Nature & Purpose NYC Reviews and Tickets

69%

(26 Reviews)

Positive

73%

Mixed

19%

Negative

Members say

Edgy, Ambitious, Thought-provoking, Quirky, Confusing

About the Show

An exploration of the idea of ‘art’ as seen through the works of two radical creators, with two short works, focusing on abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock and the controversial performance artist Chris Burden.

'Pollock: A Frequency Parable' is a 30 minute avant operatic sound performance piece inspired by famed painter Jackson Pollock. The play re-conceptualizes key elements used in Pollock’s revolutionary style of art making — such as energy, motion, scale, and improvisation — presenting a challenge to both the performer and the audience to free the voice from the confines of form and language, allowing it to transcend tradition and be experienced for its potential.

'A Beast/A Burden' combines contemporary theatrical staging with recreations of some of Burden’s most controversial and exciting multimedia and performance pieces, chronicling the life of the young artist, with Burden himself serving as the meandering and sometimes unreliable narrator of his own story.

Member Reviews (26)

Disappointing, Overrated, Quirky, Slow

See it if If you want to see an avante g. Play about two avante garde artists. If you want a different kind of play.

Don't see it if You want a consistent well written play. A play that is better than fair at best.

Polarizing, Edgy, Artsy, Ambitious

See it if you want to see 2 well-executed multi-media performance art pieces celebrating the work of experimental/influential artists Pollack & Burden

Don't see it if you don't appreciate radical, unconventional, experimental performance art; you are not interested in the question, "What is art?" Read more

Clever, Edgy, Entertaining, Thought-provoking, Quirky

See it if you enjoy performance art, these pieces based on artists and their works offer great vocalizing to interesting music and video & tense acts.

Don't see it if you are seeking a play - there is minimal acting here as this is new interpretation of artist works.

Ambitious, Sonic, Arty, Uneven, Multimedia

See it if you'd like to see 2 performance art projects that take their inspirations from the lives & work of 2 signature post-World War II US artists.

Don't see it if you’re looking for a play: only 1 of these pieces has anything like drama, only sometimes, & drama is its weakest ingredient. Read more

Ambitious, Confusing, Great staging, Indulgent, Thought-provoking

See it if You're familiar w/the work of Pollack & Burden. You enjoy alternative storytelling. You like plays about process. You like multi-media work.

Don't see it if You like linear, traditional storytelling. You want a biography or explanation of the artists' work. You dislike multi-media pieces. Read more

Confusing, Disappointing, Edgy, Dizzying

See it if Two art show very different from the norm. One with sounds to music. Second is about the artist past art show.

Don't see it if you are not opened mind, or if you like normal. Read more

Ambitious, Humorous, Edgy, Quirky

See it if you like avant-garde works about avant-garde artists

Don't see it if you're looking for an in depth bio of the subjects Read more

Edgy, Confusing, Clever, Funny

See it if You like weird theater that treads the line between interesting and so bad it’s good. Usually funny shows that explore art in a fun way.

Don't see it if You like plot and are bothered by at times a lack of clarity if intent. Is it serious, is it a farce? This play might be a disaster or not.