Red leather booth

Artist Johannes Zits ripping his clothes

What a delightful surprise to be walking across the University of Waterloo campus today and stumble upon a nearly naked man attached by strings to a silver air stream trailer.

The man, Johannes Zits, is a Toronto performance artist who started off wearing clothes but cut them off his body in strips, weaving the pieces into a long train.

I found Johannes close to the end of his two-day performance: pants gone, jacket gone, shirt almost gone with underwear, hat, socks and shoes remaining, happily weaving his clothes on a handmade loom. At least 15 feet of woven clothes trailed behind him like a long scarf.

Artist Johannes Zits weaving the clothes he was wearing on his handmade loom

The University of Waterloo Art Gallery brought Johannes to campus as part of their CAFKA event, This could be the place.

And it was awesome and odd and silly and fun. On most days I don’t really “get” performance art but I applaud someone who takes their idea and turns it into a public display of creativity. This was good. And I found it while at work, walking across campus between meetings. #artwin

You can watch this very amateurish video I made talking to the artist and getting close up with his art.

In case you are wondering about the “why” – Johannes’ work is a comment on materialism, fashion, identity and pride.

You can see his finished woven product at UWAG starting Saturday, and join the This could be the place symposium.

Thanks UWAG and CAFKA for bringing art to my day.

What CAFKA art have you seen so far?