Farmers' Market Performance Art

The Montpelier's Farmers' Market has all of your usual stuff. Vegetables, meats, plants, bread, cheese and crafts. However, there's something new at the market this month.

Performance art!



I first noticed the person last week when he/she was standing on their platform wrapped in a large off-white sheet and mask just peaking out of their wrapping. It kind of freaked my kids out at first but then they became curious about who it was and why they were standing there. The artist moves every once in a while but is completely unresponsive to the people going by.

The reaction from the other folks at the market seems to have varied from being startled when they first see it to being annoyed by it because it made them uncomfortable to laughter to photographing the person while their kids stand along side of the artist. Plus, a lot of people just walk by without noticing it or just purposefully ignoring it.

The people who seem the most perplexed by it are the out-of-towners who thought they'd go away for the weekend to a quaint Vermont town. There never was anything like this on Newhart.



As you can see, this week the person was covered in straw and paint. Considering the 90 degree heat yesterday, I'm guessing that straw was humming by the end of the market.

I like this addition to the market. It adds to the atmosphere and is certainly a conversation piece. I have no idea what statement the artist is making but I'm interested in seeing what they show up wearing next week.