In “Car-E-Oke,” you can choose the make and model of a car and sing along to its exhaust sounds. Regular engine noises have fun karaoke subtitles. But there’s a catch: the sound system is bike-powered. Visitors are encouraged to hop on the bike and “pedal-power” the PA. In addition, I bike every other day of the exhibition, wearing bike shorts, a sequined top, shiny sunglasses, and a fanny pack that emitted sound tracks from classic car chase movies. The sound of the car engine is acknowledged as a kind of soundtrack to our lives.

Car-E-Oke from Meghan Moe Beitiks on Vimeo.

The Experimental Station had a stack of broken chairs. I fixed half the chairs and asked for input from the community as to how I should fix chairs performatively. Then I fixed chairs performatively.

Wear a dress with flowers– Liz Lyon, market volunteer

Wear your hair back, no makeup– Danny White, market vendor

Play music with a rhythm you can fix chairs to– Corey Chatman, LINK manager

The only lighting should be a flashlight– Elizabeth Gadelha, market vendor

You should fix chairs on the floor– Marley Darvassy, son of B’Gabs’ Vegan Deli

I think you’re the “Chairy Godmother.”– Danny Burke, Market Manager

Sing or hum when you have a tool in your hand. — Dan Peterman, co-founder of Experimental Station

Move furtively– Connie Spreen, Co-founder of Experimental Station

Start out with a hopscotch– Chris Allen, Bike Shop Manager

“La Suegra, We meet again! Mom gave me a piece of you when Eugenie & I moved in together. Said I would need it. Boy did I! You out grew my herbs & even adapted around the weeds. Your sharp & a bitch of a fighter! That’s what mom meant when she said I’d need you. I’m glad you wear the black gown. With all the negativity in your life & yet you thrive. Like my suegra. Like me. I look forward to having you in my garden again. This time you’ll have a permanent place in the sun, but you just have to wait a few more years! Thanks for everything, la suegra. — Geanna M.H.”

“Plant, Thanks for the fashion advice. Loved your black dress. Black is always in.– Jules”

“Love the neutral space. The peace of the intersection. The illumination of the garden beds. The skeletons of the sunflowers. — Another Jules”

“Ahhh! So so so funny! You should send this to Maina and see what she says! The shadows from the plant were beautiful and the landscape behind– beautiful! Aundrea Frahm”

“Thank You”   

“Loved it! Very funny. Wanted to talk to it. Your footage seems like it’s going to be really interesting.– Diandra”

“Brilliant!! I thought you were going to say all the nurturing comes from your head + not the body!– Kennari ” (note: I believe this was in response to the question as to why the pot of the plant was encased in a dress. My answer was: the focus is on the plant, not the pot or soil.)

“It was pretty whimsical. Oddly, the characteristics of the plant began to match my own mood. Well done!”

“This was really good because it felt like the plant was a person. I even named it off the top of my head, Mala. She was very pretty.”

“Mrs. Plant was vacant, aloof but possessing a warm inner beauty. throughout our silent exchange I realized things I had not realized before I will buy a similar plant to live in my house and teach me new things each day.”

“If only I could be as noble as the plant.”

“Thank you plant!”

“I felt at peace with this plant. It also made me giigle. I like the lights. I think the plant is  a good listener. My body responded by turning tilting like the plants.”

“GREEN.”

“It was awkward.”

“I miss my plants. I used to sit with them some portion of everyday, but I haven’t been around much since school started. Thanks for the reminder.”

“It was awkward.”

“It gave the sense that I was supposed to be having a conversation, but it was wordless.”

“I was most intrigued by her hair-do– the way it sprung from her neckline, peering at me through the gap of her verdant locks. She must be very shy.”

“Her dress was rather form-fitting. She didn’t say, much, as usual, but her species and mine co-evolved so there’s a closeness despite her silence.”

“I know just how she feels– GREEN WITH ENVY THAT SHE IS NOT THE MOTHER but . . . the “other mother.” Her hair blowing in the wind– no control– long fingers reaching somewhere trying to get balance– only to just age!”

“What are you doing, plant? You’re a plant! You don’t wear dresses. Or is it the plant constructs in my mind that don’t wear dresses?”

“The dress. Black and covers everything. I do not find your wearing of it odd but simply your choice. Do you have modesty? You have no need for what you do.”

“Fucking Funny! I love plant’s shadows on the left + right, I love how the plant’s arms are crossed + I love how Marina Abramovich this is + I am sorry I can’t write properly my hands are shaky– moki”

“I noticed a little while that I was mimicking the wat the plant and its dress was positioned. Interesting– I loved the dress choice and the plant’s purpose.”

“Fold your arms/scream in the light/you are loosing it/ singles only/ the dating experience.”

“The houseplant is good company, agreeable, doesn’t complain about the weather, enjoys the rain. Very pleasant company + surprisingly well-dressed!”

“I appreciated what this type of plant and others do to make my life better. Thank you for pointing / or reminding us!”

“Now don’t you misunderstand me it is quite normal to find your houseplant dressed in your best black dress on a friday night late November I was just shocked that very first time but in the end I started even ironing the dress for that very same day years and years ago ahead in the future forever even ha ha ha ha ha.”

“I had never thought of a plant as an artist before. I felt like I was connecting with another artist but in away it was easier to look because she didn’t have a face/eyes. I’m glad she was dressed as a woman. Very surreal experience. — Molly H.”

“The plant and I breathed into each other. This was our conversation.”

“She is so lovely!”

“Quite profound to be in her presence. I feel transformed!”

“People’s and plants scars are very much similar.”

“Seems to talking with me. Its funny. It’s a friend. Good.”

“How long can it stay without dying? That is known kind of. A month about a month. Then it might die I think! And people as industrial plants too and artist cultural plants as people too. How long can everyone hold before dying. lalalalalala lalala lalalalalal lalalala laaaaa lala la. A secret to the plant, tell a secret to the plant, the secret of the plant building.”

“she avoided eye contact. I was bummed, but couldn’t help but smile the entire time because of her frumpy dress. It was a treat.”

“Very peaceful: reassuring.”

“I can’t find her eyes, so it’s much easier for me to accept her gazing for awhile. I count 1 to 100, and I feel better now.”

“I got the sense that she did her best work when left alone, but maybe she got lost then too . . . thank you.”

“The plant is much harder than I am. The cold doesn’t seem to bother it much. It’s green and vibrant and shivers in the wind as I do.”

“My plant friend– It’s been nice conversing + learning with you these past 2 evenings. Good luck in all your future endeavors. Onward + Upward. Bruce, Boulder, CO.”

“The plant has seen much one thinks.”

“The plant absorbs, grows, and filters out what is wrong. In the form of a woman it does not talk + grows in the mind. Sitting quietly, it acquiesces to your whims + fancy with no response except just be.”

“I’m cold, I have to pee. I was jealous of a plant. The plant was so confident while I on the other hand was weak and cold. If only I could be inanimate just like you plant. I long to be strong, beautiful and tall. I kind of wish I had a black dress like that. It really showed your curves. Once again I’m jealous.”

“How long the plant will last in this cold condition . . .”

“PLANT VS. ART”