In response to feelings of isolation and mortality due to COVID-19, I created Rave For One, a mobile art installation in a U-Haul box truck.
Historically, the queer community has used drag balls held in rave and club spaces to cope with the AIDS epidemic. Raves provide an outlet to release stress and, by transforming your environment, allow you to view your everyday life in a new light. Rave For One provides a space to reflect on the pandemic; masks and viruses are recontextualized through immersive projections of COVID imagery. Participants dance to original music inspired by guided meditation, encouraging them to be present in the moment.
Move like nobody's watching, escape into the rave, come out of your isolation into a more vibrant world.
Ariana Shaw is a queer multimedia artist based in Ann Arbor who creates immersive installations, projections, and theatrical/television design. The Interarts Performance program at Stamps has given her skills and expertise in many areas of theatrical and visual arts. She is passionate about creating immersive, interactive installations that change how we see and inhabit the world by collaborating with local businesses and art venues in Southeast Michigan.
