War-time pauses life, but it doesn’t stop rejection letters from appearing in the mailbox. Who hasn’t experienced rejection, failure, and disappointment? Working artists probably more than most.

My new performance 99:1 is about exactly that. In this participatory work, I transform real rejection letters from my career into a public ritual. With a dash of humor, the performance invites the audience to face rejection together and maybe even turn it into a celebration.

Take a few minutes to watch the short 99:1 video and tell me if you can relate.

Developing a new participatory performance requires time, space, and a group of people willing to experiment and respond. This work began taking shape this winter at the Da Vinci Art Center as part of the Particle Accelerator program led by artist Alit Kreiz. A group of ten artists helped me test ideas, challenge the concept, and articulate the structure of the piece. I am grateful for this journey.

Meanwhile, life here continues under missile sirens. I am fortunate to have a safe room in my apartment. Many people in Israel who live in older buildings must run to public shelters each time there is an alarm, sometimes ten times a day or night.

My friends in Abu Dhabi in the UAE do not even have shelters and are exposed to the constant threat of bombing. And we cannot forget the people of Iran who suffer the most. God bless us all.

If only these painful days would lead to freedom and peace in the Middle East.

PoppyPink is a minimalist performance piece that premiered in Central Park, New York, and is now expanding worldwide. The performance serves as a symbolic tribute to victims of war and violence, advocates for human rights, and offers a space for reflection, collective memory, and solidarity.

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