What Makes You So Special?
Dr. Lisa Investigates

In this multimedia exhibition, painter, performance artist, and comedian Lisa Levy examines the notion of “therapy as performance art” through the persona of a (self-proclaimed) psychotherapist. While the concept initially began as a live performance series in which Levy interviewed visual artists to uncover what drives their desire to create or perform, in the last year she has focused on audio recording sessions with a range of diverse individuals who offer varied perspectives on what makes them special. For the 2014 Next Wave Art season Levy has partnered with artist Rebecca Norton to develop these interviews as a podcast series.

This exhibition features excerpts from sessions with artist Mickalene Thomas, comedian Jo Firestone, BAM President Karen Brooks Hopkins, teen boy Martin Kramer, Miss New York State Amanda Mason, hospice nurse Maureen Leahy, producer Kambri Crews, fireman Kevin Hamilton, and performance artist Matthew Silver. The series is an opportunity to dig into what life factors have made this person “special”—what is the essence of their development and how they became who they are today. Levy explores their innate nature from childhood through their upbringing and the circumstances which made them the person they are at this moment.

On view through February 14, 2015

Audio interviews edited by Casey Holford

With special thanks to Adorama for providing essential recording and audio equipment and to: Sonya German, Philip Buehler, Jane Harris, Tommy Hild, Margery Newman, Susan Hamburger, Nancy Webster & Nell Archer, Lauren D. Smith, Margot Berwin, David Kramer & Susan Mitchell, Penny Arcade, Noah Becker, Chrissy Crawford, Carol Kino, Carrie Mackin, Chip Duckett, Fred Stesney, Katherine Etzel Christopher WIlliam Lee, Emily Epstein White, Sharon Occhipinti, Jenny Carpenter and especially to all of the generous subjects and everyone at BAM who helped make this a great experience.