never started and will probably never end.